When it comes to yearly franchises, we rarely see real innovation between iterations. This is certainly true of the Madden series as it has been around for nearly 25 years. While there have been a number of substantial changes over the years, it looks like Madden 13 might be taking the largest leap so far. With improved visuals, league updates and of course the infinity engine, is Madden 13 worth upgrading to or is it just another overly hyped football game?
Lets check out what’s HOT and what’s NOT in our review of Madden 13.
HOT
The Infinity Engine
For years Madden has been restricted to simple black and white mechanics, which has made the series dated. With this problem in mind, EA created the Infinity engine in hopes to make the experience more dynamic. Sure this move was a greater risk than normal, but it also paid off substantially. This is because the Infinity Engine makes gameplay far deeper than every before.
Like previous titles, you will need to select your plays wisely but now you have more control on how they play out. For instance, any interaction with another player will directly effect your movement. The outcomes can range from being pushed a little to falling down on your ass, which opens new ways to fail or succeed. While this might sound like a minor change, it opens up new possibilities too.
One of these is opportunities to get out of a tackle, which allows you to attempt risky plays. Another adds importance to a player’s body type, so it’s not enough to simply be there anymore. These are just some of the changes that makes the game more interesting and rewarding for fans.
Improved Visuals
Easily one of best additions to Madden 13 is the mock Sunday Night opening. Prior to starting a match, you will be greeted with a brief intro similar to what you would see on TV. This helps the game feel more realistic and well definitely get you in the mood. However, this is just one of the changes to make it feel more realistic. The other is a vast selection of animations to go with the newly added Infinity Engine, so every play will look like the real deal.
Uniform Choices
In addition to all the new animations in Madden 13, you’re also given the ability to customize your look. Sure you might be thinking this just means older uniforms, but it’s actually far more than that. For starters, you can select what pants, cleats and gloves you want to wear and even mix and match for your own personal look. You can further customize your character with the aforementioned classic jerseys, so you have plenty of options. Sadly, this is limited to actual history, so don’t expect to wear whatever colors you please or another teams logo.
