Just when you think that EA Sports has pushed its Madden NFL franchise to the breaking point, just when you think that the current version couldn't possibly be improved upon, they add several groundbreaking features to an already massive game. Every year I tell myself that I'm not going to get it. Every year I rationalize that this new game won't have any new features, and I'd be the wiser man to spend my money on something worth while. Of course, I always end up buying it, and I play it for months on end. So this year I just went ahead and pre-ordered it, knowing it would be a good investment. After playing for a while, I've come to the realization that, not only is this the best Madden game ever, this is the best and deepest football game ever created.
As I said earlier, this is one massive game. To simply call it a football game would be an understatement. You'll be doing a whole lot more than playing the actual sport. But you'll spend most of your time doing that, so I'll being discussing this first. The very basic core of the game has remained the same, so newbies and veterans will feel right at home after just a few snaps. It offers precision football that all the previous versions have. You'll have to look for holes to run through, you'll have to read the defense before attempting a play, and pick the right receiver to throw to, unless, of course, you enjoy getting your passes picked off. You'll be able to pick from a wide variety of plays, from simple running plays to complex pass routes. Defensive plays are good as well, you'll need to have a solid strategy in order to shut other teams down. If you aren't good at defense, the game will probably walk all over you. To offset this, a new feature has been added called the PlayMaker Control. This allows you to adjust formations and patterns right in the middle of a play. On defense, if you see that a run is coming, you simply tilt the right analog stick down and the safeties will crash the line. If the offense comes out in a four man wide formation, and you think they're going to pass, tilt up on the right analog stick, and will send everyone deep to cover the receivers. You can do the same thing on defense. If you have a running play called, but see that the defense is stacking that particular side of the line, you can reverse the play without calling an audible. The quarterback simply pats his hip, and the defense has no idea. Once the ball has been snapped, you can control key aspects that make the game much more enjoyable and exciting. If you're running with the ball, you can call out to blockers and tell them who to block. If you're looking for an open receiver, you can send them all down field to get open. This is all simply done with the right analog stick. It just packs more excitement in, especially when you're scrambling.
As you progress through a season, and eventually into the off-season, you'll be able to control many more aspects of your teams performance. Most notable would be the new addition of Owner mode. In here, you can do anything that any NFL owner could do. You can set prices for tickets, parking, concessions and souvenirs, you can hire a new coaching staff and trainers to help your players with injuries. After the season, you can even build a new stadium, edit the existing one, rename it, even move our whole team to another city if you don't have the fan support. Will your franchise be the next Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders? Or will you have the fan support throughout the generations like the San Francisco 49ers? It all depends on how well you do as an owner. Owner mode is just one of the many features that Madden 2004 brings to the table. There is Practice mode, which lets you freely practice any play, Football 101, which has John Madden himself guiding you through set plays, Mini-Camp, which you can use to improve your overall skills, like punting into the corner or swatting balls down. You can even play online, which features voice chat and removes some of the glitches that were present last year. Remember when you would be winning big, and your opponent would pull the plug, robbing you of a win? Not any more. If someone pulls the plug mid-game, you still get the win. Sadly, I haven't had a chance to play this online yet, s I can't comment on what that side of the game is exactly like.
The graphics have surprisingly been improved upon, and they look much better than any build of Madden on the PS2 so far. While 2002 and 2003 took relatively small steps with the presentation, 2004 takes a leap. The players are much more smoother, and much more realistic and proportioned. At the end of the game, players with high activity in the game will most likely be covered in dirt, and there will be smudges left in the field after a particularly violent play. Gone are the random shots of players walking around the field. This has been integrated right into the playcalling, so you can watch the players do there thing if you like, and pick your plays at the same time. This reduces a lot of time, and it also looks very sharp. The players themselves look very good, and most of the important players look similar to their real-life counterparts. I do have two gripes, however. First, the passing symbols are much harder to read than in previous versions. While this hasn't really affected a veteran like myself, I can see it causing problems for gamers playing their first Madden. Instead of a bright symbol, it is simply the PS2 buttons on the controller, and it's sometimes hard to make out in a hurry. My other being the stat sheets that come up before each kick-off. There isn't any way to cancel them, and you can't start the play until they disappear. It's not a big deal, but if you start to lose or get frustrated, it will annoy to no end.
John Madden is a good man. If I had my pick, however, I'd rather listen to Phil Simms. Maddens' color commentary over the years has been growing stale, and this year I almost can't take it. He says the dumbest things at the dumbest times, and quite frankly, there's no excuse for this anymore. It puts a huge damper on an otherwise perfect game. For instance, I selected a running play, but it only went for a few yards. Madden proceeded to tell me that "the big ol' defender just knocked it down." No matter how you look at it, it just doesn't make any sense. Other than Madden, the sound is great. Al Michaels is good, as he always is. The soundtrack is decent, offering rap and rock this time around. I preferred last years soundtrack, but the one here is in no way bad.
This game has no need for a replay value. Playing for a full franchise of 30 years will give you all the replay you need. Add in all the coach management, owner mode, there is plenty to keep you busy for a long time. Online is always an option as well, and I bet that's just as fun as the real game.
Gameplay- 10/10
This is NFL football at its finest.
Graphics- 9/10
Minor annoyances aside, they are very well done and the presentation is slick.
Sound- 7/10
Madden ruins an otherwise perfect score. He needs to get some talent or leave.
Replay Value- 10/10
This will keep you busy for months on end, and even more if you're a hardcore football fan.
Final Score- 9/10