For diehard football fans and PFL'ers who want a
close-to-life experience, a lack of realism has been the
biggest knock on Madden over the years, from gameplay
failings to limited depth in franchise mode. But I am
happy to report that Madden NFL 26 is a clear step in
the right direction, even if it does neglect coach mode
play to a criminal extent. Lock 'em up if that doesn't
change soon
Playing a quick game to get a feel for the new changes
is the first thing I do every year, and gamers should
immediately notice smoother running for ball-carriers,
improved passing variance for quarterbacks, and the
updated broadcast presentation (I chose the EA version
of Sunday Night Football for my first game).
I started off playing as the Eagles versus the Giants,
and the pre-game presentation is an awesome addition,
the green lights lit up Lincoln Financial Field as the
team ran out onto the field with, E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES
chants booming from the crowd.
A negative about the presentation is that the graphics
are still stale and the fans cutaways are simply
ridiculous to the extend of being irritating rather than
a plus. The same ole "Oh No!, hands to the face," when
things go wrong for the home team. Who's the girl with
the pony tail? Is she single? Please.... And who is the
juvenile calling color? how old is he? 14?
Sticking with another negative, awareness of AI
defenders for my team was not realistic at all. Two of
the biggest gains for the Giants came on plays where
Zack Baun and Cooper DeJean were frozen in space as
Wilson broke the pocket and became a scrambler, so
hopefully that is corrected; the issue seems to be at
the edges of the tackle box where the awareness for
AI-controlled defenders isn’t there.
There were plenty of positives for gameplay that
makes Madden the most true-to-life version in recent
memory. These were things that stood out just in the
first game I played:
A.J. Brown having the ball suction to his body while
shielding off a defender on a slant to pick up a key
first down.
Dallas Goedert making a catch and spinning to break a
tackle and getting up the field.
Wilson appearing to be set to get into scramble mode
before setting his feet to fire after locating an open
target along the boundary.
Wilson overshooting a couple of receivers on deeper
crossing routes with him not setting his feet due to the
pressure that he has been facing.
The run defense for the Giants was way too good compared
to real life, but in a quick game, those things all
stood out matching real-life counterparts.
It was also cool to have the Giants ice Jake Elliott for
a game-winning field goal, which led to the kick meter
being icy (though the graphic after New York called a
timeout with three seconds in the game left said it was
the end of the third quarter, so that needs to be
fixed).
Nonetheless, gameplay itself is much improved, and it
carries over to other game modes. In a matchup against
the Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford dirted a ball at
the feet of an open checkdown with a rusher bearing
down, which is sort of a patented move he does in real
life.
In the same game, I won with a goal-line stop with Los
Angeles throwing in the closing seconds. The throw was
made into traffic, deflected high into the air towards
the line of scrimmage, and into the waiting arms of
defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt who was facing the goal
line in a crowd. I assume, competitive gamers don’t like
that kind of randomness, but that happens in real life
and was thrilling to have play out; and it’s not like
the throw was made to a wide-open receiver that suddenly
had bricks for hands, it was a tight throw that Stafford
tried fitting in and didn’t work out.
New Gameplay Features
Improvements to gameplay obviously go beyond what I
experienced in my first couple of games. QB DNA was
already felt with how Russell Wilson and Matthew
Stafford played against me, and Madden 26 has specific
traits and tendencies for signal-callers—like Josh Allen
being aggressive as a runner or Patrick Mahomes
operating like a magician to find an open target.
Tendencies are included for coaches as well, with Coach
DNA guiding how teams call a game, whether it be Dan
Campbell going for it on fourth down or Todd Bowles
scheming up plenty of blitzes. Strategy is now a bigger
part of Madden, and you need to be prepared for it.
Another key gameplay feature is upgraded depth charts,
most notably on defense. New positions of Edge, Mike,
Will, and Nose Tackle allows players to better fit into
your specific scheme. For example, Nick Bosa being an
Edge rather than a Defensive End like previous years
will seamlessly make sure he’s a 3-4 outside linebacker
if you were to take over the 49ers and want to run a 3-4
defense instead of their typical 4-3.
Other updates to gameplay include more stunts for the
defensive line, custom zone depths, and expanded
celebrations.
Presentation & Weather ...is the color announcer 14
years old?
Should he be out this late for a night game? When's his
curfew?
Adding to the authenticity on game day is the overhaul
to weather—a very welcome addition to create more
uniqueness for every virtual matchup. Blizzard
conditions now make it almost impossible to see down the
field when throwing the ball, and players can lose their
footing on a wet surface with ratings having an impact,
so we should feel a difference between someone like
Saquon Barkley being able to balance/maneuver in the
snow compared to a less dynamic and talented
ball-carrier.
Franchise Mode
It was absolutely necessary for Franchise Mode to be
better Madden 26 if only to put up a fight versus what
Dynasty Mode is for College Football 26—and there is no
doubt that strides were made for what feels like the
first meaningful upgrade in years.
Franchise begins with coach creation—allowing users to
pick a background in offense, defense, or player
development—and impacts how your coach will progress
while leveling up. Added depth for character
customization is also a major plus, which allows you to
bring more personality to your coach. I love the look of
a layered jacket over a hoodie (especially later in the
season), but there are tons of combinations to fit
whatever style you desire.
Of course, cosmetics don’t mean much if the mode
remained too bare bones, but weekly game planning and
scouting provides off-the-field challenges to prepare
for success on the field. A new weekly strategy screen
provides all the details you need—from opponent
tendencies to the injury report—and new “playsheets” can
be adjusted every week depending on how you want to
attack your opponent. For example, if a team has a
loaded group of pass-catchers that you don’t believe
your guys can stick with in man coverage, it might be
wise to add more zones to the game plan.
Wear & Tear being added to Madden for the first time is
a great addition, too, as it adds another layer of
strategy to make sure you don’t overload a running back
with too many touches or have a star play through an
injury that will only get worse.
In general, logic was improved when it comes to the
draft (more value placed on key positions) and players
retiring or not retiring in the offseason (someone still
playing at a high level will be less likely to hang up
his cleats)—and simulation stats were made more
realistic as well.
We also have weekly recaps (hosted by Scott Hanson), and
that ties into the upgrades to presentation and weather.
I’m curious to learn exactly how deep the recaps will
get while playing through a season (does Hanson talk
about it being a holiday week around Thanksgiving and
Christmas?), but either way, it’s exciting have
Franchise Mode finally get enough depth to feel the
calendar turn through the fall and winter.
Conclusion
Madden NFL 26 is a step in the right direction on nearly
every front—including truer-to-life gameplay, improved
weather and presentation, Coach DNA and Franchise Mode
depth.. There is still plenty of work to be done,
but Madden 26 is a solid game that hopefully set the
foundation for the future of the series. Oh, get rid of
the 14 year old TV announcer! you know...child labor
laws. Where'd you get this guy? You Tube? Does anyone
have the phone number of the female fan with a pony
tail? Does she get along with her father?
