Madden NFL 18 Reviews
Madden NFL 18 isn’t the giant leap of the series, but I’m not entirely sure anyone really expects it to be. It is noticeably different than its predecessor, namely because of the Longshot mode. And while I didn’t walk away from the Longshot story a huge fan – it’s definitely worth a shot if you’re looking for something different in your Madden experience. However, if you just wanted more of the same, this isn’t necessarily a bad year to skip the game and save your money. That’s not to say the game is bad – it’s not. However, I’m not sure it does enough differently than it’s predecessor – and the things it does differently I’m not sure they do them well enough – to warrant a purchase day one.
Madden 18 innovates in a lot of areas and while it fumbles with some of the modes, it manages to make up for it with incredible gameplay, visuals, and online play.
If you don't know what you're doing, play Longshot and figure out if you're into it or not. Maybe go through some tutorials, maybe get a more knowledgeable friend to walk you through the basics, and play some couch co-op together. Once you get your feet wet, get into MUT Squads and let your buddies play offense and defense, while you pick head coach and continue learning. Or you're already familiar but you aren't great, so you set the game to arcade mode, play Longshot a few times, then build up your MUT game to a huge OVR rating. Or, of course, you're a huge Madden nerd and you're tweaking the minutia in the options for hours before you even start playing. Madden NFL 18 wants to be a Madden for everyone, and it's built to allow a player of any skill level to mold their experience around themselves.
Although the new Longshot mode shines, Madden misses the mark with a few of its gameplay additions this year—so if you don't immediately take a liking to them and choose to ignore them, the experience will feel a lot like last year's. Meanwhile, the additions to MUT feel unnecessary, and like a desperate attempt to get more people playing—and potentially investing in microtransactions.
Although it can't shed all of its perennial problems, Madden 18 increases its draft stock with some high-quality off-season picks.
The Madden series is iconic in the world of sports gaming. Regardless of your reason for playing, you can't go wrong with Madden NFL 18 because it's the ultimate NFL simulation experience on the market. This year's iteration brings dramatic changes in the form of an interactive movie, but there's something here for everyone, whether the interest is in MyTeam, online play, the MUT system, the competitive scene and community, or the superstar career mode.
Overall I was very impressed with the around 5 hour long story mode, and I hope to see it become a staple for the Madden series in future releases. It's story heavy and you should expect gameplay to light in this mode as story and narration is the number one focus in this mode as it should be.
It's nice to see Madden NFL 18 taking risks and experimenting, with good results like the Longshot mode. Hopefully the franchise will continue to refine what works, and iron out some of the technical imperfections and lackluster game modes.
Madden 18 introduces some game-changing new features in Longshot and MUT Squads and they really usher in a new era for the franchise.
I look forward to the fresh roster updates, appreciate subtle tweaks to a series that I have been playing yearly for more than twenty years and thoroughly enjoyed the two major modes additions.
To the hardcore fan, Madden NFL 18 will be an inconsistent experience. For every change or improvement made in the form of Frostbite or MUT Squads, there's a raw aspect or a neglected aspect, such as the Franchise's inconsequential tweaks, the presentation shortcomings in Longhot or the irritating loading screens. If you are new to the franchise, on the other hand, this is a solid sports game.
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Were it not for "Longshot" and MUT Squads, many veterans of the "Madden" franchise might have had a difficult time discerning last year's edition from this one. Thankfully, those two new modes pay off, making all the effort devoted to them worthwhile. They're joined by subtle but valuable improvements to gameplay that become apparent the more "Madden NFL 18" is played.
Madden 18 is a game that finally shows fans what the developers can do when harnessing the full power of the current generation of consoles.
Madden NFL 18 is a great game. In comparison to the previous Madden games, this installment has the most improvements in order to maximize the fun for its player audience. If your a fan of football and video gaming, this game is one to put on your to buy list.
Madden 18 offers enough of the same from a gameplay perspective to ensure that returning gamers will have more of what they have loved over the years, but there have been plenty of refinements made to ensure the whole experience feels fresh too. Tackles are more believable, the AI of your opponent more intelligent, the offense play more tactical – there are just a lot of little tweaks that come together to make Madden 18 feel superior to its predecessors, both from a gameplay perspective but also in presentation too. Add to that the absolutely brilliant Longshot, the addition of extra game modes, and the stunning visuals brought with the change to the Frostbite Engine and it’s easy to see why Madden 18 is one of the finest entries the series has ever seen. Each year, Madden takes a step closer to the pinnacle of sporting greatness and this year it’s no different – Madden 18 is just all out, action-packed sporting fun and a must buy for any American Football fan.
Madden NFL 18 is every bit as great as the last Madden was, but aside from its awesome story mode, there really isn’t anything new to talk about. If you’re a Franchise guy, it’s the same. If you like MUT, there are some new things sprinkled here and there, but it’s mostly the same. Madden is still Madden, and it’s not really a bad thing.
When you reach the 4th down and nearing a touchdown, Madden 18 delivers, just. It’s got a fresh new look to it, great production value (as ever), an awesome soundtrack and a story mode that raises the bar.
But what sets this Madden apart is the wide open arms it has for newcomers, which is something a lot of serious sports titles forget to include. If you have ever thought about dipping your toes into Madden but have been put off by the complexity, then this is the year to do it, you will probably never get a better chance.
Madden 18 is one of the most ambitious installments that EA sports have put out with Longshot being introduced into the fold. While I think there is plenty of room to improve in Longshot, I am excited to see Devin Wade's NFL career in the second installment. If you're franchise mode fan then you will probably be a bit disappointed, but Madden Ultimate Team is well worth your time investment.