Madden NFL 13

[TCrouch]

No kidding. Somebody has some inside info!

[MizzouRah]

Yeah, All-Pro defaults, but I have been using 100% gameflow for playing the last couple of years. Pretty fun to just try to execute and not rely on calling plays I love or money plays, etc.

And when you start a CCM as a coach, you can make your own, use gameface, or just take over a coach, yeah.

Thanks! I never use gameflow.. I have to call the plays.

[TCrouch]

Probably won't be as fun to do, then. Even with a team I know (the Raiders), using Gameflow 100% I still put up 42 and allowed only 3 to the Chargers in the opener, so your mileage may vary. Calling your own plays you might run up too many plays or points to make it any fun using 15 minute quarters. I have used 10 to 12 most of the time and it's been about right.

[MizzouRah]

Ugh.. after reading Pasta Padre's thoughts on cc and game play.. I'm back in the "wait and see" camp. Think I'll skip release day for now and wait on more impressions from you guys. As much as I like the demo, I just can't see myself rushing to get this one.

The biggest thing that bothers me from reviews is the lack of CPU AI and most say each team feels like you're playing the same one over and over. Hopefully, EA's NHL series changed that this year. Sounds to me like Madden hasn't.

Keep the impressions coming..

[Rodster]

Well no turning back now, regardless of the impressions. Amazon just shipped my copy, should have it Tues morning.

[MizzouRah]

Well no turning back now, regardless of the impressions. Amazon just shipped my copy, should have it Tues morning.

Guess I caught mine in time.

[ScoopBrady]

I'm looking forward to picking up the retail versions for 360 and Vita. I was a little disappointed to hear that the choppiness in the cut scenes are still there in the Vita version but the on-the-field gameplay was rock-solid in the demo version.

[Rodster]

Well no turning back now, regardless of the impressions. Amazon just shipped my copy, should have it Tues morning.

Guess I caught mine in time.

Hey thanks !

I had release day shipping on the Vita version and I switched my 360 version to 2 day. I guess the system saw the Vita version and decided to add my 360 version to save on shipping. I was supposed to get the 360 on Friday. Oh well.

I'm looking forward to picking up the retail versions for 360 and Vita. I was a little disappointed to hear that the choppiness in the cut scenes are still there in the Vita version but the on-the-field gameplay was rock-solid in the demo version.

Scoop. i'm really looking forward to the Vita version. Graphics wise EA did a really nice job and the game is very fluid and responsive. Let me know if you want to try a game online. Same goes for you DB.

[Brando70]

I preordered -- had a BestBuy coupon and they were offering an additional $10 reward certificate if you ordered for store pickup. After playing the demo a bit more, I saw enough I liked to pick it up.

[ddtrane]

Ugh.. after reading Pasta Padre's thoughts on cc and game play.. I'm back in the "wait and see" camp. Think I'll skip release day for now and wait on more impressions from you guys. As much as I like the demo, I just can't see myself rushing to get this one.

The biggest thing that bothers me from reviews is the lack of CPU AI and most say each team feels like you're playing the same one over and over. Hopefully, EA's NHL series changed that this year. Sounds to me like Madden hasn't.

Keep the impressions coming..

That's always been my biggest gripe with Madden, Houston, feels like San Francisco feels like Detroit who feels like Green Bay who feels like New England. The only thing that differentiates the teams is the amount of passing and the names. But I do like the Madden moments and the connected careers which makes this a buy for me.

[MizzouRah]

That's always been my biggest gripe with Madden, Houston, feels like San Francisco feels like Detroit who feels like Green Bay who feels like New England. The only thing that differentiates the teams is the amount of passing and the names. But I do like the Madden moments and the connected careers which makes this a buy for me.

I just know I'll pay $60 for it and then it will just sit there if it has the issues I've read about. NHL 13 will take most of my gaming time anyway.. so I'll probably pick it up later on used.

[TCrouch]

I haven't played enough games to really tell you, but I know that Baltimore ran Ray Rice at me heavily and threw him screens and swing passes to keep him the focal point of the offense, while Denver threw the ball all day with Manning and dominated me on defense. I pounded San Diego because they couldn't run Mathews at all and had no receivers once Malcolm Floyd got hurt. I don't know, maybe I'm seeing what I want to see, but it sure as hell doesn't feel like playing the same team repeatedly to me. To each his own.

[pk500]

I preordered -- had a BestBuy coupon and they were offering an additional $10 reward certificate if you ordered for store pickup. After playing the demo a bit more, I saw enough I liked to pick it up.

I preordered, too. Went to Best Buy Saturday to trade in NCAA 13 for a sweet $40, so I figured I would preorder to ensure I had a copy waiting Tuesday.

This is about the only game I would preorder, only because of the demand.

[10spro]

Speaking of bad trades, FS (Futureshop) in Canada kills GS by a mile. On new releases they usually accept 2 trades titles towards new games and there are times that they run sales that even though it's not my in my genre interest, I end up buying the particular sale just to swap it for the new releases.

Case in point is Madden on the Vita. Beautiful graphics and controls, yes there's the odd slow down on some scenes but this version is more than just a transplant of 12. For the Vita version FS is accepting one Vita title for a straight trade in and since I am still keeping Fifa, VT, Resistance, Uncharted and other earlier release titles that I still play, instead I am buying Rush Gravity today for $19 to trade it later for a madden that's advertised for $39 bucks.

On the console version, some folks may find that some call plays haven't changed much over the years but the tendencies of what each team does on the field is pretty indicative in real life in all of my games I played so far. Yesterday, I had P. Manning airing the ball at me constantly while Minnesota kept the ball on the ground on a consistent basis. As I mentioned earlier, the IE is far from perfect and it will be better next year and the tear after that, but I am having enough fun to make it a purchase.

[Danimal]

My thoughts are if you go in pre-programmed to hate EA and Madden you won't like the game. Personally after playing the ST I think it's the best football game ever made. Is it perfect? Not a chance. However the CCM is a fantastic addition IMO and the game plays a lot better, IE warts and all. I'm eager and excited to play my next games and see what is going on in the league from the stories and twitter updates.

Personally I feel pasta's impressions usually lie on what is going to get him more attention. If the general population likes the game he will post about it's problems, if they don't like it he will post about what is good. He has been playing that role since he became "famous" for his OS thread that started his following. Guys a good writer but he is a self promoter.

Honestly the ST should be mandatory for a lot of people on this forum. It would solve your issues of whether you liked a game or not before dropping $60. Most game demos are usually at least a month if not more behind the released code which is what makes ST valuable to me. If I was going off the demo I was considering not buying the game, but getting the change to actually experience CCM sold me.

Edit: BTW just saw this tweeted by Josh Looman.

"If you're playing a single player career, play online. You'll get the benefit of up to date tuning that you won't get offline until a patch."

[TCrouch]

Agreed on just about all counts.

I just wish you'd knock out your week 4 game in our RB CCM!

[Danimal]

Agreed on just about all counts.

I just wish you'd knock out your week 4 game in our RB CCM!

Sorry brother yesterday was just insane with parental duties. Last night I just watched the Newsroom and went to bed. I'll knock it out tonight, I assume it will persist tomorrow after we have the real game.

[MizzouRah]

I don't mind holding out for a bit. Games are released to freaking early to begin with.

I'll wait for a patch or two and more impressions. NCAA has many warts, but I seem to still enjoy it quite a bit. Madden just hasn't kept my attention in years, so I'll error on the cautious side for now.

I don't hate EA one bit, love what they have done with the NHL series and FIFA isn't bad.

I think Pasta is a little biased towards EA myself, so his faults with the game have me concerned.

[Danimal]

I think Pasta is a little biased towards EA myself, so his faults with the game have me concerned.

What exactly were his faults? I tried reading from his site but it is just a jumbled mess of impressions.

[Spooky]

What the heck is this "ST" version people keep mentioning? I don't understand...

[Danimal]

What the heck is this "ST" version people keep mentioning? I don't understand...

Season Ticket.

[JRod]

I think the game is good but it's a lot more of the same with a physics engine in there.

My problem is for me CCM-player mode is essentially useless. What's the point of playing as a player that won't get called into the game except for injuries and when you are assigned to a play.

Last night because I started another CCM with Peyton Manning. First game against Pittsburgh I make a great comeback to have 1:30 left in the game. Pittsburgh is able to run 8 plays and no TOs because of fast sim. And then Mendelhall runs a 60 yarder for a touchdown with no time on the clock.

So I look Mendelhall had 39 carries and no one else on Pitt had a touch. Come on Madden that's just stupid. How can you even have realistic stats that way.

All these problems are solved if you play CCM-Coach mode because fatigue and subbing can work if you play plays. But in CCM player the fast sim just screws the feel of the game up.

I know it doesn't sound like a big deal but that's football seeing players grow, get some touches, get a shot and turn into a starting player. If it's pre-ordained that to be a subbed you have to be #1 than what's the point of the game. And if that's the case, you know you will never get subbed out for performance because it's all down to ratings. I want rosters to feel dynamic instead of canned EA-style.

I don't know if you can be benched for bad performances? I hope so.

[TCrouch]

I don't know yet about bad performances, but the fast sim issue has been a problem I've had for years but learned to look past. Mainly because I wanted to play longer quarter lengths with accelerated clock, but accelerated clock is ignored in sim mode. So when I play offense only and fast sim the defense, at the end of the game the time of possession is something like 38 minutes to 12. Guys don't get tired because they only run a few snaps and then get to rest for an extended time, according to the sim. It would be a pretty expected fix to simply make it run off the same amount of time in fast sim if you have accelerated clock turned on, but for whatever reason, it's never happened. I got used to it.

For the record, you end up getting called into a game when you up your XP packages enough to bypass somebody on the depth chart. If you're on offense you can actually come OUT of the game when you get tired, but the CPU guys don't seem to get tired, so you're usually out the rest of the drive, which sucks.

[JRod]

I don't know yet about bad performances, but the fast sim issue has been a problem I've had for years but learned to look past. Mainly because I wanted to play longer quarter lengths with accelerated clock, but accelerated clock is ignored in sim mode. So when I play offense only and fast sim the defense, at the end of the game the time of possession is something like 38 minutes to 12. Guys don't get tired because they only run a few snaps and then get to rest for an extended time, according to the sim. It would be a pretty expected fix to simply make it run off the same amount of time in fast sim if you have accelerated clock turned on, but for whatever reason, it's never happened. I got used to it.

For the record, you end up getting called into a game when you up your XP packages enough to bypass somebody on the depth chart. If you're on offense you can actually come OUT of the game when you get tired, but the CPU guys don't seem to get tired, so you're usually out the rest of the drive, which sucks.

I don't fast sim by choice. It's forced on you in CCM-player.

[Wilk5280]

I tend to agree with Daminal's assessment. This coming from the perspective of coach mode as I don't play as a specific player or position. As a matter of fact the only sports games where I do create a player are Tiger and NBA 2K.

anyway, this game is really good and as mentioned before the only glaring issue I've seen is the ai clock management.

The online community is really nice allowing you to customize your own online settings and maintain your own leaderboards.

I do some season / franchise stuff, but the majority of my gaming will be online and this is as good as it's ever been from that perspective. Imo, of course