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Madden NFL 07 (X360)

• Developer:
• Publisher: EA
• Genre:
• Official Website: http://www.easports.com
• Score: 5 of 5: Purchase

Everyone has their own favorite season or time of the year. Some people prefer the summer time and enjoy the sunshine. Many people love Christmas time when everyone seems so caring, absorbed only in family and friends. For me, however, that time is August. No matter how old I get or how hard things have been, when August comes about, I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve. Why, you might ask? Can't you smell the grass? Can you not hear the pads crack? It's time for Madden.

Just like any other Madden fan that played last year's iteration on the 360, I was beyond curious whether this year's version would be another disgrace to the long-standing series or if it would return to its Hall of Fame status. The short answer is that Madden 2007 is not only leaps and bounds above last year's abomination, but it is one of the best Madden games I've played in several years. Most everything in the game has been tweaked, if not completely overhauled. The mini-games have been remodeled as some of the drills have been removed, new challenges have been added, and several of the pre-existing drillers have been retooled.

Anyone who has kept up on the hype for this year's Madden knows that the biggest and most anticipated change is the Superstar Mode. Until this year the SS mode has essentially just been franchise mode without the ability to make the decisions and changes within your team. Madden 2007 brings a complete facelift to the SS mode. You begin by selecting your parents, which in turn selects your position. You can play any position other than kicker or punter, and you play from an over the shoulder perspective of your player. Every single position has its own unique set of moves along with its own style of play. Once you choose your position you will create your physique as well as customize your player. Once you've molded your SS you will go through several workout sessions where you showcase your ability in the 40 yard dash, bench press, and a position specific drill. Next up is the combine and finally- draft day.

Once you're drafted, the real fun begins. Practicing will allow you to gain "influence" for the upcoming game. Influence can be best described as that sort of effect a player has over a game when he is playing in a truly dominant role. Influence can be built much faster by breaking a big run or pass, making a crucial third down stop, or intercepting a big pass. You control only your player, but you can choose to control the opposite side of the ball or to simply watch your team play at a quicker pace so as not to bore the player while he is on the bench. While I find SS mode to be the most engaging facet of Madden 2007 (other than the online play), it is not without its faults. The camera angle is a bit too restrictive many times and takes away a lot of the fun for some of the positions. SS mode also has a rather steep learning curve, so you should be prepared to invest some time and to get beaten around for a while until you get the hang of how each position plays (something like real football).

Madden NFL 2007 is by far the greatest visual representation of the series since its conception. This is not only because of the powerhouse graphics of the Xbox 360 but largely due to the attention to detail. For the first time in the series, the environment within the stadium feels alive. Not only do the stadiums look great, but they are as unique as they are in real life. The crowds are jumping, writhing masses that no longer look like cardboard cut-outs. The fields look absolutely amazing. The turf really looks like turf, and everything about the stadiums looks just like you would find it in real life. Character models in Madden 2007 are better than ever and are enhanced by the plethora of outstanding new animations that have been added. I've been playing for over 2 months now, and I'm still seeing animations that I haven't seen before.

The audio in Madden 2007 is, for the most part, impeccable. The crowd noise is fantastic and helps immerse you in the game. When you're on the field, you are completely pulled into the experience by the myriad of subtle sounds and noises that combine to truly make this an NFL experience. Everything- from the linebacker calling out coverages, to your sideline cheering you on, to hearing the footsteps of the pursuit as you break that long run- pulls you into the game. It doesn't help, however, that Madden 2007 is jam packed with mediocre rock and rap. It seems like the argument between rock and rap over the last few years has been decided by mixing equal portions of boring and uninspired samples from both sides. Now, since the game is entitled "Madden NFL 2007," you might think that John Madden would still be the one calling the game; think again. The iconic tandem of Madden and Michaels has been replaced by a generic, boring, new announcer.

Gameplay still feels just like Madden always has but has been refined in a few areas. The truck stick has been expanded upon and is now the "Highlight Stick." Now when you push up, down, left, or right on the right joystick a player specific juke move will be triggered. If you have Reggie Bust in the backfield you will perform a more evasive and shifty move. If you're running between the tackles with Jamal Lewis then you will make moves to attempt to bull your way through the defense. This along with new personalized running styles gives you the feeling that if you're playing as Tiki Barber, you're really playing Tiki Barber. Another new feature is the lead blocker control. Lead blocker allows you to, before the snap, switch to any player on your offense so that when the play starts, you can control that player, make your block, and then continue blocking or switch to your running back. While this is a novel idea, it feels a bit gimmicky and can't really be used when playing online or against a real opponent because it gives away the fact that you are running the ball.

After the disaster that was Madden NFL 2006 on the Xbox 360, I can gladly tell you that Madden 2007 is not only better than last year's installment, but it's the best that I've played in many years. New visuals, player animations, and beautiful stadiums are all near perfect. The mediocre-to-bad soundtrack is left behind by the authentic sound effects of the players calling out audibles, the players yelling from the sidelines, and the footsteps. Oh the footsteps. There is still, in my mind, no better gaming high than beating down your best buddies in a good ole' game of Madden, and it's never been more fun than in this year's Madden NFL 2007.

Nov 8, 2006 | 0 comments
Kris VanHaaren