Madden NFL 06

UPC: 014633149395

Platform: Xbox

Publisher: EA Sports

Developer: EA Tiburon

Category: Sports

Style(s): Football (American)

Synopsis: Although thousands of them already line up each August to catch the latest edition of gaming's most recognized annual title, it's safe to say that football fans and sports gamers will have an even harder time passing on the "06" version of Madden NFL. This edition of the long-running series introduces a few changes and additions, designed to make the challenges of executing on offense feel more realistic than ever before. The most obvious changes to this year's edition come in the passing game, which introduces gameplay features based on quarterback-specific attributes. Most notable is the new "Vision Cone," which simulates the QB's field of view with a highlighted cone that fans out in the direction of the current intended receiver. The feature is designed to force the player on offense to commit earlier in the play, and to telegraph his passes much more realistically than in earlier versions of Madden, making those improbably easy "no-look" completions a thing of the past. The range of the vision cone is based on multiple factors, including the quarterback's "talent" attribute rating and the difficulty settings at which the game is being played. Madden NFL 06 also brings a new "Precision Passing" system to the series, which allows quarterbacks some direct control over the accuracy of their passes. By bumping the left analog stick or D-pad in the desired direction as the ball is passed, QBs can aim high, low, in front, or behind their receivers, allowing them to lead the catcher away from coverage or make use of height advantages. Other features, more familiar to gaming's most popular sports series, are also present in Madden 06, along with new replay camera angles, animations, and other presentational upgrades. There's also an offensive answer to last year's defensive "hit stick" mechanic, which allows ball carriers to try to plow through oncoming hits and blocks with a flick of commitment on the analog stick. As usual, this edition of Madden is designed to offer a highly customizable game of football, and players who prefer the more forgiving play design of earlier editions can simply turn off the Vision Cone -- or nearly any other element that conflicts with their personal style of play. The game also includes all the teams, stadiums, and players of the real-life NFL (thanks to an exclusive license that takes effect for the first time this year). ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 20-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Experienced Madden players can jump in without consulting the manual. The new vision cone controls require some research as well as the finger dexterity of a classical pianist. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Serviceable, yet unspectacular graphics. Realistic animation that is not particularly crisp or detailed. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

With each new edition of the Madden football franchise, the developers at EA Sports try to make their game a little bit more complex and a little bit more enjoyable. The previous year's new features focused mostly on the defensive side of the football, so this year it's the offensive side of the ball that gets the tune-up, with the passing game getting the biggest facelift. The other major adjustment to this year?s version is the addition of a superstar mode that allows gamers to take control of a single player from birth to retirement. Both new additions are ambitious and show promise, but both are ultimately disappointing. The most dramatic change to this year's game is the brand new vision control, a wedge of light that represents the quarterback's field of vision. Now QBs actually have to look at the receivers to make an accurate pass. This adds a great deal of realism to the game, but controlling the vision cone is a clunky affair that adds as much frustration as it does realism. Other additions to the offensive gameplay come off much better. The new precision passing allows for pinpoint accuracy on throws, and the new "truck stick" lets running backs lower their heads and smash into defenders. Overall, gameplay is typically great, but the iffy new quarterback vision outweighs the positive additions. The franchise and online modes are great, and remain the primary attraction in the Madden series, but the new "superstar" mode is also worth a try. Unfortunately, a single try is basically all the superstar mode is worth. It's essentially a cross between the create-a-player feature and the franchise mode, but it lacks the bells and whistles to make it more than a novelty. Both the superstar mode and the new passing controls are disappointing, but they are good ideas that can be expanded upon and improved in the future. Madden NFL 06 retains the addictive gameplay that makes the series great, but the lackluster additions essentially leave gamers with last year?s game and this year's rosters. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Online and franchise modes provide excellent short-term replay value while long-term replay value is practically nonexistent once a newer version is released. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Very realistic sound effects, and innocuous commentary that is mostly lifted from Madden 2005. Typical pop music soundtrack with a few pleasant surprises. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Gameplay is the hallmark of the Madden franchise, and it remains spectacular in the 2006 version. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.