Madden NFL 07

It sounds like work, but putting blitzing linebackers on their rumps as your halfback flashes by is beyond satisfying.

It’s so polished and refined. For the first time ever the series incorporates some of my favorite features from "NFL Street" (such as tapping the X button to escape a tackle). That function goes way back to the days of arcade sports titles like "NFL Blitz."

Lead Blocker - the new Madden feature that, unlike last year's passing cone, actually revolutionizes gameplay. [Sept 2006, p.82]

The current-gen versions of Superstar has the best cameras of the bunch. Next-gen is too close and too claustrophobic.

It shows depth, talent, and imagination. Everything any winning team needs.

A very occasional lack of realism aside, this is one of the most comprehensive yet accessible sports games ever to grace PS2. [Oct 2006, p.93]

The Lead Blocking adds an all new dimension to the game, the Superstar mode lets you live the life of a NFL player, and the countless number of options and features add up to hours upon hours of enjoyment.

A terrific chapter in the franchise’s sometimes-rocky history.

It isn’t revolutionary, but the game still delivers a mean game of football.

Madden NFL 07 delivers a good, enjoyable game of football and if you can look past the current-gen graphics you’ll find that it can be more fun than the sexier Xbox 360 version.

A great interpretation of its sport. [Oct 2006, p.86]

A great sports game in its own right. [Issue 144, p.98]

Regardless of the evolving antipathy towards current-gen, this game has its share of improvements. [Nov. 2006, p.79]

In the end, Madden NFL 07 is an improvement on the series. With some new running features and an Xbox 360 version worth the price of admission, it seems EA is trying to prove that they still care about improving their game, even without competition.

Considering that many of the gameplay features are extremely mild remixes of previously included gameplay options, this year’s Madden comes across as a solid title, but one that’s starting to show its age.

The new kicking meter makes it way onto current generation, providing a ton of more control and consistency with the kicking game.

Despite the overall fun I had with Superstar mode, it's unfortunate other aspects of the game haven't been fixed. [Oct. 2006, p.92]

It's hard not to look at the current generation version of Madden as an aging veteran on its last legs, but that veteran still has a bit of game left in it.

EA's challenge is not to simplify their simulation or stop adding detail, but to integrate those features so well that players can simply marvel at how advanced the game has become. The Superstar revisions are a step in the right direction, since they allow players to focus on the entire game one player at a time, but otherwise that's just not the case.

While Madden 07 does have a couple of great changes to its basic gameplay, it's beginning to feel like the same old game. It's a strong fundamental football game and lead blocker is a cool new feature, but it's not reinventing the wheel, like the passing cone was last year.

While I would've liked to have gotten more emotional commentary from Madden and Michaels and less graphic freezes, it's still nice to have the highlight stick and lead blocking features give the running game just as much emphasis as passing has gotten. Madden once again scores a touchdown.

One of the best new features is the NFL Network mode, which provides you with excellent tutorials for some of the NFL team's most recognizable plays.

Madden has been wasting away on the current hardware for a while now, and while it is still a good football game and has a lot to offer, it doesn't rise above and really blow away the previous version.

My uneasy feelings on Madden as a premiere example of videogame-as-renewable-commodity aside, the series continues its slow and steady march of progress.

If you’re more inclined to pick up one of the older console versions, we’d recommend the PlayStation 2 version because its controller is probably the most user-friendly, and it has a connectivity feature with the PSP that allows you to transfer an entire season in Franchise Mode from the PS2 into your PSP.

Madden 07 doesn’t take an revolutionary leaps this year but does make some strides with new gameplay modes and gameplay tweaks.

While the series is definitely far from its prime, it manages to prove once again that EA and Madden know a good game of football, just not a very new one.