Madden NFL 25

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
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  1. Games Master UK
    Oct 20, 2013
    71
    Decent, but a fair way off Super Bowl calibre. [Dec 2013, p.73]
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  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Oct 14, 2013
    70
    Anniversary features disappoint. [Nov 2013, p.94]
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  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Oct 7, 2013
    70
    All-in-all the features add up to a game that is one of the best replications of the real thing thus far, especially with some top notch presentation. Just watch out for those damn ghosts. [November 2013, p83]
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  5. PlayStation Universe
    Aug 23, 2013
    70
    Madden 25 is what Madden fans want: updated rosters, controls, and schemes, but it's not a game changer. Consider this more of a preview for what's coming in the next generation rather than an equated version.
  6. Gameblog.fr
    Sep 11, 2013
    60
    Apart from a few new features ("Owner" mode and body feints), the new Madden NFL 25 is very similar to previous episodes, it has very few surprises for its fans. EA Sports is saving time for the next-gen, and we should probably do the same.
  7. Giant Bomb
    Aug 27, 2013
    60
    The problem is, Madden NFL 25 isn't anywhere near the best or most memorable edition of the game released. Hell, it's barely much better than last year's flawed, but generally playable game.
  8. GameSpot
    Aug 26, 2013
    60
    Madden NFL 25 marks a quarter-century of football gaming with a disappointing addition to this venerable franchise.

Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Best PS3 Game of 2013
49
#49 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
72
#72 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
4.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 94 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 94
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 94
  3. Negative: 47 out of 94
  1. MetaGuy321
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    Worst game in the series. Do not waste your money. EA are lazy and need to purchase licenses to get sales instead of focusing on gameplay.Worst game in the series. Do not waste your money. EA are lazy and need to purchase licenses to get sales instead of focusing on gameplay. They are an awful company,… Full Review »
  2. Joborule
    Aug 29, 2013
    6
    This review is based on default settings on All-Pro and a bit of All-Madden, in Play Now and two online games.
    The game leaves a good first    This review is based on default settings on All-Pro and a bit of All-Madden, in Play Now and two online games.
    The game leaves a good first impression in being fun to play, but after getting several hours in, the glaring flaws in the game become fairly blatant. The good news is that it shouldn't be that difficult to address, since they're primarily on one side of the ball, and it's mainly AI based. Hopefully tuning in future updates can address this issue.
    Overall, the defensive side of the game is a mess to put it bluntly. Stopping the run is harder than it should be since the run blocking is a bit too strong where blocks are being held on to far too long. Receivers pancaking defenders left right and centre is a bit ridiculous. The running game on the outside is stronger than it should be currently since blocks are too powerful at the moment. The same goes for pass blocking. QBs aren't getting hurried frequently enough. Any team that has great blocking is going to be able to do whatever they please, and that's definitely the case in the current version of Madden 25. Offense is too easy since there isn't much physical resistance against it right now.
    But that's also the case for aerial resistance. The defensive AI is brutal at reacting to their assignments. Man defense is guaranteed to leave a receiver open by several yards since the defender reaction to receiver cuts are greatly delayed quite often for some reason. Curls, outs, and slants are over effective due to this. The only route that the AI seems to not have trouble against is the comebacks route, and that's an issue itself since it seems the AI is a bit too fast at reacting to that route, as if they anticipated it the whole. That would be great if it was adaptive AI, but don't believe that's the case here.
    Other defensive AI faults in regards to play reaction is it's reaction to breaking on balls (that it can see) isn't good enough. They kind of react to the ball in a confused way and not too sure what to do. This allows the receiver to make a play on the ball that otherwise should've been disrupted by the defender. Also, the angles the defenders take when pursing ball carrier needs work done. The same can containing the receiver who've just caught the ball; especially off of curl routes or pass near the sideline.
    Other issues I take with the game is games are too clean. Penalties don't occur frequently enough, if at all. The precision modifier doesn't really add much to the game. Trying to get use to holding L2 prior to doing a running move makes the control of the game disjointed. The same results could be down by simplifying the controls to the R stick alone and make use of the stick sensitivity to vary between running move strength.
    Some of the good things that are featured in the game however are appreciated. The improvements done to engagement battles are great. Blocking appears more organic, and shedding off blocks is more fluid which leads to nice looking animations. Pass rushers moving off blocks while advancing towards the QB looks great and can lead to sacks since they're getting to the QB quicker than they would have otherwise. The improvements to tackling look great; heat seeking is a useful feature.
    Fighting for extra yards by shedding off the would be tacklers, maintaining your balance, or lunging forward add a new element to the run game and keeps the player involved in the play until the whistle blows.
    The new audible systems which allows you to shift formations with the personnel on the field is a great feature, and really useful for no huddle offense, which is becoming more prominent in the league these days. I haven't gotten the chance to try out the option offense yet but since that has a role in the NFL now nice to see it present in the game.
    I won't comment much on presentation since there's not much new going on there. Although, I would say that the camera in replays for punt returns is annoying since it loses track of the football when it's about to reach the punt returner, which was the whole point of the replay since it normally occurs from the returner fumbling the ball.
    In conclusion, the game currently feels unfinished unfortunately since the fundamentals of the game itself is broken. The glaring mistakes the defensive AI makes, and overpowered blocking at the moment is killing Madden 25 currently. If both of those issues were addressed, the game would be viewed in a different light.    … Full Review »
  3. Marmatag
    Aug 31, 2013
    0
    This game is absolutely terrible. I have been buying madden since 1994, and this is by far the worst i've seen.
    1. You will gain 6-10+ yards    This game is absolutely terrible. I have been buying madden since 1994, and this is by far the worst i've seen.
    1. You will gain 6-10+ yards per running play once you figure out how. online, or against CPU.
    2. Scramble with your QB. it's unstoppable, even with spies.
    3. With only 8 people online, my game was a lagfest. Comcast high speed internet.
    Defensive players are just dumb beyond belief. They take horrible angles, they do not assist one another in making tackles (WHAT? this was implemented in M10 and VANISHED from this version).

    Fun things that returned:
    1. Suction. Enjoy it, it's back.
    2. Clairvoyent cornerbacks. Yup! It's like this game decided to make all defensive players horrible except for when they suddenly know exactly when the ball is flying and make a random 180 jump and catch a ball.

    I am so disappointed in this game. It has improved NOTHING from the last madden and the gameplay is a joke.    … Full Review »
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