I'm a life long Madden but with the new stick movement im up by 40 points and the first quarter isnt even done. Whats worse is the game looks dated Compared to Espn 2k5. If your last madden game was 2002 then this is the game for you, If not save your money and go for the better product Espn 2k5.

This game is nothing compared to the espn series.

This game is exciting and one of a kind. It kicks ass and with the Tony Bruno show it just get amazing. It could be better if other clubs offered you more trades and the value thing isnt the best.

James S. has devalued my faith in humanity's future. Anyone that actually believes that ESPN 2K5 is better than Madden should be killed with the betterment of humanity in mind. P.S. Here's a tip: If you're scoring too many points, try changing some settings... maybe start by changing the difficulty setting.

I was fooled by this game this year. Espn Football 2k5 has better graphics even on PS2 compared to MAdden Xbox version. Sad that gameplay is akward too. Glad I bought Espn Football for 2 bucks. Why the hell buy this if there is better , MUCH better game available at 20 bucks?

A great game but there are still a few bugs. It was easy enough to play having played the previous versions, and there are so many realistic elements. I would rate this a 10, but what would I do next year when further improvements are added?

Yo soy mexicano y no hablo muy bien ingles pero puedo decir esto "THE GAME IS VERY GOOD" 10 10 10 10 10

The actual game play in this is quite bad. Dont expect to run the ball at all--ever. Ive also noticed that it doesnt seem to matter how skilled your players are (unless your simulating everything). your 97 overall runningback will be brought down by a 69 ranked lb every time. Your 99 WR will still be covered like glue by the 77 CB. Kind of makes the whole "getting better players" part really pointless. The AI is also a little skitso. . . if you mix up plays as a real football coach should, you'll get nothing. but if you find one play that the ai cant adjust to, you can run it all game long--very boring. So its the actual finding a good play rather than finding good players that gets to the winning. As far as the franchise mode is concerned its excellent. you can draft, sign, trade much better than before. I especially like how you have to do research and your not sure what youre drafting, just like in real life. you can relocate your team which is very cool. the owner portion is also very cool but that was put in place in madden 2004. If you havent tried it, borrow it or rent it first--change the game dificulty above pro (to all pro or all madden) and see if you like the game play, because without it, its just a glorified football sim. (or you could do this, buy espn 2k5 and rent madden 2005--25 bucks-- and then see for your self which has the better gameplay.… Expand

First off, let me say that both games are incredibly fun. I am sensing that a lot of people (read "kids") on here bought one game and feel the need to rip the other one. I have both. Enjoy both. Here's the honest break down: Graphics are WAY better on Madden. Gameplay is more realistic in Madden. It is FAR, FAR easier to sit back and chuck it deep in ESPN 2K5. Guys are open everywhere and if a WR is in single coverage its so easy to get a TD...and running is easier in 2K5 as well. Not so in Madden. The D is tougher this year. Also, you can get away with calling the same play all game in 2K5, but Madden makes you switch it up. You have more options when you're on D as well AT THE LINE...like double-teaming a particular receiver, blitzing, spying, etc. Conversely, audibles are better in 2K5 because you have different ones for EVERY FORMATION...and you can switch them on the fly. Unlike Madden where you have 6 (and 6 for D) and you have to pause to change them. Ironically, pausing is how ESPN does Defensive assignments...both games should borrow from each other and allow these changes to be made at the line of scrimmage. My other beef with Madden is the cheap AI...I shouldn't be punished with INTs and fumbles just because I'm winning. In the end, ESPN might be more fun (and the Crib is a far more fun incentive than Madden Cards)...but it might be a bit too easy and too unrealistic (and I'm playing on the same levels on both games.) You can't go wrong with either game and neithr game is perfect, but if you can only buy ONE, I'd say probably get Madden, even at $50 its still the better game. But again, both are great.… Expand

This game is awesome, definitely a perfect ten, it has all the aspects of a great game.

An excellent game, however, like many others have said, it is very much alike the others. The hitstick is a great addition, but leaves a bit to be desired in visual hits. Furthermore, I believe the commentating can be expanded upon, and the substitutions shouldn't limit players to play certain positions. I remember in older versions you could have a CB play as a WR and vica versa. Overall I love the Madden series and it gets better and better.… Expand

Hard to run the ball as usual. Big difficulty gap between Pro and All-Pro but the great graphics and all the plentiful features make it a great product.

This game is amazing, yeah it is kind of like the previous Madden, but there is just something about the game that makes it awesome. The graphics on the game are alot better, and what i love most about the game is the new and improved "hit stick" where you can decide whether you want to wrap up your tackle or go for the big hit and fumble, at first i thought that it was dumb but once i got the hang of using it, it became my favorite feature in the game. People complain about "oh well if you want a unrealistic running game then get madden" the defense on madden is tougher yes, but all the talk about a unrealistic running game is all crap, the running game is tougher, and it teaches you real football. If you yourself know football then it is some good competition, If you know by what formation the defense is in whether you can run or not. And that is what makes the game so realistic. The "unstoppable running defense" is only for the idiots that try to run up the middle while the defense is stuffing "the box"… Expand

This game is amazing, yeah it is kind of like the previous Madden, but there is just something about the game that makes it awesome. The graphics on the game are alot better, and what i love most about the game is the new and improved "hit stick" where you can decide whether you want to wrap up your tackle or go for the big hit and fumble, at first i thought that it was dumb but once i got the hang of using it, it became my favorite feature in the game. People complain about "oh well if you want a unrealistic running game then get madden" the defense on madden is tougher yes, but all the talk about a unrealistic running game is all crap, the running game is tougher, and it teaches you real football. If you yourself know football then it is some good competition, If you know by what formation the defense is in whether you can run or not. And that is what makes the game so realistic. The "unstoppable running defense" is only for the idiots that try to run up the middle while the defense is stuffing "the box"… Expand

I thought the game was better than madden 04. I ove the new hit stick and i find it very easy to use. The Franchise game mode is sweet but i always find myself in a salary cap bind about 5 years into the franchise. However, there arnt enough very exicitn new features added to the game and i have to agree with the fact that creating playbooks and plays is quite pointless becuase of the restriction.… Expand

For all y'all who think that the game is unrealistic your wrong. The long pass yes, but you can run the ball like before, and you only have limited time to throw the ball in real life. If your angry about running the ball you can't run the ball up the middle every time. You can but you gotta mix it up. And honestly I've hated runnin a toss play but it is easier I think so use that and that can confuse the AI.… Expand

It is awsome!

The game play is great and the AI is more challenging but i just wish the memory was a little better like remembering the season before for instance who the previous super bowl champs were and the previous records that had been broken for example my team went 16-0 and the talk was about how amazing they were yet the following year they were 12-0 and on the radio show they continued to talk about how 16-0 had never been done before now its nothing major and im going to buy the games every year it would just be nice to have the ea sports people to place the same effort and attention in to the additions they are adding surrounding the game as they are adding to the offence and defence as well as the ever changing graphics to create the best video game ever played by its fans.… Expand

I read all of these previous posts and some makes me scrach my head. I conisder my self a hardcore madden player and I find this game very easy. Even on all madden. Typical madden players pass 70% of the time. I however have an evenly balanced attack. I have led the league in rushing and passing together every single season. I do not create players or edit them, or even take the salary cap off. I have mastered this game. There are some games I win 77-0 on all madden. This game is hard to master but when you do it becomes easy. I wish there was a harder level. I have figured out all the madden gliches. The best gliche is to pick a play on defense in which your middle linebacker is supposed to blitz. Take control of him and pull back(do not blitz), if you do this the all madden brain thinks he is blitzing and has no idea i am sitting there waiting to pick off a pass. I intercepted over 100 passes in 4 years by doing this method. I need a harder level and 2005 does not provide me with it.… Expand

What is ur peepoles problems this is probably the best sports video game ive ever played only behind mlb slugfest loaded.

See some other people are thinking along the same line as I am. Whatever little updates they have made to this game really hasn't made it that much better and so the overall score should be going down. The AI really doesn't adapt, it may take advantage of a gap once but really if it were trying to win why not do it all the time if it's still there. The plays are still static, why bother give a create a playbook option if you have to make the plays from some scripted options. Why if i make a formation (both D and O) and then flip it at the line everyone starts running all over the place, the safeties try to cross each other..... there are still too many little annoying things about this game that haven't been changed since the turn of the century.. come on madden do better.… Expand

Love it!

I've bought Madden for the past 10 years, and I will finally have a game which truly resembles the reality of football...D's which are nearly unpenetrable and player ego's.

I definitely agree with almost every review I've read about Madden, it's the best football game this year. I really like ESPN, but Madden is just incredible. The defense is amazing and the franchise mode is the best ever.

I bought both ESPN & Madden 2005. I felt that Madden was heads and shoulders above ESPN. If you want realistic gameplay then get Madden. ESPN is all flash and too easy. If you want to win every game by 30-40 points, get ESPN. If you want a game that is about as close to the real thing as possible, then you can't go wrong with Madden.

Madden 2005 is the same boring game I played last year,(aside from some new bells and whistles)and it bored me last year too.NCAA 2005 has such an incredible run system(Alige Running System)why it wasn't included in this years Madden I don't know.ESPN Football does everthing Madden does(except for a few minor offensive adjustments) just a whole lot better!ESPN Football Is better!The VIP system is an incrediblly innovative feature.(who cares about hotdog prices and sports radio chit chat,woo hoo).If your considering buying this game look around at reviews(not EA pocketed magazine reviews ,yes Gamepro I'm talking about you and EGM you too) but real reader reviews.EA needs to stop putting a new cover on an aging football game. … Expand

Play on all-pro right off the bat and don’t stack your team. pro is far to easy but if you turn the difficulty up then you realize how intense and competitive the games can be. It would be nice if it was 20 bucks and not 50 but sometimes you gotta pay more for a better product. word.

This game blows Madden 2004 out of the air! Madden 2005 is a way better graphically engineered game! Madden keeps the score close no matter what! You could be up in the 1st half and wham, a come back from hell! The ESPN game is a great game, but it just doen't have that name-MADDEN!!!!

The latest installment in the Madden line is quite impressive, but not without fault. I agree completely with another reviewer that skill level of players appears to mean nothing in this Madden version. A 99 rated Quarterback will appear to throw as many interceptions as a 55 rated QB. Not quite the realism I was hoping for. I also agree with the comments that the computer A.I. is not very intelligent at picking up a play that works over and over again. Nonetheless, at higher levels, All-Pro or Madden, scores of 3-0 or 7-0 are commonplace. This is not rewarding football. In my view, the AI has been made better, without still being very smart, if that makes any sense. The franchise mode is the heart of this game and is improved from last year. The gameplay is solid, and the graphics just so-so. On the whole, not the wonderful game that I was anticipating... … Expand

Best game i ever played.

A great game

These stupid football games are always the same not enough new things each year they should make it a huge difference and it should have like a 4 year gap...then it might be good...NFL Street is definitely the best football game because its original and the animations are awesome.

It's a great game especially the gameplay.

This is the best football game this year.

It a great games but they aren't much record to break like realz life.

This game is extremely boring, in terms of gameplay. As someone else said, don't bother trying to rush the ball against the CPU- you'll get nailed to the ground. I'm a casual player (I prefer FIFA 2005), and am put off by the difficulty of the running plays. If I play at the 'Rookie' level- I win every game easily; but at 'Pro'- I get stuffed on almost every rush. I have to passs most of the time (If I can evade being sacked in 0.5 seconds)! What a joke of a game!… Expand

K-I-C-K-S A-S-S couldn't get any better, i play and play and play. Every single day i play a quick game of Madden. The Franchise Mode got even better, This game couldn't get any better.

I love the new defensive controls. The hit stick is hard to control though. I like the new franchise mode too and all of its new features.

Madden 2005 has everything the football gamer would want.

Best game of any kind ever. If anyone reading this has a different opinion, that person's opinion is wrong, and that person is a fool. As a side note, if anyone gave ESPN a rating higher than 7, they must clearly have thought the scale went to 100. Madden gets a 100.

The people at PSM Magazine need to remove their heads from their asses. "Not as ambitious, advanced, or enjoyable as ESPN?"... What the hell are you smoking. If by that you meant lame, slow, and choppy, you may be correct. I got fooled by ESPN's cheap price, and I regretted it until today when I traded it in for Madden. PSM, you fools are out of touch.

No question - its just a better "football" game then ESPN and worth the price.

While I like some of the improvements over last year's game, there's still a major imbalance between the difficulty of the running game and the ease of the passing game. It's still a great game, but when compared to ESPN 2K5 on a number of fronts... Madden 2005 lags just behind.

For those who call it realistic sure haven't thrown no look cross-body passes spot on 60 yards down the opposite end of the fiend with a sub-par QB. Yes, you can do this in madden with consistency. The deep ball seems to be as much as a problem as it has been in previous versions. Madden has a much more arcade like feel to it than 2k5. If you want something that resembles a simulation more go with 2k5.… Expand

I bought ESPN 2K5 when it came out, and I loved it. Fun, easy to get in to gameplay, great presentation and killer graphics. It would take a lot for Madden to top it. And top it Madden did. At first glance, ESPN will jump out more (for the reasons I stated), but as I played more and more of Madden 2005, I realized how much the little changes to defense added to the depth of the game. It's just a deeper, more rewarding, more intense game of football than ESPN or last year's Madden. ESPN is a better pick up and play with your friends type of game, but Madden is the game to get for those who want to get the best football experience.… Expand

Madden is the greatest football game of all time. The game combines all the realism, excitement, and fun of an actual football game to give you the complete package....oh, wait, this isn't 2002. All those statements would be true if Madden had bothered to make any major changes in the past three years. Madden has been getting by on its name alone and this is the year that people will finally notice. That is, those people smart enough to spend the $20 to buy ESPN NFL 2k5. Once you play ESPN, you'll realize how unrealistic and boring Madden really is. Like an incredibly difficult and unrealistic running game? Buy Madden. Like a passing game that sometimes has you picking up 300 yards with a single reciever in one game? Buy Madden. Like scoring 50+ points in a game? Buy Madden. The realism of ESPN makes Madden come off looking arcade-like, a term that has never been applied to the Madden series before. … Expand

Ok I admit it, I was a NFL Blitz fan for years. Sad I know. But, last year my girl bought me Madden 2004---I never looked back. This years 2005 version is way better. It not only has better graphics and gameplay but I love The Franchise Mode! This game is the best Madden ever, which makes it the best football game ever. Yes, I rented 2k5 and it was fun, but it was like playing Blitz, while Madden has no peer. I actually love playing defense now and I'm playing on the All Madden mode and I can run the ball with the best of them. Not to mention that my passing game is top notch as well. Go Bears!!!… Expand

The greatest football game. this is the only sport game out there that makes you want to buy it each and every year a new season comes out.

I would have given the game a higher rating, but every year a new madden game comes out, the game stops working shortly. Im not the only one who has noticed this. This trick is done just so the company can sell next years madden game product. All i have to say is because of this reason im not going to ever buy another 50 dollar madden game with a time bomb on it. To the makers of these games and their sick ideas, go to hell, you will never get another penny from me.… Expand

Joe what the hell are you talking about its now 2007 and my Madden 2004 is still working. so I have no clue what your talking about. and how is this game better then NFL 2K5?

One word to describe what makes this game better than any of the competition: Gameplay.