Madden NFL 22

Madden 22 is a clear step up over last year’s entry in the long-running series. Improvements to Franchise mode, gameplay enhancements that feel authentic, and a taut, competitive game of football all make this a year worth re-joining the roster for – assuming that they can get on top of the technical hang-ups.

As well as some smart on-field tweaks, Madden's marquee mode sees notable improvements after some notable neglect.

Almost every change in Madden NFL 22 this year is of a positive nature, and it is easily one of the best entries in recent years. Franchise mode is in great shape, and set to get better as the year progresses, and it almost feels like EA Sports are reminding themselves that not everyone wants to just play Ultimate Team. Some modes such as The Yard and Superstar KO still feel tacked on but at least offer a bite-size gameplay experience if time is limited.

Madden NFL 22 injects some much needed improvements into a series that was dangerously close to growing stale. Coupled with some big changes to core modes, Madden NFL 22 elevates itself into one of the best from the long-running series.

Madden NFL 22 takes a step forward, but it still has a long way to go. Although it is varied and full of modes, the game does not seem very interested in attracting non-American audiences.

With new features and additions to existing game modes Madden 22 can be a wonderful touchdown for the IP veterans.

Madden receives a kicking each year regardless of what changes EA and Tiburon make. But it seems the developer listened a bit to the voices of dissent as what I am feeling here is a much crisper and user-friendly game than the buggy mess of last year. I will be playing this one throughout the season and very much looking forward to seeing how that pans out. Sadly, I cannot say the same for the Jets. But there is always next year.

For those who have not played Madden NFL for a few years, the new episode may be the right opportunity to start over. The Franchise mode has been rearranged and the direction taken seems to be the right one, while the gameplay, waiting for the adjustments in the secondary, is appreciated for a renewed physics in the inertia of the players' movements and for an AI that in more than one opportunity surprised us positively. The magic of the new generation has been little seen for now: Madden NFL 22 is still a good game to watch even if it was legitimate to expect something more. In general, our advice is to wait for EA Tiburon to fix bugs and glitches: time is up and the season has just started.

Madden 22 looks like a sort of transition edition: it winks at the next-gen but doesn't fully exploit its potential, adds interesting new features but doesn't fully rectify some old flaws. The gameplay is still very good, but we are partially disappointed by the lack of the quality leap we were expecting.

If we have to compare Madden NFL 22 to one of the two quarterbacks on its cover, the latter is more Tom Brady than Patrick Mahomes: he becomes thinner and more complete over time, but still idles like his last years. The game is running out of steam from a technical point of view, and the difference between the next-gen and the PS4 / ONE versions is not so obvious on the visual, especially as the online and solo bugs are still also common. On the other hand, Madden does not fall into the trap that made Opus 21 a failure, namely to give a second youth to Franchise and Career modes via cool additions (Momentums, coaching staff talent tree ... ). For the rest, we will wait for the real "slap" episode that the new generation of consoles deserves in the years to come.

Madden 22 goes for broke on improving Franchise mode after years on the backburner, and it mostly works, even as it comes at the expense of most other modes in a pandemic-struck year.

Madden 22 has begun to address some major issues, and while it hasn’t fixed or updated everything, the dynamic on-field abilities and improved game modes make the future look a little brighter for the franchise.

Despite its several technical issues, the on-the-field action of Madden NFL 22 continues to improve in small ways. However, the upgrades and improvements are largely overshadowed by the game's problems and the series' overall stagnation, making it difficult to recommend for week one.

If you haven’t picked up Madden in a few years, there’s nothing glaringly wrong with this year’s release and I would recommend it. On the other side of the coin, if you’re a diehard and you play every year and might even have the free next gen release from last season, I’d say this year is a safe skip and just download this season’s roster.

Madden 22 is a step in the right direction for the franchise. It gives everyone something to get excited about. However, they are a tad far away from being considered back to the heights of Madden in the late 00’s early 10’s. With time, Madden 22 could be considered the best in the past six years, but in its current state it can’t be considered much better than 21. Promises only go so far, it’s time to get on the field and execute the playbook.

Madden 22 is the next year’s instalment on the franchise and I feel it’s gone back a step. Yes, it looks graphically better, but otherwise it’s really not that much different to previous instalments. The career mode is a roll-forward from previous years, as are the achievements. EA could do so much more with the Madden franchise and it’s a shame they haven’t executed it as well as I’d hope.

Madden 22 tries its best to improve with some updates to its gameplay, The Yard, and Franchise Mode that feel like a step in the right direction. However, rehashing of old systems and ideas, a continued push towards microtransaction-laden content, and bugs getting worse and worse means that this iteration will need extra time to really grow as a program.

Madden NFL 22 is an upgrade from the last few entries in the series. The new momentum mechanic, addition of Quality/Performance Modes, and some changes to Franchise genuinely make it feel like a step forward. However, the game fails to skirt around some of the same issues that’s held it down for years. A poorly executed Face of the Franchise, and an Ultimate Team mode that’s pretty much more of the same stop the game from being the endzone celebration that it could be.

Madden NFL 22 is a grab bag of decent – if frequently underwhelming – ideas hurt by poor execution. Face of the Franchise, to put it mildly, is a mess. Homefield advantage is a solid addition, but it doesn’t quite capture the true extent of real on-field momentum swings. The new interface is an eyesore, and the new presentation is cast in a strange and unflattering shade of sickly green. It’s smoother and marginally more refined, but in so many ways it’s the same old Madden. In short, if you’re hoping for a massive leap forward for the series on the new generation of consoles (or on the old ones), you’re apt to be disappointed.