Madden NFL 15

 Xbox One
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 142 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 75 out of 142
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 142
  3. Negative: 36 out of 142
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  1. koelker12
    Sep 5, 2014
    6
    (For context, Madden'11 was the last edition I owned, though I play the demos every year)

    I can't wait until EA loses their NFL exclusivity deal. These games, THIS ONE in particular, are just so lazily thrown together. I buy a copy every few years just because I love football so much, but this time I can't even stand it. For every one thing they add, another is removed from the previous    (For context, Madden'11 was the last edition I owned, though I play the demos every year)

    I can't wait until EA loses their NFL exclusivity deal. These games, THIS ONE in particular, are just so lazily thrown together. I buy a copy every few years just because I love football so much, but this time I can't even stand it. For every one thing they add, another is removed from the previous edition. I'll be trading it in to try and cut my losses. Not once have I ever been so disappointed with a game I bought around release as to want to trade it in the day after purchase.

    It is the best looking Madden to date. That being said, it doesn't look mind-blowingly "next-gen" either. Some aspects like the field, helmets, faces and skin look amazing while the sidelines, stadiums, and some of the clothing on the coaches and fans look 8 years outdated. The sound is great when it doesn't glitch out occasionally so that you have to watch everything muted for a minute or two.

    The gameplay is frustrating. Defensive backs STILL undercut nearly every ball you throw, have unnatural acceleration, and have total awareness of where the ball is at all times. As soon as your QB's arm goes into motion to throw to a WR, every single DB has already completely shifted their momentum and is heading for the ball. Deep balls are impossible unless there is blown coverage. In fact, if your WR doesn't have a good 4-5 yard lead on the defender, in any route, the defender WILL make up the ground and undercut your throw. Every. Single. Time. Running back AI is atrocious in modes where you don't control everyone. They'll run east and west along the first down marker when all they have to do is take one step forward for a 1st down. O-line STILL let's pass rushers through unmolested on most plays, so that quick slant throws are the only way to even have a chance. These are all things that were touted as "fixed" in previous editions.

    The defensive gameplay is described as completely reworked, when in fact it's the same controls as previous years; but with on screen prompts to tell you when to disengage from blockers and make tackles. All this was already in previous games, you just had to look at the controls under the menu.
    Create-a-team is gone. Superstar no longer involves the NFL Combine or getting drafted. You just pick who you want to play for and set up a generic background story to get assigned stats. They did improve the way you build XP and Confidence in between games, though. And you won't automatically start if you're not the best QB on the team, finally.

    There are glitches throughout; some are funny like the Tiny Titan glitch, while most just ruin your game. Teams calling timeouts when they don't have any, causing the game to freeze until the playclock runs out and giving you a Delay of Game. Loading screens getting stuck. The screen blacking out but with the game still running until you reboot. Playbook categories getting misaligned and jumbled if you shuffle through them too much. The EA servers constantly boot you off and you can't reconnect without exiting the game completely. The list goes on. I've never seen so many glitches in a Madden game.
    I've learned my lesson by paying full price for this game. Never again. I'll stick with bargain bin copies of older editions to get my football fix until either EA changes their development strategy or some other company puts out a licensed NFL game.

    Do yourself a favor and grab the game from Redbox if you're still unsure. EA didn't make a demo this year, which after playing the full game, is no surprise.    … Expand
  2. carlsagen
    Aug 27, 2014
    7
    I am a bit of a harsh person when it comes to games. I don't usually write reviews to games that I do not play a lot and tend to be blunt and straight forward. With that said, Madden 15 is a step forward in the Madden franchise. The biggest and most notable improvement is the defense. AI are quicker to react to the ball and will put their hands up while a ball is in the air while defendingI am a bit of a harsh person when it comes to games. I don't usually write reviews to games that I do not play a lot and tend to be blunt and straight forward. With that said, Madden 15 is a step forward in the Madden franchise. The biggest and most notable improvement is the defense. AI are quicker to react to the ball and will put their hands up while a ball is in the air while defending the receiver (took you long enough EA...) I am not an EA hater, I call it how it is. EA has screwed the pooch on the Madden series the last 6 years. this year, new animations, defensive abilities and passing difficulty make this Madden feel like something new. Passing is much more difficult in this game , a pocket presence is required to effectively pass the ball in Madden. You can now put the ball more accurately where you want it too, with high rated QB s of course. Throwing a ball over the head of a defender and into the running hands of the receiver is better than ever. The d-line and o-line still have some issues, but they work like real lineman should. The running game feels smooth and while the tackling animations may show some funk at times, it for the most part is new and fresh to see. There still is problems with receivers or DBs fighting for the jump ball, or when certain passing plays play out to the routes full extent, I have seen WRs just turn and stare at the QB waiting for something to happen for 3 seconds before running a new route. The commentary is the biggest letdown of the game, I hate it. Overused, lame same old different day plug and chug lines. the halftime show is a joke and should be skipped as fast as possible. some high pitched over hyped white guy saying things like "The running back, takes the ball to the house, for 6, putting the home team up, by 3" Like WTF EA???? The sidelines and fans still look like Madden 10, but that is me being picky. Career mode and Connected Franchise is basically the same, which is my biggest letdown next to commentary. It seems Madden is moving towards a more MUT oriented play experience, (I don't care for that) than giving offline players playability with career and Franchise mode. Overall, this is a nice transition into the next generation of games, however, if EA thinks that they can plug and chug the next game by adding a few tweaks, new music and another menu slide they are wrong, there needs to be another big leap into the next game. 7/10. Ea, please use John Gruden and Mike Tirico..… Expand
  3. cameler
    Sep 9, 2014
    6
    Firstly, I would encourage everyone to report the user "oejeoioifom " for offending other users with his review.

    Madden 15 makes a few improvements from last year, however, it does not justify the sixty dollar price tag that is associated with it. Sure, you get improved defensive line control, better passing and slightly better blocking. However, this just does not add up to a    Firstly, I would encourage everyone to report the user "oejeoioifom " for offending other users with his review.

    Madden 15 makes a few improvements from last year, however, it does not justify the sixty dollar price tag that is associated with it. Sure, you get improved defensive line control, better passing and slightly better blocking. However, this just does not add up to a significant improvement to the game of Madden.

    Electronic Arts has destroyed innovation in football gaming by buying the exclusive NFL license. Other companies need to be given an opportunity to compete with Madden or else this game is going to continue to stifle simulation football development for years to come.

    Please, do not purchase this product for sixty dollars, make a statement with your wallets.    … Expand
  4. Chomp16
    Sep 25, 2014
    7
    The ultimate team is even worse than last year I just spent 102k on packs and now I have 682 coins and no players if you get the game just for ultimate team don't waste your money you'll just be upset like me
  5. psundeen
    Aug 27, 2014
    7
    This game is really good. For the first time in a long time, I was actually challenged by the AI. I like the new kicking aim mechanic, really helps for punting. Maybe in a game or two I'll be putting up 100 points like in previous maddens, but this game actually seems like a big jump in AI. I like the D-Line improvements.

    I haven't played online yet. Last year I was like 5-0 or    This game is really good. For the first time in a long time, I was actually challenged by the AI. I like the new kicking aim mechanic, really helps for punting. Maybe in a game or two I'll be putting up 100 points like in previous maddens, but this game actually seems like a big jump in AI. I like the D-Line improvements.

    I haven't played online yet. Last year I was like 5-0 or something online (allow me to brag for a moment), but the online play was so laggy, it was basically unplayable.. My undefeated record was basically dumb luck because it was so bad. I hope this years is better...

    The biggest complaint I have is the menu system... It's horrible! I play almost exclusively Connected Career (franchise) mode. That mode requires a lot of menu navigation to build teams. I owned last years madden on xbox 360. Last year the menu transitions while navigating the menus was slow, the game would pause to load the next screen... I figured they were trying to do too much with an aging system. Unfortunately, the menus are as bad, if not worse, this year...

    I think 8 out of 10 is a good score... The menus are a major dislike, and I'd like to knock it down a couple points because of it, but it's better than a 6... I'll split the difference and call it a 7.    … Expand
  6. armandothegreat
    Jan 29, 2015
    5
    Good: Graphics are improved, gameplay is solid, and I loved the mode where they teach you how to read and run plays properly.

    Bad: There is such a limited amount of content if you don't want to play online with a bunch of fools. MUT is fun, but it would be so much better if the amount of coins you get was higher and if they offered more challenges to earn the coins. However, it's    Good: Graphics are improved, gameplay is solid, and I loved the mode where they teach you how to read and run plays properly.

    Bad: There is such a limited amount of content if you don't want to play online with a bunch of fools. MUT is fun, but it would be so much better if the amount of coins you get was higher and if they offered more challenges to earn the coins. However, it's obviously just part of the MONEY GRAB that EA constantly runs now. Seriously?? You want people to pay real money, and at that upwards of $50-100 do get packs of fake cards to use in a game? Ridiculous. Stop supporting these fools. Don't buy this tack-on crap. The core game should automatically get you more people to use on your team, faster.    … Expand
  7. Mudgee
    Oct 27, 2015
    5
    I played one match before I was both confused and bored. As a non-US citizen, gridiron can be a difficult concept to wrap your ahead around. The graphics, sound and controls are all finely crafted, but twenty minutes in, this game was uninstalled and forgotten.
  8. ITZZZPERRY
    Aug 20, 2016
    7
    Madden NFL 15 is a competent addition to the long running series. My only complaint is that it doesn't add anything new and substantial to the formula. It feels very similar to its predecessor, Madden NFL 25.
  9. jlaff
    Nov 18, 2014
    5
    So the last Madden I bought had Vince Young on the cover. Was never a big fan (full disclosure, I played the 2K series and love it), but needed something to play on my new system, I'm a huge NFL fan, and I assumed they just HAD to have improved the game in some way after all these years. So without anything further- AN HONEST REVIEW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A RETURNING PLAYER AFTER 6 OR SOSo the last Madden I bought had Vince Young on the cover. Was never a big fan (full disclosure, I played the 2K series and love it), but needed something to play on my new system, I'm a huge NFL fan, and I assumed they just HAD to have improved the game in some way after all these years. So without anything further- AN HONEST REVIEW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A RETURNING PLAYER AFTER 6 OR SO YEARS.

    Simply disappointing... I really wanted to like this game, if only because I'm resigned to the fact I have no other choice. Animations are robotic, and still amazingly terrible in 2014! This is evidenced before you even start the game by any look at the "best screenshots" EA has selected from player submission for the loading screen. Seriously, it's a joke, especially when graphics have gotten to a point on the PREVIOUS generation of consoles to properly imitate human body movement. I can't remember the last time I looked at a videogame character in the last few years and thought, "that guy just doesn't look right when he moves" (contrast the movement with games like Dark Souls/Shadow of Mordor... then think about the budget EA throws at Madden EVERY YEAR).

    In Madden 25, every CB now seems to play like Revis; forget constesting jump balls (ala Manning and his chuck and pray offense). But, for all the times your secondary is in the right position, the game so obviously compensates for this by giving them all stone hands (if it didn't you'd literally be throwing 5-8 picks a game as a beginner). Really takes away from the immersion when DB's literally drop 5-6 passes that land directly into your defensive player's hands a game.

    But the game has improved physics now, right? What physics, your running back gets sucked into a tackle the second he rubs a defenisve lineman's elbow. I never expected a sports game to feel so UNLIKE the sport it purports to simulate. Unless you're playing an ideal defense for the run, expect to get 2-3 yard runs on most occasions, and stuffed/1 yard gains on obvious running plays. Game is quite undimensional, although I will say when you sacrifice yourself on a few run plays it does seem to open up the play action later in the game.

    So, once again, this was a short Madden review from a player returning after some 6 years absent from the game. I don't know what EA was trying to do with this game, but it sure as hell wasn't football. As a "beginner", it just isn't fun, and it seems like EA has essentially just adjusted difficulty "sliders" to offset whatever exploits they wanted to take out of the game. Not good enough for my dollar again next year. And as sad as it is that we still can't have any sort of competition to make this game better, it's even worse that after 6 years to improve the series, I actually had more fun playing Madden 08.    … Expand
  10. countyourmacros
    Dec 11, 2014
    5
    This is easily one of the best Madden games, if not the best. Why a 5/10 though? Because I know EA is paying their PR team to write good "user reviews" on its games.

    However, I buy the game every year, and this exclusive licensing deal EA has with the NFL is just garbage. Madden is never as good as it could be and the only reason it sells so well is because it's an NFL game. The    This is easily one of the best Madden games, if not the best. Why a 5/10 though? Because I know EA is paying their PR team to write good "user reviews" on its games.

    However, I buy the game every year, and this exclusive licensing deal EA has with the NFL is just garbage. Madden is never as good as it could be and the only reason it sells so well is because it's an NFL game.

    The online play is sometimes great (I'm 20-12) but so often filled with glitches, and not just against you.    … Expand
  11. usualben
    Feb 10, 2015
    7
    Beating friends and family to the super bowl in Connected Franchise Mode on all madden feels good.... 10/10 good!
  12. skicat2001
    Jul 14, 2015
    6
    The game and graphics are superb but what makes them game awful was the repeating over and over and over and bad commentating. The GM mode is good but I watched the money part and it never calculated proper game totals that the stadium earned. Who makes 2.5 million for a whole game. No one. So if they can not get it right after they have over a full year to get it right in Madden 16, IThe game and graphics are superb but what makes them game awful was the repeating over and over and over and bad commentating. The GM mode is good but I watched the money part and it never calculated proper game totals that the stadium earned. Who makes 2.5 million for a whole game. No one. So if they can not get it right after they have over a full year to get it right in Madden 16, I will not purchase game anymore. I have had to many high hopes each year and get disappointed.… Expand
  13. DzmitryBoston
    Jul 30, 2020
    7
    Just another NFL EA game. Nothing special about it. Generic every year the same experience.

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
29
#29 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
60
#60 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Games Master UK
    Oct 23, 2014
    83
    This year's all about polish. [Dec 2014, p.80]
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Oct 11, 2014
    80
    The big improvements have really enhanced the experience this year. [Issue#116, p.79]
  3. Gameblog.fr
    Oct 6, 2014
    70
    This 2015 episode brings many news which contribute to return the much better experience. The defensive aspect was corrected for a really interesting result.
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