Madden NFL 21 Reviews

Madden NFL 21 is ranked in the 25th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Aug 28, 2020

Madden 21 as a whole may feel like a bit of a letdown compared to the past few years in some areas, but The Yard definitely helps to make it worth it for players that are interested in trying something a little different. With the free upgrade to the next generation version and the promise of treating Franchise like a live service as the season goes on, Madden 21 is likely still going to be well worth the purchase in the long run, even if you may be left a little dissatisfied at this point.

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80 / 100
Aug 27, 2020

Madden NFL 21 is a solid product. It excels in several areas, like the presentation and Ultimate Team. The core gameplay is as fun and smooth as it's ever been, and I've been playing since Madden NFL 2005. But the new jewels in the crown are flawed and need to be polished a bit more.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2017

Madden 21 is a great game that old and new players would be excited to play. New modes and updated features like Superstar X-Factor and The Yard have put youth into a veteran series. The way the players acted and how the games sound makes it feel like a real NFL game and in 2020 that is needed. While it still has flaws, it may be one of the best Madden games yet.

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Sep 28, 2020

I am always a sucker for sports games. Yes, they are mostly repetitive, but it is precisely that element that appeals to me. I don’t play exclusively in the sports genre, but if I ever want to escape into something, then its sports that I often turn to. It’s like a comfy pair of slippers or a warm blanket on a stormy winter afternoon. You can nestle down and go with the familiar. You know what to do, yet there are still variances, none more so than in an (American) football game.

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7.8 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2020

Despite meager upgrades this year, Madden NFL 21 still delivers solid on-the-field action for football fans

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7.8 / 10.0
Sep 1, 2020

Madden 21 incorporates some innovative aspects to the franchise in order to attract the public that had gone furthest.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7.8 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2020

Considering that this could be the closest thing we see to "normal" football for a long time, Madden NFL 21 works. However, I can't shake the feeling that more could be done. Some things feel practically untouched. The create-a-player faces are still weird. Why can there be such a discrepancy in head sizes? Why can't I seem to port over the player I created in Face of the Franchise into a regular roster or at least have him available in regular create-a-player? The array of quarterback throwing motions still seems limited, and it pales in comparison to the way players in other sports games are so heavily signaturized. I still feel there's plenty of work to be done with this franchise, and that so-called "next level" we keep looking for can be reached. For now, I might tighten up my Yard skills, see what new decisions I can make in a new career mode, and beef up on my RPO mastery while I hope for more in next year's Madden outing.

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7.5 / 10.0
Sep 7, 2020

On the whole, Madden NFL 21 is an impressive title.

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7.5 / 10.0
Sep 1, 2020

Madden is the only option in the market for football fans but still it has some improvements over last years edition. The gameplay received a few tweaks with makes it feel somewhat fresh, but nothing to call home about.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2020

Madden NFL 21 makes a good attempt at adding variety into a tried and true formula. However, Face of The Franchise has awkward and dry storytelling and cannot match up to the excellence that Longshot offered the franchise. The Yard has some ambitious ideas and offers up a nice change of pace, but it needs some control tweaks to feel like the mode it's trying to be. The fundamentals are getting better and better, with gameplay getting long-awaited touches of realism.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 1, 2020

Madden NFL 21 is the clearest example yet of how unwieldy the series has become, so your en-joyment will vary depending on which modes best suit your play style. For me, that comes from seeing my virtual 49ers hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season, so anything else on top of that is just a bonus.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2020

Madden NFL 21 is as fun and realistic as every Madden game, especially in its new "The Yard" mode and its increased focus on superstars, but its stagnation in gameplay innovation and established modes makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish its improvements over previous games.

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3.5 / 5.0
Sep 1, 2020

Madden NFL 21 is a game that is generally fine.

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3.5 / 5.0
Sep 9, 2020

For NFL diehards, there remains hundreds of gaming hours at your disposal in Madden 21. These same diehards – much like players of EA's NHL and Sony's The Show – will be left with the impression they've played this game before, however.

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Aug 27, 2020

Madden 21 takes a few shots down field but ultimately plays it safe - and in some ways, too safe.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2020

Madden NFL 21 isn’t a bad game. It’s good, in fact. It just feels wholly unnecessary.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2020

Madden NFL says goodbye to a generation with more questions than answers and with an uncertain perspective on what may happen in the years to come.

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7 / 10.0
May 11, 2021

Madden NFL 21 is completely satisfactory for anyone who wants to learn everything about this sport.

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6.9 / 10.0
Aug 31, 2020

Madden NFL 21 will not be the game in the series to win a GOTY again for this long-lived sports franchise. Will there be more luck with the new generation versions?

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PC Gamer
Top Critic
68 / 100
Sep 9, 2020

It's still good to have Madden back on PC, but a stagnant odor is creeping in.

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