Madden NFL 2005

Rating:
Summary: Correction
Review: Actually they have Ray Lewis from the Baltimore Ravens on the cover this year, since, you know, he's the best player in the league instead of some washed up old QB. But Im sure that this game is going to be 100 times better than last year, and last year's game was incredible. Im going to be the first one here to get it.

Rating:
Summary: No Force Feedback Support
Review: Again just like in past years, Madden does not support force feedback or rumblepads. Now of all the games EA Sports makes that have these effects, wouldn't you think football would be on of them?
Other than that, a great game but very similar to last year.

Rating:
Summary: Madden 2005
Review: How do these guys do it? Every year, they come out with the new game and we all think to ourselves "How can this series become any better?" They somehow manage to come up with outstandingly realistic features and incredible graphics. I can still vividly recall when Madden 2001 came out, and that was my favorite game. Now, I can look back at it and say to myself "Wow. That game stunk."<br />I salute you EASports and Tiburon!

Rating:
Summary: Madden 2005
Review: How do these guys do it? Every year, they come out with the new game and we all think to ourselves "How can this series become any better?" They somehow manage to come up with outstandingly realistic features and incredible graphics. I can still vividly recall when Madden 2001 came out, and that was my favorite game. Now, I can look back at it and say to myself "Wow. That game stunk."<br /> I salute you EASports and Tiburon!

Rating:
Summary: Madden NFL 2005 is the best (so far)!
Review: I have managed to get a chance to play Madden NFL 2005 and all I
can say is WOW! They have improved the graphics and gameplay to
make it more realistic. Its improved owner mode will make football
rage with joy. The new owner mode will allow you to make new and
better stadiums. You'll be able to keep players but your cap room
won't go down as much. And greatest thing is you actually have
to play like an all-star to score, which you're scores won't
be 80 poitns to 70. From what it looks like, the Madden NFL series will be the top sporting game once agian.

Rating:
Summary: This is a great game
Review: I would give Madden 2004 5/5 while this got 4/5.

Thoughts:
This game gives me the impression of not being as "in-control" as the other game.
But because 2004 is "out-dates" I am glad I got this instead still, so I would still buy this over Madden 2004.

Pros (over 2004):
Hit Stick (easier to use than previously thought, and fun)
Graphics (Better details on non-important things - like sidelines and sky-line)

Cons:
Menu (hard to navigate - I use gamepad in-game, but have to use mouse in menu... what the Heck?!?!?)
Control (example: although you can assign an individual player what to do, it is harder to control team as a whole [harder but not impossible])
Minor Bugs (just various small bugs)

Rating:
Summary: WHY NOT FOR MAC!
Review: Madden 2005 continues to be the best Football game around (albeit the only one for PC). The game is very similar to the last year's...the rosters are updated and there are a few new features and tweaks to the A.I. If you don't care about these, you could always get 2004 for 10 bucks. Either way, this game rocks on the PC. It is MUCH better on the PC than any of the consoles. If you play the PC version and then play on PlayStation, you will think the PS2 is stuck in slow motion or something. And of course the graphics are tons better on the PC. I run with 4x AA w/ my Radeon 9800 and it looks awesome.

People reviewing the PC version seem WAY more critical than the typical console reviewer. I don't understand why people complain about this game so much. The fact is that Madden 2004/2005 is the best football game for ANY platform. Just read the Net reviews for PS2 or XBOX...everybody loves it. And I am here to tell you that the game is even BETTER on the PC.

If you are not sure, buy 2004 for 10 bucks. But then you will be hooked and want 2005...

Rating:
Summary: Madden's done it again
Review: Madden's back with more options more plays and a very expansive owner mode more contract options, better stadium building and more realistic play. Graphics alone make it worth while. This year they put a true star on the cover with Brett Favre reigning supreme as the best QB around. This game top to bottom the best madden ever.

Rating:
Summary: Good Football Game with minuses
Review: NFL 2005 has come a long way for Madden, and certainly, the new entry deserves the kind of acclaim it is getting. It is well worth trying out for the graphics, but ultimately will only have a lengthy time span for those like American Football. I always like to play Madden, but owning Madden is a different matter because the sport itself is not exactly challenging as a game. For instance field goals are a way too easy to complete, even on Madden mode with the wind on full. The completion passes and long runs are what makes the game (including an intensive training course - the game takes time to learn, more than a day for new players to the game) but there are limits in football where games like Baseball and the more assertive and better paced Rugby win it over.

As for graphics, they are certainly very cool to watch, the quick rumbles, fast passes and receivers taking off down the pitch for a touchdown. When it works, or even when you are sacked, great gaming. I played it on a 9800pro card and found that even on the best settings that I dropped FPS considerably, meaning to see the graphics you need a pro 256mb card. Anything less and you will not see what the game can push in terms of pixels, and it can push a lot.

The animations are slick but there are obvious flaws with the non-player faces like couches, as there facial skin tones do not match the head (it is as if they are wearing a mask) but to be honest I am cribbing because these little mistakes are blown away by the animation of the game play.

I would like to have called Madden a simulation but to be honest it is more arcade than a game. I found myself just using the curser to move my player who can do very little except throw the ball to five possible players, throw ball away, pass to player who can run, put out his arms or dive. Although there are other possible moves, Madden has a terrible configuration for the PC version that takes it down a star from four to three --- Your defence and attacks have about 5 modes with a max of nine key assignments, but once you set the keys in one mode they are automatically set for the other modes meaning that S for Sprint on attack may end up as S for Dive on Defense. It is a major problem that one key alone cannot be created for a single common move between the modes. This problem leaves you sitting there wondering what move to make and if it was the S key or the D key or whatever because the S key for sprint as a receiver is now the S dive key for the defence. Believe me, this is a very big deal and just makes you not want to play it that much.

Madden NFL 2005 is better on the PS2 or Xbox even though the graphics are not as good. At least the controls are better. PC version is just impossible to play except in basic key bashing on rookie or pro mode. Good luck with your patients if you choose Madden NFL 2005 PC. Looks great. Controls are rubbish.

Pros:
- Lush Graphics.
- Amazing Football Animations.
- For the passing completions and running touchdowns.

Cons
- Extremely limited controller configuration.
- Not a keeper for everybody.
- PS2 version is easier to handle.
- American Football is a little dull.

Rating:
Summary: It's not in the game
Review: So, how come in Madden 2004 you can create a team and insert it into a season, but in Madden 2005, you can not? That was the one thing I liked about Madden 2004. They are suppose to progress with these games, not go backwards. Maybe the later updates will have a fix. I suggest buying Madden 2004 and bypassing this loser.