Madden 26

[Lancer]

[sportdan30]

Trailer and new features looks pretty solid. Will be keeping an eye on this game.

[Lancer]

official gameplay trailer -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3lhRvzhFAY

[Lancer]

EA Play/Gamepass 10 hour trial starts tomorrow Thursday Aug 7.

[MizzouRah]

The weekly halftime show is a bit underwhelming, but it's a start if they build on it. I'm excited to try the game tomorrow, hopefully it's decent this year.

[Lancer]

10 hour trial on xbox is downloading no problem but they screwed it up for PS5. there is no trial button on ps5. hope they fix this soon.

[Danimal]

Played a few games on the PC, busy day so have to be brief.

- Movement is not as fluid, momentum plays a big factor. Competitive guys are going top explode with complaints.
- Graphics on the PC at least are unreal. Really impressed with the look of the game.
- Rating seem to matter, couldn't run a lick as the Bears, as the Eagles Barkley had 135 yards in the 1st half.
- The have snow game is cool as hell but very hard to play in.

I recorded the games on my twitch channel, I didn't take the time to set up so no idea if my mic was working or too loud so just be aware.

https://www.twitch.tv/maximumpixelation

[MizzouRah]

10 hour trial on xbox is downloading no problem but they screwed it up for PS5. there is no trial button on ps5. hope they fix this soon.

I'm on xbox and I see the trial, but no download option.

Figured it out.. have to dig.

[Lancer]

Initial impressions -

Gamplay is awesome. The game plays more like CFB25 than CFB26. More arcadey but more faster than CFB25.

I was afraid EA was going to do this when they said earlier this year they'll 'borrow' things from CFB25. What they did is sort of switched around games. Made CFB26 play more like a shitty madden and made Madden26 build and improve on the more arcade, fast, quick action, gameplay of CFB25.

I'm not sure 100 percent what I did but the way to break tackles for big plays is incredible in Madden26. I think you have to spam the A button and your guy will break the tackle for a big gain. It really feels like something you'd see more in college than the pro's. Again, very arcadey but I prefer this.

Halftime highlights are really done well too.

Having lots of fun so far because it feels like more old school madden's where it was half arcade and half sim and the game wasn't bogged down on slow gameplay and 'sim' animations.

[Lancer]

more random impressions -

HOLY s*** WEEKLY RECAP SHOW WITH SCOTT HANSEN! Wow beautiful! Available after your weekly game. Looks like you don't get every game though. but still looks nice.

Presentation - very cool played at Atlanta and they had that Falcon mascot come fly down from the rooftops

different presentation packages are nice. also the score banner on the bottom changes from game to game

[Wilk5280]

Game definitely plays a lot differently than last year that’s for sure. I only play Online H2H and am 3-2 through my first 5 placement games. I have to unlearn all of the muscle memory from last year because those presnap controls that I had engraved into my brain don’t do what they used to, or nothing at all. The gameplay is much faster and… twitchier maybe? I’ve seen a lot of new animations which is nice.

Broncos playbook has changed a bunch, too, I need to learn what works and what doesn’t. Growing pains coming straight into online ranked, but I do like that it doesn’t feel the same. It’s without question a different game and not just a coat of fresh paint.

[sportdan30]

Great first impressions. I don't think I've been this happy with a Madden release in many years.

- Playing on All-Pro at default with some tweaks to the penalties, this game plays just about perfect to me. QB percentage is on point.

- Agree with Lancer. Nice blend of arcade and sim.

- Agree with Wilk. Definitely feels a bit twitchier, but in my opinion that's a positive. I suppose some people may find the game a bit spastic.

- Love how the players look larger than the players in CFB 26. Wonder if they did this purposely.

- I do think some of the tackling could be a bit more...I don't know how to say it, smoother, less chaotic. But, it's a minor gripe.

- Compared to CFB 26, at default at least in Madden, I'm not seeing that robo QB. I'm not still completely satisfied with the pin point accuracy in
CFB.

- Running in Madden feels great! And they're doing a decent enough job running against me. Only played on 6 or 7 minute quarters, but the stats seemed pretty realistic.

- Commentary is a minor step forward. Tirico sounds a bit robotic. I still wish we could hear more player names and flushed out background on them.

- I much prefer the kicking game in Madden compared to CFB 26. I'm likely in the minority, but I just don't like the kicking meter in that game.

- There's definitely a difference playing with Mahomes vs. Williams of the Bears. Very cool to see.

- In my second game playing as the Bears, they had a backup running back who had one of those concussion style helmets. Nice detail!

- I ran one in with Swift on the Bears from 10 yards out and got a block from the largest O-Lineman I've ever seen. He completely smothered the d-man.

[Wilk5280]

Over the years, since obtaining the exclusive license, EA has taken a lot of heat for just mailing it in year in and year out. Much of that has absolutely been justified make no mistake about it. It's still too early for me to tell if I'm going to really like this year's installment or not, but there is no question that they have been putting in the work. Love it, like, or hate it, the past couple of years EA has not just been mailing it in. They have taken significant strides in making changes from one year to the next. Is it what everyone wants? That's to be answered, but I do think we need to give credit where credit is due.

[TCrouch]

I'm stunned at how much I enjoyed my time with it last night. CFB 26 really had me at my wit's end with the missed blocking assignments and coverage snafus (I know they patched it the day before Madden came out and I finished my RTG QB's senior season that day. It's better, but the AI RBs are still brain dead attempting to find open grass, and way too many idiotic blocking assignments to be reliable).

Madden just felt...I don't want to say effortless, but everything just "made sense". Follow a block with Ashton Jeanty and gain some yards. Break a few tackles. Juke a guy silly. Dominate a hapless LB with Bowers. Deep bombs to 96 speed Thornton Jr.

Then...play something loosely resembling defense with a patchwork secondary that's all-speed and no-coverage. It was hilarious how poor the secondary was, which made sense.

But what I noticed was the QBs have stopped doing that "run backwards 15 yards and take a sack" BS that they've done for years. I got gouged for 110 yards on the ground in my first game, and 2 or 3 of those were VERY timely QB scrambles when I went man to man and lost pocket contain. The QBs I faced definitely felt better than any I've faced in recent years. Sprayed some inaccurate passes, some went on a tear and completed a few in a row, but no 2 QBs felt alike.

And it's the first time in a few years where I had MULTIPLE "user lurk" picks playing LB. The movement just feels right. I can see what's going on and get where I want to get without having that NHL-style loop-around or strange sluggish running, if that makes sense.

I played with a whole host of NFC teams trying to pick a team for a franchise with my buddy:

Washington
Chicago
New Orleans
Dallas
Atlanta
LA Rams

And I was amazed at how different all of the offenses (and in some cases, defenses) felt. McVay's offense had Davante Adams as the 'gadget player', apparently, as he was EVERYWHERE. Lining up in the backfield, multiple motions and sets, just open all day.

The Bears were strangely a lot of fun. I was getting some pretty good pass rush and Caleb Williams could make throws from the craziest body angles and full-body sprints. Not super-accurately, but I could get out of trouble at the drop of a hat.

Penix in Atlanta was the polar opposite. New Orleans has absolutely no QB, but the help at RB, WR, and an XFactor MLB on defense made that team fun to play with.

I can honestly say it's the first time in years every game felt vastly different...and those coach recommendations. I hope the first impressions hold up, but I could call coach recommendations all night and RARELY saw the same play twice in a game. Defensively I saw a few, and oddly enough it was while I was getting gashed repeatedly. But the defensive call kept coming up the same and I basically gave up a 75 yard 4-play TD drive on the same defense. Weird.

Overall, I was so impressed with it. Especially after spending a month confused in CFB. Last year, I think CFB was quite a bit better than Madden.

This year, it feels reversed...until the MUT crowd complains, EA patches all the fun out of it, and then it's crap again.

I'll make sure to get my time in with it early while it's still good.

[sportdan30]

As touched upon, I really like the coach recommendations in Coach Suggestions. I feel more confident calling defensive plays than just picking something. It's such a nice feature for someone who doesn't spend a lot of time understanding defense assignments. I'm still not comfortable moving my safety's, corners, linebackers, etc.

[TCrouch]

As touched upon, I really like the coach recommendations in Coach Suggestions. I feel more confident calling defensive plays than just picking something. It's such a nice feature for someone who doesn't spend a lot of time understanding defense assignments. I'm still not comfortable moving my safety's, corners, linebackers, etc.

Agreed...and forgot to mention the whole "recommendation" vs. "counter". Them showing new recommendations specifically targeted at countering what the offense has been doing is pretty damned good. I don't have to hunt for something to take away corner routes if I'm getting beaten on corners. Or any specific concept, really. It's pretty good at coming up with counters as the game goes on, and noting them as "counters" in the play call screen with a different colored highlight.

[Lancer]

Over the years, since obtaining the exclusive license, EA has taken a lot of heat for just mailing it in year in and year out. Much of that has absolutely been justified make no mistake about it. It's still too early for me to tell if I'm going to really like this year's installment or not, but there is no question that they have been putting in the work. Love it, like, or hate it, the past couple of years EA has not just been mailing it in. They have taken significant strides in making changes from one year to the next. Is it what everyone wants? That's to be answered, but I do think we need to give credit where credit is due.

Overall, I was so impressed with it. Especially after spending a month confused in CFB. Last year, I think CFB was quite a bit better than Madden.

This year, it feels reversed...

I'm pretty sure what happened was the suits at EA saw how huge of a success CFB25 was and told the madden team just to copy that game and improve it. Madden is the flagship so CFB was told to be 'downgraded' so it didn't outshine madden like it did last year with CFB25. Plus the NFL license was up this year so they had to make sure Madden was their best football this year and not CFB. It's been almost 20 years since I worked at EA but this is how it worked then but pretty sure it's not changed since.

I'm happy Madden 'copied' CFB25 but wish CFB26 played like Madden 26 is playing now. First good madden game since Madden 12 and I can't seem to stop playing it!

[Wilk5280]

I'm pretty sure what happened was the suits at EA saw how huge of a success CFB25 was and told the madden team just to copy that game and improve it. Madden is the flagship so CFB was told to be 'downgraded' so it didn't outshine madden like it did last year with CFB25. Plus the NFL license was up this year so they had to make sure Madden was their best football this year and not CFB. It's been almost 20 years since I worked at EA but this is how it worked then but pretty sure it's not changed since.

I'm sure that's not at all how it happened, but ok I guess lol

[Danimal]

I'm very much enjoying it, locking the game at 60fps on my PC and it plays smoothly.

I LOVE that in the skills trainer they had a drill for every new mechanic. The Pylon throw is a great tool as is the reach with the ball. Block steering and disengaging on the D-line make it fun to play at one of those spots and the cross over mechanic in the secondary actually allows me to play a DB or LB something I've never had much luck with.

My biggest gripe and I'm sure it's more a rating thing is certain RB's bounce off guys like pinballs. I'm good with exciting game play and broken tackles but it's a little ridiculous. It's possible because I'm playing on pro level.

Alos seeing a lot of roughing the kicker on FG attempts

[Lancer]

I'm sure that's not at all how it happened, but ok I guess lol

it did because I was there.


-

Got to say most past madden's after like a day I am sick and tired but this one I can't put down. It has a feel of Madden 10/12 for me which I consider the last elite Madden games. It's like they got everything right in 26 - mix of great graphics + presentation + gameplay and all the intangables.

First time ever in a Madden game I'm seeing the D Line actually blocking passes. It's not crazy but maybe once in every 3/4 games which is probably right.

The only negative I'm seeing so far is the CPU offense isn't scoring much. Im doing a practice franchise with Pitt on All Pro default so maybe the Pitt defense is really good. I may up the difficulty to All Madden then. Offense wise, I'm only averaging 7-10 points a game w/ Rogers. The picks I throw seem all legit so far.

Like someone else mentioned, I really hope they don't change the entire game after the MUT online crowd get's their say. Right now this is the best madden game since 12.

[Lancer]

there is some team progression bug in franchise.

in my Steelers practice Franchise, I'm dominating on defense too much.

Last two opponents I shut out and they have negative yards on offense.

One game I had 8 sacks and the other game 10.

I suck on offense but if you're shutting down the CPU it doesn't matter if I score 7-10 points a game.

This is still on All Pro.

Hope they patch this or if there is a way to turn off week to week progression.

[MizzouRah]

I like it enough to keep my preorder, it definitely needs patching. I typically wait for opening night rosters, so until then, I'll keep going with my CFB 26 Mizzou dynasty, which has been an absolute blast.

With Madden, CFB and The Show, my fall/winter is covered. Would be nice to put NHL 26 into my rotation as well, but the trailer was terrible, so I guess it's a wait and see.

[Wilk5280]

I’m loving it more and more as I continue to unlearn old habits. I’m also getting more used to the slight tweaks to the presnap controls, especially on D where I need to be quick before the other player snaps the ball.

In online H2H interceptions are being returned for TD’s at a much lower rate, and it makes sense when they do. Usually a corner jumps a route to the flat and takes it home, but seeing a lot less picks deep down the middle of the field or sidelines being returned all the way. Last year it was kind of ridiculous how often picks went all the way.

A nice touch added this year, specifically for the Broncos, is that when you pick their Alternate Classic uni’s the field paint matches that old school aesthetic. Old logo mid-field and orange end zones. Pretty neat

[Danimal]

It's weird there is not a wear & tear substitution setting like there is in CFB.

Switched to All pro and games are much better.

[Lancer]

I like it enough to keep my preorder, it definitely needs patching. I typically wait for opening night rosters, so until then, I'll keep going with my CFB 26 Mizzou dynasty, which has been an absolute blast.

With Madden, CFB and The Show, my fall/winter is covered. Would be nice to put NHL 26 into my rotation as well, but the trailer was terrible, so I guess it's a wait and see.

I've been playing CFB after Madden and CFB's pace now feels perfect to me. Before I thought it was too slow but after the faster speed of madden - which I like - going back to play CFB feels so right.

Also I like the contrast in graphics between both games. Madden is sort of photorealistic while CFB comes off as cartoony. Not saying cartoony is a bad thing. It just matches perfectly with the college game. I love how the colors pop on CFB.

A nice touch added this year, specifically for the Broncos, is that when you pick their Alternate Classic uni’s the field paint matches that old school aesthetic. Old logo mid-field and orange end zones. Pretty neat

The old school uniforms this year are just incredible to play as/against. I dont know what they did this year w/ the graphics, but the old uni's look great. In my Pitt practice franchise, I was playing at the Pats and switched over to their 1990's uni's. They looked beautiful!