My first experience with the new Madden game. Will EA Sports sleep with me? The entire company.
Friday, August 14, 2009. It is a day that will live in infamy. It is a day that will be etched in the hearts of all man. A day that… well you probably won’t remember much of today. However, those of you who own a game system know that this today can be counted as one of the few great days to be a gamer. Madden 10 is released today. Oh happy day!
There is one slight issue in today’s celebration of gamerdom. I need a copy of Madden 10. I need the game now.
Flashback to Thursday, August 13, 2009. My boss Buzz walks into my office and asks who is doing a midnight sale on Madden. Fifteen calls later, much to my dismay no one is doing a midnight sale on Madden 10. Seriously game retailers of Indianapolis, are you kidding the general populace? Very few things in this life deserve a midnight sale. Here is the quick list of what deserves a midnight sale:
1) Any Will Smith movie DVD release.
2) The new Madden game.
3) A new ice cream flavor to be debuted by Ben & Jerry’s.
So of all the products in the world, only three matter. Madden is number two! Retailers of Indianapolis, get with the program!
I digress, on the morning of August 14th, 2009 I walk into work with one goal, to go to the Best Buy at 5820 East 82nd Street and purchase Madden 10. I get into the office, sit at my desk and start answering emails. All I can think about is how quickly I can tear into Tom Brady’s fibula with one great hit. My boss Buzz walks in and just screams out, “SO WHEN DOES VICK GET ADDED TO THE EAGLES ON MADDEN?”
“Buzz, Vick isn’t even in the game. He has no skill scores. The game is out today, he hasn’t played a game yet. They will assign score to him after he plays. He’ll be in the first roster update.”
Buzz fires back, “It’s going to be fantastic! I gotta play the Eagles after the first roster update.”
This isn’t helping my need to secure my copy of Madden 10. I don’t even want to be here right now. I need the new Madden game now!
I quickly get done with some work and it’s now Noon. I have to get to Best Buy now!
I’m in my car and I’m driving to Best Buy. I usually try to avoid a lot of the hype on the game. I don’t want to set any expectations on the game. You read all this pre-hype and what you see in your mind never, ever matches the actual game. Granted for the next two weeks I’ll now be reading every persons review of the game but right now I’m turning into the Best By parking lot. I walk out of the car, across the parking lot and into Best Buy. The greeter says. “Hello and welcome to Best Buy.”
I could not even give a hello to this guy. Not even a nice weather out there today comment. I look at him and revert to a drooling child and say one word….
“Madden?”
The greeter points to the left and off I walk. I see a Best Buy employee with a stack of Madden 10 games. I started thinking about giving the dude a chop block and then picking up my game.
“Hello sir. How many I help you.”
Where are my speech skills today? I look at him and say one word…
“Madden?”
“Oh these are the reserved copies.”
I won’t lie. I died a little on the inside when he said that. This wasn’t a stack of Madden games. This was a STACK OF MADDEN GAMES.
“We have copies in all formats on that table over th….”
I immediately turned and walked to the direction the kind sales rep pointed too. To his credit the dude told no tall tales, an entire table of Madden 10 games in every game format. It was a beautiful sight. I can’t lie. I fought back the urge to shed tears. I’m not talking about big T.O. “he’s my quarterback” sized tears. Maybe, watching the 30th anniversary of Star Wars dinner tears when the cast recreated the final scene in Star Wars where Han Solo, Luke and Chewbacca are brandishing the bling that Princes Leia just bestowed on them for blowing up the Death Star tears. You know manly tears.
I grabbed the game, paid for it at the checkout line and drove home.
Once home, I turned the game on. The first thing I heard after the load was the unmistakable sound of Nirvana’s “Breed” from the spectacular Nevermind album. This brings me to my first bone of contention with the madden franchise. I’m not against music. I like music. But, I have to go into the game setup and knock out all the songs which are already pre-checked and then have to check all the Sam Spence football music on. I like Nirvana, Kid Rock and most of the songs that are on Madden but when I want to make Tom Brady’s spleen burst, I need the orchestral sounds of Sam Spence’s original NFL music as the soundtrack. A minor point, yes I know. But, that needs to be reversed for next year.
The introduction opens with the Steelers/Cardinals Super Bowl game as its back drop. The cover athletes Troy Polamalu of the Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals are the main focus. Once you get past that you can pick your favorite team and it’s off to the main menu.
I got right to play now. I choose the Colts. As my opponent, the computer, I pick for him the cheating their way to three Super Bowls New England Patriots. Mr. Brady, your ass-kicking awaits you sir.
As the game loads I see the matchup between the two teams. It’s pretty much even except for the coaching area. The Patriots have a full three bars while the Colts barely have one. This immediately pisses me off because what you are telling me is that Caldwell, who has been with the Colts for a while, one of Dungy’s good guys is basically a bitch when it comes to coaching. That seemed pretty insulting.
The game loads and the first clip you see are people walking into Lucas Oil Stadium. They quickly go to the field and the announcers are saying words but nothing is registering. I get to the coin toss. The Patriots pick heads. The coin flip comes up tails! I will kick the ball to the Patriots. This is important because I want the ball in the start of the second half. At this point, I don’t know what EA Sports has done to the Pats and played it cautious.
As it turns out, EA Sports seemed to forget to factor into the equation that Tom Brady played for seven minutes last year. He comes out throwing 50-yard bombs. Good thing the Colts secondary is on it and its three and out for Brady and his cupcakes.
Peyton now takes the field on his own 20. Handoff to Joseph Addai. Addai runs up the middle for a 5-yard gain. Nice. I think it’s time to unleash Gonzales.
Peyton under center, he looks to the left, he looks to the right and the ball is hiked. Peyton goes back looks to the left, looks to the right and unleashes a bomb downfield. Gonzales is open, and… Peyton under throws the ball and is INTERCEPTED!
Huh? Wait a second. I had Peyton planted. It was a perfect throw.
Some light cursing and the defense is now coming onto the field to clean up my mistake pass.
Brady under center awaiting the snap and I’m going to waste no time. I’m in control of Brackett and I’m sending him in for the kill.
Seems I was a little too aggressive early as Wes Welker takes the ball in a slant route and up the middle for 35-yards.
Then Brady unleashes a 36 yard pass to Randy Moss for a touchdown.
While all of this is happening, can I state how realistic the field, players and game play has been? This is a decent graphics upgrade over Madden 09.
End of the first quarter: New England 7 – Indianapolis 0.
I feel like I let the team down.
The second quarter begins with two three and outs by each team. With 1:48 left in the second quarter Manning passes puts together an incredible drive down field with the highlights being a Reggie Wayne with a 25 yard slant route completion. And, a Joseph Addai run up the middle for a 12 yard gain and BLAMO he’s down on the 3 yard line. I mean injured down. This is not good. I’m not happy at all.
The game does a great thing here. You get to make the call. While Addai is injured, he is still able to play but… you risk the chance that he takes another hit and he then can be out for longer than what he originally will be if I sit him now. I opt to sit out Addai and it’s time to start the rookie, Donald Brown.
I call a draw play; Brown takes the handoff and runs into the end zone.
End of the first half: Indianapolis 7 – New England 7.
The halftime stats show is tremendous. They give you all the stats and show all the highlights of the first half. Very nice EA Sports.
The third quarter starts off much like the second quarter. Each team has three, three and outs and no more scoring by the end of the third quarter.
End of the third quarter: Indianapolis 7 – New England 7.
At this point, I’m a little tense. Brady is looking like a super model while Manning looks like John Blushi. Who is programming these games? I feel a graphic bias towards the Colts. Yes the name of the team is after a horse must EA make the players on it look like them after three quarters of action? I call bogus.
3:48 left in the fourth quarter and Brady completely owns the Colts corners. I have no answers for New England’s potent passing attack until a 2nd and 5 on the Colts 25. All out blitz. Brady throws and Gary bracket tips the ball with his hands and the ball lands into Bob Sanders hands! Gary Bracket is the man both in real life and digitally. Kudos Gary Brackett. Kudos to you, your family, and future generation of Brackett’s.
Manning takes to the field. 3:40 seconds left and 70 yards separate the Colts from 7 points. A masterful drive of handoff to Donald Brown, pass to Dallas Clark and pass to Austin Collie put the Colts at 3rd and 8. One two yard gain and two incomplete passes places the team behind the 8 ball. Then I get a notification that Addai is now back in the game after his slight strain on his left leg. I waste no time. Manning snaps the ball and a screen pass to Addai who runs for 9 yards! FIRST DOWN! Take that Patriots defense!
Manning in the shotgun position he gets the ball, looks left and then looks right when he throws the ball down field to Reggie Wayne for a first down on the 50 yard line! FEEL THE COLTS OFFENSE WORKING ON ALL CYLANDERS!
Manning under center, he takes the snap and hands off to Addai. Addai breaks the line, and fakes out the corner and HE HAS OPEN FIELD! ADDAI IS RUNNING AND IS FINALLY TAKEN DOWN AT THE 2-YARD LINE! THE CROWD GOES WILD!
1:20 seconds left and the Patriots take their first time out.
I know what happens next. We’ve seen this movie before. I call Addai up the middle and he scores easily. Way too easy.
Fourth Quarter: Indianapolis 14 – New England 7.
I just gave the New England patriots 1:19 seconds left and the ball on the kickoff. I’m so unhappy right now.
The ball is kicked off to the Patriots who run the ball back to the 35 yard line.
I line up with a very cautious protect the long ball defense. I’m not going to give up a big play.
Brady to Welker, the Patriots have the ball on the 50-yard line.
BOOOOOOOOOO!
Brady to Moss, the Patriots have the ball on the 38-yard line.
I hate you EA Sports. Tom Brady is not Superman. Dude could not walk for most of last year. No one heals this good.
Brady in the shotgun passes to Moss… incomplete. 2nd down.
Hmmmm?
Brady in the shotgun, pass to Moss in the end zone… over threw the pass, incomplete. 3rd down.
Interesting.
Brady in the shotgun passes to Welker… incomplete due to Gary Brackett’s pressure on Brady.
YES! GARY RULES!
4th down. Brady in the shotgun gets the ball, the Colts defense swarm, Brady throws….. TIPPED BY GARY BRACKETT AND GARY BRACKETT WITH THE INTERCEPTION!!!! OH YEAH!!!!
2 seconds remain in the game. Manning under center, takes the snap he downs the ball, game over.
Much improved game play, better announcing, smoother transitions between plays, bigger playbooks, a great use of product integration (The Snickers ads were a howl). EA Sports has done a killer job of remaking the NFL experience.
This was my first time playing the game. I didn’t have a fumble in the game but they have a fight for the fumble feature that is going to be great. I can’t wait to check out a full season mode.
Don’t waste time people. Get your copy of Madden 10 today. When does the first roster update get released?
I LOVE YOU GARY BRACKETT!!! For your mad digital football skills. Seriously, what did you think I meant when I said that?
Michael Vick is D-Nabbs replacment! Vicks suspension expires the same week of the yearly obligatory D-Nabb injury that THIS TIME (at his age) will bring him down from starter position permanently!