My annual Madden playthrough has seemingly become an exercise in righting the wrongs of the previous season. Namely, the second half of the Philadelphia Eagles season. And, I am sorry to say this, but somewhat controversially, finding a replacement QB for Jalen Hurts.
But, on the upside, I can confirm that the Sao Paulo stadium used for the first NFL game in South America is in the game. Jalen Hurts, however, still threw two interceptions.
This is Madden NFL 25. Not to be confused with the previous Madden NFL 25 game that was released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the game franchise. This Madden NFL 25 is following the traditional names for the annual releases, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The on-field action is arguably as good as it has ever been with some new tech and presentation modes. But it feels as bare bones as it has done for a long time.
At least the menus work this time though.
Thanks to the fancily named BOOM Tech, the action on-field looks superb. Essentially, it is the next evolution of the FieldSENSE technology first presented in Madden NFL 23. That probably doesn’t explain it enough either, just using more EA buzzwords. But it all means that the tackles, collisions and animations are given a massive improvement. Tackling now takes into account a wider variety of features, stats and other factors to offer the most fluid animations perhaps seen in a Madden game. The difference is immediately noticeable; things look more natural and far less predictable. That may not sound it, but it is absolutely a good thing.
It still has its quirks from last time though. In between plays characters will buffet into each other, but rather than just ignore each other, they seemingly take it quite personally, squaring up. Not something that American Football is known for.
And it is worth pointing out that BOOM Tech is only for current-gen consoles. Sorry to those playing Madden NFL 25 on Xbox One.
BOOM Tech is available across all the main modes in Madden NFL 25: Franchise, Superstar and Madden Ultimate Team. So, whatever your poison, the differences will be felt.
MUT has had a big revamp for the first time in a few years, and it is now streamlined and easier to get into the nitty gritty if you’re starting with the tutorial. It wants you playing on the gridiron rather than sifting through menu after menu, with the ability to quickly change up your team based on recommendations. Though, if you enjoy that deckbuilding aspect, the mazes of menus are there for your enjoyment too.
In an attempt to get you to part with even more of your cash in MUT, it will feature eight seasons of content over the next 12 months for the first time. Every six or seven weeks a new season will start with all the usual dumping of new cards.
Superstar mode returns, but feels virtually untouched. If anything, it is a step backwards. Gone are the days of cutscenes featuring Hollywood stars and in their place are cutscenes featuring everyone’s favourite NFL commissioner Roger Goodell during the NFL Draft and other NFL Head Coaches. These cutscenes though are completely unvoiced, and feel like they were done on the cheap. The very, very cheap.
Your Superstar can also take part in Superstar Showdown. At face value, it is a 3-vs-3 online mode, but it is severely flawed. One game I played had one guy running up and down the field dodging tackles, but not actually scoring a goal. It turns out, you score points for the yards you gain as well. It was only when this player realised we had stopped trying to tackle them that they decided to go into the endzone. And with that, I swiftly exited that mode.
But hey, it’s another mode that features microtransactions where you can deck your Superstar in some neon themed outfits.
Once again it is Franchise mode that holds up Madden NFL 25. It doesn’t benefit from a major overhaul like a few years ago, but the smaller tweaks to the overall presentation help it tick over nicely.
There are new commentary teams for a real breath of fresh air. Mike Tirico and Greg Olson, and Brock Huard and Kate Scott bring their own personalities to the commentary. Though they aren’t immune from saying the wrong line at the wrong time either.
And there have been big steps to improve that game day feel of Madden NFL 25. The TV presentation with all the stats popping up, replays and more have been improved massively. We’re still a way off from when Sportscenter was integrated into ESPN NFL 2K5, but Madden has never quite been able to reach those heights in the 20 years since that released.
The Madden NFL 25 on-field action is solid. But once again, it is let down in a lot of other departments, and that is despite some noticeable improvements. MUT has been tuned up, but is a far cry from an overhaul and Superstar mode just exists, stripped back with no voice acting at all. The overall presentation is a marked step-up from previous iterations though, and it is worth stressing that the menus actually work in this instalment; something that shouldn’t necessarily be a plus point, but after last year and Madden NFL 24, it really is.
And whilst BOOM Tech does improve things on the field, arguably this new technology shouldn’t be the standout feature, given a fancy name and touted as the next big thing. The fact that it is, tells you everything you need to know about what to expect in Madden NFL 25.
The second time a game has been called Madden NFL 25 is now playable through the Deluxe Edition – https://www.thexboxhub.com/the-second-time-a-game-has-been-called-madden-nfl-25-is-now-playable-through-the-deluxe-edition/
Buy Madden NFL 25 on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/ea-sports-madden-nfl-25/9P1RKDK0R4CM/0010/B03S29J6F7T7
