First frustration, the game still treats the play clock idiotically on a change of possession, whether that's off a punt, a kick off, a turnover, whatever. There is NO REASON that those situations should not be handled exactly like a time out, but instead it is handled exactly like a 2nd or 3rd down after an incomplete pass. That is, they only give you :25 to choose a play on 1st down after a change of possession and THIS IS ANNOYING, FRUSTRATING AND IDIOTIC. Huge pet peeve of mine, if you can't tell, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, someone from Tiburon should go to a few NFL games and see them live and in person to get a sense of how the game is really played.
Second pet peeve is the horrendous commentary, thanks to the dead as a zombie Hammond. The world is divided into two groups: those who can act, even just a little bit, and those who can't act a lick. Hammond can't act a lick. He's as stiff as a board, and it's simply embarrassing. I'd rather hear the old Lisa voice from my old Macintosh SE read the lines they feed this guy, because that would be more full of heart and emotion. Hammond's a door knob, and it's a real shame. Collinsworth isn't bad though.
There is a ton of room left in the game engine for polish, there is no question about that. You mostly see it when you slow it down in the replay. I still don't understand why the football has to flip 180º when the receiver catches it. Obviously this isn't a big deal at all for gameplay, but it has an effect on the smooth sense of virtual reality. Other little areas lacking polish include cases of semi-suction tackles, not as bad as the worst days of 2K or Madden, but there are cases where your guy will seem to stop an instant before he's actually hit. Again, it's not really a killer for the gameplay, but it's an area that demonstrates how much polish is still lacking in this game engine.
One really nice touch is that shoe-string tackles, or ankle grabs, really look realistic. Gone are the days of that 2K-style 'the tackler magically sucks up to the waist' that we saw not only in APF but also in the last couple of Maddens. Instead, you get a very real looking deal where the tackler almost knocks the ball carrier's one foot into the other, tripping him up.
This is all part of what seems to be a 'no tackle looks the same' mechanic, which is awesome to see. I really feel like I could break out of almost any tackle, but I don't do it often at all. Big, head-on collisions at the line of scrimmage feel and look pretty convincing. Gang tackles are fluid and dynamic, and the second guy is often the finisher. Awesome. I've seen some great big hits, some desperate trips, some ball carriers bouncing off but losing balance, all of it. One nice thing about the slower speed or maybe it goes deeper, is that I can beat that first guy much more reliably, even without a specific juke move, of course only to be finished off by the second man. Great stuff.
A cursory perusal of the options shows that of the 5 game speeds available, the default setting is one notch to the 'slow' from 'normal.' I have no idea what that means for online games, whether they are 'normal' or 'slow,' but there it is. I like the slightly slower speed, but it's not making it any easier for me so far on All Pro, I'll tell you that. I have major problems passing the ball, especially compared to NCAA where the passing game has fit like a glove for me, but I'm sure I will get a handle on the quirks. The big problem for me is the defenders are good and I have no time to throw. Heck, 90% of that is probably the Redskins who have a terrible O-line and only one receiever, and I've only played a couple games, both of those with my Skins.
One nice thing is the defenders don't seem to see balls they shouldn't. That is, I've had instances on D where a ball will go past a defender covering a different receiver than the intended receiver, and he won't react to the ball right behind his head. It's nice and feels more realistic. But they cover tightly and CBs do seem to react too quickly to receivers' cuts in their routes. My feeling is the passing game is nicely balanced, and I just have to get used to it, but the jury's out. I do know there is a TON more inaccuracy built in when you try to push that throw with the L-stick, so those corner routes and fades or those deep balls over the top should be more difficult and thus more fun and satisfying when you get it right.
Player ratings are much more greatly spread. There is a huge difference from a starter to a backup, and while I think some potential starters are rated way too low, it is nice to see the very real lack of depth in the NFL represented here in the game.
I don't remember if this was in last year, but throwing attributes are now divided up to overall throw accuracy and throw power, but also 'short, medium, and deep' throw accuracy, as well as a throw on the run rating and a play action rating. I will say with the slower speed, Campbell can take forever to release that ball especially when I try to bullet it. Frustrating, but pretty realistic.
Another nice thing I see is 'weather' is an option you can turn on or off for online games, at least unranked which is what I'd play with friends, of course. FINALLY! Weather for online games. I almost don't believe that one got into the game, since Tiburon has traditionally been committed to that old, on the Moon, no atmosphere online feeling.
Playing on the D-line is so much fun now. The interactions aren't as pretty as the old 2K stuff, but they are pretty close, and I really dig the R-stick for shedding the block moves. Of course, I'm using big Albert Haynesworth a lot, so maybe it's easier for me than it would be with a mere human DT, but just like in NCAA I am having a lot of fun creating pressure from a variety of ways. I don't always get through, the way I used to in 2K, but it really feels like I have a big input on what's happening. And of course, controlling a LB or a safety is just as fun and satisfying as ever.
So far it feels like the age old problems of passes in the flat or broken screen plays, the 'jump back toward the QB to catch the ball, thereby bringing into the play the defender we've just beaten by throwing the ball over his head' problem does seem to be gone completely. Guys in the flat seem to react quicker to the sidelines. Very nice.
There is a much bigger difference in player speed. Among the sliders, in fact, is a 'Player Min Speed Threshold' which is set right at 50 on default. If you crank it to 0, it should make a gigantic difference from fast to slow players, while a setting of 100 would make the game feel like Tecmo Bowl where everyone is the same speed. Fight for the Fumble can be turned on or off, but I've yet to see one yet, and so it seems A OK to me; it doesn't happen on every fumble, I can tell you that.
There are three camera options, normal, wide, and close. I've only used normal so far.
More sliders: there is a 'special teams' set, for FG power and accuracy, punt power and accuracy, kickoff power. Who knows how well these sliders work, and I'm not going to mess with them, but they are there.
CPU skill and Player skill slider sets are pretty extensive for those who love the tweaking.
Accelerated Clock works backwards, as far as I'm concerned, but even so it'll help a lot with Time of Possession stats and the balance in the number of plays run in v. CPU games. I'd prefer it off for v. Human games, but that's a choice you can make when you set up the game.
One thing I miss a ton from NCAA is that ability on Defense to anticipate, 'Pass, Run Left, Run Right, Run Middle' with the L-trigger. That has added a lot for me in online games of NCAA, and I think it's very well implemented and well balanced, but you can't do it in this NFL game. Silly.
Another thing I still don't understand is why the NCAA game gives you so many more formation and group options on D than the standard D in Madden. I'm sure I can find a good D playbook that will let me have a 46 at least, but it's just stupid, stupid, stupid to me that any NCAA team can have 4-3, 46, 4-4, or 5-2 without blinking an eye, but these NFL defenses are supremely limited in comparison. Again, I'll say these Tiburon guys need to see NFL games in person, because it's so hard to tell what goes on with personnel when you are watching on TV. In person, it's plain as day: 'oh look there are 5 DLs on the field right now' or 'oh look there are 7 DBs, what are they up to?' But this is Madden, so it's not 'in the game.'
The new camera angles they throw at you in between plays and as you approach the line of scrimmage are ACES! It's really good stuff, and just adds that little touch that makes it feel very authentic. There could be a lot more variety, for example in the camera selection for the kickoffs, but they are headed in the right direction and have made massive strides. I'd like to see a lot more auto replays in the background when picking plays, or wherever, but what you gonna do? The little touches, like player reactions after plays, for example the tackler taking a moment sitting on his haunches before getting up, are great. There may be a few too many leaping chest bumps after good defensive plays, but hey, that's actually a very authentic representation of the NFL!
And to balance out all my usual EA pet peeves (why left and right LBs instead of strong and weak? Why can't I ever have WRs outside the numbers on both sides?) are the uniform options. OMG I LOVE THIS! I admit I'm crazy about this stuff, but having the option to mix and match the jerseys, the helmets, the pants is very, very refreshing. Very. They are missing a couple of old Redskins helmets (the one with the feather from the 50s comes to mind), but the options are plentiful and the mixing and matching is a dream come true for me. The selections are a little glitchy, in that the white-at-home Redskins work fine if you don't dig into the options, but will go into weird 'Must wear red on the road' if you start adjusting. Very odd glitchiness, but the options are great to have.
I'm dying to play this game online, but too few people on my fiends list have it yet so I haven't had the chance.
The rosters right off the bat, even with an online update, are oddly out of date. I only really know the Skins, but Jansen and Thrash are retired, or at least Thrash is, and Jansen is a free agent. But Pete Kendall isn't in the game at all, and I guarantee that guy will end up on some team before camp is over. He should at least be a FA. Toomer is still out there as a FA, and Burress is in the game as a FA. Vick is not in the game. We need an update soon. I just can't start any offline season until after the final regular season rosters get finalized, just part of my personal OCD with this stuff.
What can I say, my overall early impressions are very, very good. I'm sure some problems will rear their heads as I play more and more and more games, but the games I've played have been very fun so far. Versus CPU games with 8-minute quarters and accel clock on the :15 setting yield just about half, maybe a little more than half of the realistic number of plays, but the accel clock helps keep those numbers more balanced v. CPU.
And oh yeah - why aren't Art Monk and Darrell Green (not to mention yesterday's inductess) in the Hall of Fame here? *sigh*
