Madden 16

[Diablo25]

Draft companion is damn fun. I am seriously leaning towards purchasing M16 after my brief stint with the game. Why? Fun.

The new receiving and throwing mechanics are great. AGGRESSIVE receiving isn't overdone so far. The top WR are definitely able to go up for it better. I have AJ Green on my squad and if he goes up for the ball he has a great chance and getting it. Very cool. Touch passing is done well also. I'm almost shocked at how well the game is playing.

[Danimal]

I just lost to the Browns as the Bears 21-17 after having a 14-0 lead. Jay Cutler completion percentage 36.4% on defaults. He missed wide open guys, passes were broken up. He was picked twice on errant throws.

Josh McCown 42.4%, 1 INT same thing with the errant throws. Man this is very promising so far.

[Inuyasha]

Got to play a good 2 hrs tonight and the game is ok. I'm not as excited as most of you, but I do find some enhancements over 15. Running the ball seems more fun this year. The game seems a bit sluggish but Im sure a patch can fix that. I find the lob/bullet pass thing gimmicky. It's always been in the madden but I guess themshowing the text on the screen makes it a new feature.

And the WR catch buttons are ok. I always control and catch the WR in madden games forever so maybe it's for more casual players who let the cpu do the catching for them. At this point i don't really see much difference in which button to use but I'll try some more.

I enjoy the Draft mode for now as it's something new.

Game is good but not enough for me to spend $60 on it. I'm probably just going to keep playing 15 with custom rosters on EA Access.

[TCrouch]

Catches are all vastly different. And are used at different times. If you try to RAC catch with a defender near you the WR fades back a bit and it's an easy pick. Using the buttons allows you to pick trajectory on the throw without using the stick to force it to a point. Comebacks with LT and the button with a possession catch are incredible. I won't argue about it but I played hundreds of games of Madden 15 and the passing mechanics are light years ahead of where they were. Playing the ball with Y against a good WR is a recipe for disaster. I've started playing the Receiver and had much better success. But when you get in a zone it's incredible. Madden 15 had lobs bullets and middle ground. This has a middle trajectory pass that's aimed at the feet for a "get down" catch. Or back shoulder fades that work.

The DBs got smarter to counteract this too. Eh....I won't go on another rant but another 4 games down tonight and it just gets more impressive.

[Inuyasha]

Thanks for the explanation. I've been using the old Y method and getting beat a lot. I thought maybe I had to keep tapping Y instead of holding it but it wasnt working.

The thing that has grown one me in 16 is the running game. More I play it the more running feels so natural. Following blocks and squeezing into holes is well done in 16. I love running the ball in football games so that is a big plus for me. If I run heavily in the game, I enjoy it a lot more. If it's more passing, then it's sort of ok for me and not as exciting.

[Sudz]

That draft mode is actually kind of fun.

Quick question: what camera are you you all playing with? The standard one just zooms in too much.

[TCrouch]

Thanks for the explanation. I've been using the old Y method and getting beat a lot. I thought maybe I had to keep tapping Y instead of holding it but it wasnt working.

That's when it struck me. The great DBs can find the ball and make a play on it. But for 90% of the corners in the league, they'll flail around and give up a catch looking for the ball. When you hold A, they'll reach out, arm bar the receiver, look at his hands, and when the ball comes in, try to punch it out. Much higher success rate.

Last night playing a buddy, I completed a total of two over-the-top rainbows in 3 games head to head. Both times, he laughed immediately saying he went for the pick with Y. Both times that gave up the catch. Other times, he used A and broke it up because I didn't have a dominant WR trying to do it.

I WILL say that the teams all felt so much different. He was Atlanta, I was Baltimore. We went up and down the field, and the only WR on the Ravens who could hold onto the ball was Steve Smith. Pitta helped at TE, but everybody else on the Ravens was crap. And it was during this game that I discovered the A technique, because Julio Jones was absolutely lighting me up. I scored a TD with :07 to win by 1, 31-30.

Second game (we always do random teams), he was San Francisco and I was Indianapolis. The Colts couldn't cover, couldn't fill gaps, didn't know what was going on. They had a ton of speed, flying around, but no discipline. I was down by 2 TDs faster than I could blink, and Kaepernick was somehow completing the few passes he attempted, with Carlos Hyde running roughshod through my defense all game. I lost big, 34-20.

Last game, he drew Dallas and I drew New England. It was in this game I was so impressed, because right after playing the alright-but-resilient Ravens who never felt out of it, and the brash-and-fast Colts who seemed to play on talent and speed alone, EVERYTHING with New England was crisp. Defending the run, defending the pass, blocking, and of course Tom Brady's passes. I think I started 10 of 11 (the one miss was a drop) and felt like I could call any random play and when I threw it, it would be executed to perfection. It was 34-6 before we could blink, and I had to take my foot off the accelerator by the third quarter. Every time we play a game with different teams, the games actually feel very different.

Considering it seems to come down to a bunch of 1-on-1 battles, it's about time. If you've got a playmaker on the field, you can exploit that matchup. In the New England game, Gronk was running routes like a WR. Every TE I've played with had sluggish cuts to them, but Gronk was exactly like you'd think. WAY too fast for LBs in and out of his breaks, and too big for corners. He was a nightmare. At one point I was laughing my ass off because I attempted to throw a high arc TD at the back of the end zone from the 10 yard line that sailed too high and he couldn't reach it. My buddy just stared at me. "Well, he was only covered by 4 guys, I figured that was an advantage" was my answer. He just felt like a beast out there. Using the possession catches on stick routes, aggressive catches on seams, RAC catches on slants, every pass feels like rock/paper/scissors. Make the wrong choice and watch the CB cut in front of you and snag an INT. Make the wrong choice on defense and watch a highlight-reel completion. So far, the balance to me is incredible.

[Danimal]

The only thing I am seeing in my limited sample size is the ability to stop a play making WR. I mean at least easily in the game, I played the Giants as the Skins and ODB lit me up. I had to keep manually putting a safety on him to double team him. I swear the spotlight receiver does nothing.

I'll never understand why they took out defensive assignments so I could lock a corner on a WR all game or easily set up a double team in man situations.

[TCrouch]

That's where the "play WR" has helped me immeasurably. As long as there's a defender in the vicinity, I've broken up the majority of passes, even to those playmakers. They'll still get some from time to time, which I can accept. But it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Dez Bryant caught a couple, but I could still keep him contained with above average corners, not elite ones even.

[Diablo25]

That's where the "play WR" has helped me immeasurably. As long as there's a defender in the vicinity, I've broken up the majority of passes, even to those playmakers. They'll still get some from time to time, which I can accept. But it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Dez Bryant caught a couple, but I could still keep him contained with above average corners, not elite ones even.

"Play WR" is the "A" button correct?

[TCrouch]

Correct. You'll see them armbar the WR, grab at the shoulder pad and try to get to their hands to separate them from the ball. Much better breakup percentages on those. Of course, hitting it too early has led to a few PI calls, as well. I had one where it was so blatant--he grabbed the shoulder pad, pushed him out of the way and twisted him, then one-hand swatted. Even before the flag came out I was screaming at him through the TV.

[Danimal]

Pressing A doesn't help when there isn't a DB within 10 yards of him

Seriously if a bad CB get assigned because he came to that side of the field and the right route is run i.e. crossing these guys are gone

[TCrouch]

Oh, I agree there. I played against a buddy who's a Bears fan and Amari Cooper lit them up. He was wide open all the time, I think he ended up with like 9 catches for 130 yards and 3 TDs. But it wasn't spectacular catches, it was just him getting in and out of breaks so quickly, and the ball being away from defenders where he did those "falling to his side" catches cradling the ball.

This game has blown me away so far. Every game I play the deeper it goes. I seriously think the overhaul of the 1-on-1 interactions across the board had a MAJOR trickle-down effect to all parts of the game.

[Danimal]

I'm loving it as well. I played Draft Champions last night and I got Elway in the final round. Jimmy Grahm to throw to and I was just kicking the crap out of teams.

My 10 hours will be up by tomorrow

[TCrouch]

That's the beauty (insanity?) of 4 EA Access accounts. I'll have 40 hours burned by Tuesday, and I'm on vacation all next week. About to put some serious time into it starting tonight.

[Danimal]

Terry if you're on late tonight my time let's try and play a game.

[sportdan30]

Played a quarter using the Rams last night, but that idiot Kroenke has ruined my enjoyment of using them. I actually had more fun playing with the Chiefs and throwing it deep to Maclin, and running it with Charles. Unfortunately, their defense isn't as strong. This is the first time I can recall that ratings really seem to make a difference.

I did notice one thing that needs to be patched. I threw a wounded duck over the middle from Alex Smith and it was intercepted by the Raiders safety. He wasn't touched at all. He caught it and fell to the ground and the play stopped. There was no one around him. He could have easily gotten up and ran for 5-10 yards.

I dropped down to "Pro" and will play a handful of games until I feel confident enough to jump back to All-Pro. I've only put in a couple hours of game time so I should be fine playing all the way up until Tuesday.

40 hours of game time by Tuesday......really Terry?

[TCrouch]

Easily. Since I'll be on vacation, going to have all day free. I've got to get practiced up, too. In that 32-man league I play in, I only won 1 Super Bowl out of 5. Unacceptable

And I've seen the "not touched, play dead" play myself a few times. I know what you mean. I chalked it up to thinking that maybe there was an action that caused the fall over, considering it a tackle, but knowing EA, it was just bugged.

I also threw a comeback to Crabs that was clearly in the end zone when he caught it (entire ball was past the full chalk line) and it counted it at the 1. Challenged, play stood. In replay, it was obvious it was across, so there's still some wonky stuff on forward progress.

Chiefs defense is still good, but not many defenses will compare to the Rams, man. That defensive line alone is composed of a bunch of 90+ players. Having a pass rush like that in M16 makes calling the rest of the D easy. Pro Bowler at Safety, 90+ CB. They're incredibly stout.

[Danimal]

That's a bug they are looking into, also the one where guys just jump offside on defense near the goal line right after the offense breaks the huddle.

[Danimal]

Has anyone been able to save a clip or have an auto saved clip upload to their one drive? I can't get any clips up there to share.

[J_Cauthen]

I tried this game out this morning playing as the Carolina Panthers. I usually have a lot of difficulty turning on my football hormones before September, but I had to have a go at it after reading the positive feedback on it so far. I'm onboard with this one... it really does feel like a next-generation football game! The blocking is so much more natural and less scripted looking, which helps most with the run game. I also like the added levels of touch you can put on passes now, although it will take me a while to get comfortable with the combos needed for the high and low passes.

After playing one game with Madden 16, I can easily say that this will be the first time I bought an EA Sports football game since NCAA Football 14 on the XBox 360... what a pleasant surprise this is!

[Diablo25]

Has anyone been able to save a clip or have an auto saved clip upload to their one drive? I can't get any clips up there to share.

Ditto. Maybe because it's not officially out yet.

[Aristo]

That's been the case with most early release games. There might have been an exception, but most all of the won't let you share clips until it is released.

[Danimal]

Ah gotcha, thanks guys.

[sportdan30]

Had a great come from behind win against the Cowboys in Dallas. Smith went deep to Maclin in the closing seconds around the 10 yard line, and the CB was charged with pass interference. That was actually the second pass interference in the game on the same type play (vertical pass). I converted the next passing play for a TD.

I did turn up all penalties to 60, except kept roughing the passer at 50 after I was tagged with it twice on the same possession.

So, I started my game this evening by turning the game speed down to very slow. It felt way too slow. I bypassed slow which I had been playing on the last day and half, and set it to normal. I like that much better. Whereas it felt they were running in mud, the game now plays quite a bit faster and more fun. Just my opinion. Everyone has their own preference.

I've seen quite a few plays now by the CPU where they run out of bounds when they can easily pick up more yards, or at the very least try and run over my tackle. EA has had this problem in the past and it's been rectified, so hopefully it gets resolved in their first patch.

I am not a fan of the challenge system in this game. I don't think the replay looks all that great, and you very rarely see different foot plant animations. I wouldn't have a problem if they got rid of them, but it's part of the game.

Other than that, I'm having a lot more fun this year. I do think the penalty fix has really made the game feel more like a football game.