Madden NFL 21

 Xbox One
User Score
0.5

Overwhelming dislike- based on 1047 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 1047
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 1047
  3. Negative: 1,006 out of 1047
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  1. p0zer85
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Madden has been getting worse for years. Totally unacceptable. Make a good game and the money will follow. Stop trying to milk money from the cash cows while frustrating and infuriating the majority of your customer base.
  2. A1k
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Absolutely Horrible it’s the same game as last year. DO NOT BUY THIS WASTE OF 60+ DOLLARS!
  3. Saiyaman
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Aweful. not waisting $60 on madden NFL copy paist 21. Played the early access from EA play Franchise is exactly the same with no changes, gameplay is the same, face of the franchise is a joke, the yard is cool but doesnt save the game. #fedupwithEA #fixmaddenfranchise
  4. Flashaguiniga
    Aug 27, 2020
    3
    Pretty much same game as last year. As a franchise player I am deeply disappointed with literally no improvements to this game mode other than a different color scheme and the audacity to just label it as "classic franchise". That title alone makes it feel like they knew backlash was gonna come from that decision. I've been a MADDEN supporter since 96. I think this is the last year I buy it.
  5. thewrench01
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    The game sucks. 0, just like my rating, changes made to Franchise. Actually, I should give it a negative integer because they removed a relocation team. The Face Of The Franchise gamemode is just garbage. They had the entire franchise dev team on it and it still seems like a kick to the groin to all Madden fans. The story sucks, the characters suck, the logic is abysmal, there is noThe game sucks. 0, just like my rating, changes made to Franchise. Actually, I should give it a negative integer because they removed a relocation team. The Face Of The Franchise gamemode is just garbage. They had the entire franchise dev team on it and it still seems like a kick to the groin to all Madden fans. The story sucks, the characters suck, the logic is abysmal, there is no challenge, and the acting is **** Glitches galore, no branching story paths (if you lose ALL of your high school games, there are no consequences), and no originality. the logos for your high school team are all just recycled and renamed, and there is no limit to what you can name your high school. They don't use many settings for the cutscenes, and you are still limited in which colleges you can choose, doesn't matter though, cause the terrible write in character is forced to go with you. Why? Terrible writing. The guy had a heart problem and yet he still gets scholarships from the same 10 D-1 colleges as the main character? Then, on top of all of that, and wining (carrying your team to) a national championship, the coach comes and tells you that the guy who had to be carted to an ER got the starting job over you. SURE. That's not even mentioning that the abilities you choose are meaningless, the combine's 40-yard dash is actually a slow quick-time event of three button presses, and the franchise part of it all is scripted and bugged to all hell.

    Now let's talk about the legal issues this game will have. The Yard is just a terribly made, animation-based, backyard football gamemode. No one asked for it, literally no one. The game has microtransactions and allows you to buy different cosmetics that, guess what, aren't accessible elsewhere! That cool mouthpiece you just bought? You can't even put those on ANY player in ANY other gamemode. EA makes designs that are exclusive to gamemodes that earn them money, and NOTHING ELSE. Franchise is riddled with bugs that have been in the game for literal years, guys in their 30's are winning rookie of the year, fields are becoming blanked out, and the game is still not even realistic. Superstar abilities have ruined any form of simulation this "NFL Simulation" game has.

    If anyone takes the time to read this, buy a former Madden game, and realize that EA does not give two craps about what you think.

    We got #FixMaddenFranchise to be one of the top trends on Twitter in the midst of a global pandemic and economic crisis. If that's how outraged your fans are, that they are more pissed off about how terrible your game is than a pandemic and their livelihoods going to waste, and you still **** them over, then I will be glad to see your license revoked within the next ten years, and out of making football games entirely EA.

    **** YOU EA SPORTS    … Expand
  6. TLANDAETA
    Aug 27, 2020
    1
    This game only gets a 1 for the yard everything else in this game is complete **** Face of the Franchise is terrible, I was to watch Netflix and score 80 plus points running hurry up offense in every college game (On all Madden). Game is super glichy and franchise mode actually lost features , yes EA didn't add anything to Franchise mode and decided to take out some relocation teams thatThis game only gets a 1 for the yard everything else in this game is complete **** Face of the Franchise is terrible, I was to watch Netflix and score 80 plus points running hurry up offense in every college game (On all Madden). Game is super glichy and franchise mode actually lost features , yes EA didn't add anything to Franchise mode and decided to take out some relocation teams that have been in Madden since 25. Do not buy this piece of **** game.… Expand
  7. twentyeightzero
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    You should go and buy madden 09 instead. You would get better features, replay-ability, and physics instead of animation based gameplay. Do yourself a favor, stay away from this trainwreck.
  8. LilSunnyAdrian
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    You’re better off just saving your money. Same game as last year just with a new paint job. EA only cares about your money so don’t give it to them and maybe they’ll make some changes to this series.
  9. SteelersMathew
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    I didnt even have to play it and know it suck ass a;This looks like an unfinished product," YouTuber Ryan Moody said in his Madden 21 review. "This isn't what a customer should get when they open a box for a new game."
  10. Gazoland
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    RIP franchise.
    RIP simulation football.
    EA is just a disgrace to football (or any sports) fan.
    Same terrible unrealistic game for the past 6 years.
  11. User00001989
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Just bad, can I go below a zero? No innovation! It seems like EA on cares about money! Let 2k! Even though they are bad with the NBA series and money hungry too.... let there be competition at least and then we can have good simulation sports games.
  12. lariluck
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    i was sold a flaming bag of poo with this one. clint needs to be fired. top down house cleaning.
  13. Mgs1313
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Somehow this game got worse from last year. Bug after bug. Left out features that were included last year such as 5th year options. The new mode isn’t even fun. The FOTF story is so absurdly bad, unrealistic, and just plain stupid. Choices don’t even matter. Game is flat out broken and a 2K game from FIFTEEN YEARS AGO is still somehow a better product. Embarrassing they would be okSomehow this game got worse from last year. Bug after bug. Left out features that were included last year such as 5th year options. The new mode isn’t even fun. The FOTF story is so absurdly bad, unrealistic, and just plain stupid. Choices don’t even matter. Game is flat out broken and a 2K game from FIFTEEN YEARS AGO is still somehow a better product. Embarrassing they would be ok releasing this… Expand
  14. imtheoreo
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Madden 21 is the equivalent of a 16 year olds aborted baby, it's sad and useless. Once again EA Sports has released a football game that disappoints, the new back of the box feature is The Yard, a repetitive and buggy 6v6 backyard mode which highlights the gameplay flaws this franchise has had for years, not to mention The Yard also features micro transactions so your character can lookMadden 21 is the equivalent of a 16 year olds aborted baby, it's sad and useless. Once again EA Sports has released a football game that disappoints, the new back of the box feature is The Yard, a repetitive and buggy 6v6 backyard mode which highlights the gameplay flaws this franchise has had for years, not to mention The Yard also features micro transactions so your character can look "sleek" with new arm sleeves. Franchise Mode is still the worst of any current sports game on the market. It is copy and paste from Madden 20 besides different font and the head coaches now wear a new hat. The trade logic is equivalent to a autistic 4th graders IQ with it still being possible to trade for most players by using a 4th round pick, and it being near impossible to trade for players like C.J Mosley. It is also still impossible to sign free agents to multi year deals after the official free agency period has ended. Superstar KO is back and features a lot of changes such as, new font, new sound effects, new icons for rarity and most importantly a new background color. Face of the Franchise also returns and now features a in-depth High School creation suite using Madden 25 relocation teams. This mode is also completely scripted by telling the user they will get injured and drafting them to the Bears 100% of the time. MUT is back and better than ever with new card art and slow menus. Overall Madden 21 is in the realm of Xbox 360 Madden 06 and Madden 19 bad. 0/10… Expand
  15. FixMadden
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. It's a joke. I can't believe this game is advertised as a replication of NFL football. Face of the Franchise is extremely stale, the plot is cheesy and your actions on and off the field literally do not matter, you always follow the same basic plotline which doesn't make the mode feel personal. The Yard is the most buggy, amorphous, pointless mode that is supposed toDO NOT BUY THIS GAME. It's a joke. I can't believe this game is advertised as a replication of NFL football. Face of the Franchise is extremely stale, the plot is cheesy and your actions on and off the field literally do not matter, you always follow the same basic plotline which doesn't make the mode feel personal. The Yard is the most buggy, amorphous, pointless mode that is supposed to emulate backyard football, missing a key fact that people don't wear pads and helmets when playing backyard football. Superstar KO is a copy and paste, nothing changed in this mode. Franchise mode is also a copy and paste except for two things: players ask for slightly more realistic contracts and regression was toned down. As for gameplay, tackling and usering are more realistic however there are many issues that prevent Madden from feeling like real NFL football. One, zone coverage is COMPLETELY BROKEN; two, blocking schemes are COMPLETELY BROKEN; and three, player ratings are not as important as whatever X-factors and superstar abilities they have. Home-field advantage, something very important in the NFL, does not exist. Make no mistake, this is an arcade game. Thanks a lot EA!… Expand
  16. UofMac
    Aug 28, 2020
    1
    This game is awful, they haven’t even gotten the rules of the game right. In my two days of playing I’ve seen two egregious errors (among many many other minor issues). 1. Kicking an onside kick off out of bounds moves the ball forward for a re-kick to the opponents 40 yard line. 2. Intercepting a pass in the end zone taking the ball out of the end zone and back into the end zone andThis game is awful, they haven’t even gotten the rules of the game right. In my two days of playing I’ve seen two egregious errors (among many many other minor issues). 1. Kicking an onside kick off out of bounds moves the ball forward for a re-kick to the opponents 40 yard line. 2. Intercepting a pass in the end zone taking the ball out of the end zone and back into the end zone and getting tackled there (should result in a safety for the defensive team) results in the ball being placed on the opponents 1 yard line (99 plus yards from where the play took place). Fix this garbage EA.… Expand
  17. GreyDaGAWD
    Aug 28, 2020
    0
    This’ll be the first year I skip out on Madden in I don’t know how long. Getting sick and tired of the complacency. Thank goodness for the EA Access 10 hour trial. Saved me $60.
  18. Maniacmanos
    Aug 28, 2020
    0
    Absolute year in and year out copy&paste dumpster fire. Please save your money and play a previous version!
  19. Colonial
    Aug 28, 2020
    2
    With only very minuscule, albeit positive, gameplay changes from Madden 20, EA continues to release the same game year after year with none of the career modes fleshed out. NBA 2K and MLB The Show blow Madden out of the water in every conceivable way in terms of a career/dynasty experience. Even some of EA's own games like NHL are vastly superior. EA Tiburon has absolutely no desire toWith only very minuscule, albeit positive, gameplay changes from Madden 20, EA continues to release the same game year after year with none of the career modes fleshed out. NBA 2K and MLB The Show blow Madden out of the water in every conceivable way in terms of a career/dynasty experience. Even some of EA's own games like NHL are vastly superior. EA Tiburon has absolutely no desire to create anything but a cash cow.… Expand
  20. iKhaozz
    Aug 28, 2020
    0
    Copy paste of last years game with more bugs, and worse gameplay. Inexcusable for EA to charge money for this garbage.
  21. Skurvysteve
    Aug 28, 2020
    0
    Fix franchise mode, ya liars. “Franchise has come back to being a big focus on the game and it will continue to be,” Young says. “We just want to add this rich depth and immersion to it...”-madden NFL creative director, April 2019
  22. ShadowReaperS92
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    The game is just a copy from the last few years with a few new features don't waste your money
  23. Chuckz213
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is another disappointment in this series. EA is content to put out arcade modes instead of actually building up franchise and simulation football. This game is glitchy, has tons of bugs, and really feels incomplete. It also feels like three or four different games shoved into one game, making the whole thing disjointed and half assed. Nothing feels polished, except the microtransactions process.… Expand
  24. crlemaire97
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    Literally just a bunch of patch notes bundled into a $60 game. EA, you are patheticly disrespectful and arrogant to your customers.
  25. AmusedAirplane
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    My opinion is pretty much what everybody else is saying. I grew up with the older Madden's like '08 and I could not be more disappointed with where the Madden franchise has gone. They gave up on their single player fan base. Ya know, the one that gave them so much success in the beginning! I'm done... done thinking "this is the year". I feel like a pre-2016 Cubs fan.
  26. Reggy11
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    EA, it's not about what the consumer wants, it's all about the profits. They just don't give a **** anymore. EA can go suck every single dick out there and I hope they choke and die in debts. The Franchise mode is untouched again and it will be untouched for the next 6 years or so. They will focus on MUT coz why not? It makes them billions of dollars.
  27. RiccsHUN
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    Lolololololol what a dissapointment bruh ea is literally doing nothing to innovate
  28. Briankbl
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    Same game as the last 4 Madden releases, but with more technical issue, arcade modes, and a terrible story/career mode. Franchise mode hasn't been touched in years. Basically Madden 15 with updated rosters...
  29. Botoni
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Worst madden in years and that's saying something. This is worse than last year...$60 to downgrade your experience.
  30. AlexTheAwesome
    Aug 28, 2020
    0
    An abomination of modern gaming. Don't even consider a purchase. Stay far away.
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Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Best Xbox One Game of 2020
4
#4 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. GamingBolt
    Nov 1, 2020
    70
    Madden NFL 21 is as fun and realistic as every Madden game, especially in its new “The Yard” mode and its increased focus on superstars, but its stagnation in gameplay innovation and established modes makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish its improvements over previous games.
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  2. TheSixthAxis
    Sep 14, 2020
    60
    Madden 21 has the components to be a solid, if utterly by-the-numbers entry in the franchise. However, a raft of bugs and glitches serve to undo the game’s atmosphere at every turn.
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  3. GameCritics
    Sep 10, 2020
    75
    Given the sheer depth of the title, this Madden NFL 21 review could theoretically go on for another 1,000 words but there’s a good chance most readers already know whether or not they plan to invest in another season of tried and true NFL gameplay. Make no mistake, Madden NFL 21 is the best rendition of football this generation, and is A solid experience for anyone who takes the plunge — it just comes down to whether or not the new features warrant another purchase for regular fans.
    Read full review
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