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Madden NFL 08

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5.3 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 31 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 26 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA Tiburon

Genre(s): Sports, Football

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: August 14, 2007

Summary

All-New Read & React System: New player skill icons identify on-field strengths and weaknesses, providing an immediate read on what your opponent is giving you. Quickly react, create mismatches, and exploit opponent weaknesses before every play. All-New Front Office Mode: Take full control of every aspect of an NFL franchise. Construct a state-of-the-art stadium, set concession prices, hire your coaching staff, draft players, and manage the entire operation from the top down to build your dynasty. Your Ring of a Champion: Increase your Madden Gamer Level to help create and customize your own in-game championship ring. Madden Unmatched: All-new player moves, including auto-motion, backward passes and low-hitting tackles, plus ultra-smooth gameplay provide the most realistic NFL gaming experience ever. Control receivers and make spectacular catches or key possession receptions, or roam the secondary and jar the ball loose with big hits and ball-stripping tackles. [EA Sports]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Madden NFL 07

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameSpot Guide

Also On The Web: NFL Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Cheat Code Central

For football fans it simply cannot be missed. There are really no glaring faults at all. One would be hard-pressed to improve upon the graphics, controls, sounds, modes of play, varied content, and online play.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

This is the Madden that hardcore footballers have been waiting for. The rest of us should be sure to tone down the difficulty.

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Gaming Age

Minus a few hitches here and there with presentation, commentary, and no online leagues, this may be one of the best Madden titles in recent memory, and easily the best on next gen platforms.

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PGNx Media

It won’t convert Madden non-believers, but everyone else take note: the best next-generation Madden has arrived.

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GameTap

In the end, though, even with these complaints, Madden 08 still manages to deliver on a level the franchise hasn't seen in years, maybe ever, thanks to its amazing gameplay.

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Worth Playing

Madden NFL 08 again serves football gamers on both sides of that fan fence.

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GameTrailers

All the modes have finally made the starting lineup, and there are successful tweaks and additions to both the gameplay and options. It's still more of an evolution than a revolution, but that's like saying LaDanian [la-dane-ian] Tomlinson just got better.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Those realistic touches finally makes this the game we knew next-gen Madden could be, burying all memories of target-video snafus. [Oct 2007, p.90]

GameSpot

Madden NFL 08 is a significant step forward for the series, bringing to the table features that are legitimately game-changing.

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1UP

Sadly, just like with "NCAA Football 08" and "All-Pro Football 2K8," PS3 owners are stuck with an inferior version of Madden. While the game runs at 60 frames per second on Microsoft's box, Madden only clocks in at 30fps on Sony's console. The result? The gameplay isn't nearly as smooth as the 360 version and even stutters at times.

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GamerNode

A great edition to the Madden series. This is definitely the year to buy if you haven't in a while. Keep in mind if you have to choose, the 360 version is the one to get.

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Console Monster

My man-crush for Al Michaels notwithstanding, Madden 08 is the best entry into the series since it made the leap to this current-generation of consoles.

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Play UK

Does everything you would expect from a Madden title; either confuses the hell out of you or gives you an incredibly deep American football game. [Issue#157, p.81]

Games Master UK

Another good addition to the series but this isn't the 'next-gen' Madden to blow you away. [Oct 2007, p.79]

Gamer 2.0

Now that the next-gen is officially something in the present, it’s safe to say that Madden NFL 08 is the first great Madden game to come out since Madden NFL 2005.

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MEGamers

This year more than ever you will need to have a certain amount of knowledge when it comes to positioning and rules in football.

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PSM Magazine

One of the best entries to the franchise in years. [Nov 2007, p.81]

GameZone

The PS3 version falters when compared to the much-better 360 version by slogging down the framerate substantially.

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Game Informer

If all this year’s Madden did was restore its feature set, then that alone would hardly be cause for hope. However, by improving the gameplay, it makes it so I’m much more apt to actually play more than one season before putting my controller down. This series isn’t out of the woods just yet, but this year lets it be known that Madden’s best days aren’t behind it.

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GameSpy

The PlayStation 3 version is feature complete by comparison, but it doesn't run at the silky smooth frame rate of the 360 version. It's a no-brainer decision if you own both systems, but early adopters of the PlayStation 3 should still have a good time with this one.

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GameDaily

It knows what works best, and rather than reinvent the wheel it focuses on smoothing out the kinks. Visual and performance drawbacks aside, Madden NFL 08 more than suffices.

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IGN

Madden NFL 08 on PS3 is no a great game. It is a shadow of its cousin on 360. Though the feature set is identical, the drop to an unstable 30fps hurts considerably. The visuals and the gameplay suffer.

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Gamers' Temple

It's Madden and it's got the NFL license and plays a nice game of football. But it's not a great game because of too many mistakes and lame little problems throughout. I just expect better after this long.

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Kombo

Football fans will absolutely love what EA has in store for them but the PS3 might not be the best version across all the platforms due to poor framerate stability.

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PSM3 Magazine UK

A sweet taste of next-gen NFL, soured somewhat by the fact that the game hates you. [Oct 2007, p.78]

Games Radar (in-house)

Oh how we wish that the PS3 Madden were as smooth as its 360 cousin. It's not all bad, of course, and there's a bevy of stuff to do across scads of modes to take up plenty of time. Unfortunately, the distinctly inferior product for Sony's pricey console will likely serve as yet more fodder for never ending flame wars.

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VideoGamer

Madden 08 may not be the best football game ever made but it's certainly the best since 05 and a solid addition to any football fan's library.

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DarkStation

I would say to EA specifically that you have a lot of great ideas, but smooth it all out, develop more on the PS3 and use its strengths and get that frame rate up and consistent.

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Playstation Official Magazine UK

For a series that was consistently outstanding for so long, being merely 'good' simply isn't good enough. [Nov 2007, p.108]

Game Almighty

The new Weapons system is a fun addition, and actually manages to make the game a bit friendlier to new players. The gameplay itself is solid, but the overall presentation is still lacking. Here’s hoping to a more robust online mode and a better use of the ESPN license in the 09 iteration.

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Game Revolution

The PS3 version is identical to the 360 in terms of options and A.I., unfortunately the similarity ends as soon as you look at the screen. It only runs at half the framerate (which is less noticeable than you'd think) and is distinctly blurry and choppy, with longer load times (which will drive you crazy). Just like Madden 07 on the 360, it's probably suffering from first-timer's disease.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 5.3 (out of 10) based on 26 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Nick R. gave it a3:
Madden 08 has got to be the worst football game I have ever played. The presentation is nil and graphically, I think they found some of the old Geocities members and asked them for their input. (That depth of field effect is butt ugly) Let's not forget that every drive is always interrupted with a fumble or interception. If you get down the field you're lucky. Your WR always break route and your quarterback never figured out how to lead his receivers with the ball either. Maybe once you figure out all the weird quirks, you can enjoy it. But you'd have probably find yourself with the game traded in or smashed into a million pieces by then. There just is nothing here, period. I only gave it a 3 because I know I am not that hardcore of a sports gamer. (I prefer actually playing them outside.)

Gary H. gave it a5:
I have been playing Madden for a long time, faithfully every year since the arrival of the PS2 and even years before. I was elated to recieve my PS3 and could not wait to play Madden 2008 on it. The previous year I was playing Madden 07 on PS2 and loved it but I must say that I am completely disappointed with the gameplay of Madden 08 on PS3. 1) the button arrangement is horrible.....why is X sprint, why can't I juke, why can't I stiff arm left and right with L2 and R2, respectively...... 2) whats the deal with the play calling, the old way is way better, yeah i know you can pick a play and keep scrolling to offset your opponent if they're looking, but c'mon what the point. 3) Why is there no more squib kick, return left/right......I do have many more, but I don't wanna sound like too negative because after all, MADDEN is my favorite game.....just not this year

Alexander B. gave it a3:
This is quite possibly the worst video game I have ever purchased. The gameplay is slower than 10-yard fight. I'ts like playing an online game with a really slow DSL connection, except if feels like this even when you're playing the CPU. The menus are confusing, the game is slow to respond to inputs from the controllers, and it takes forever for the CPU to simulate games. The graphics are amazing. Of course, the special effect in Battlefield Earth were pretty good, but that doesn't make it a watchable movie.

Timothy D. gave it an8:
Based on its own merits this game is a solid football title that will certainly whet your football appetite; but when compared to other iterations of Madden you can't help but notice that Madden is frustratingly missing some of the little things. For example; 1) Timeouts aren't readily visible on screen to alert you to how many you have. 2) The kicking game is once again stripped down; No squib kicks. The return game as well is stripped down. You no longer can chose to return left, middle, or right. The framerate issue is really not an issue at all. The game plays very well and the new features make the gameplay that much better but until EA get the little things right It wont get into the 90's.

duke gave it a6:
Remember playing madden for the first time? well this is pretty much the same game. nothing has changed except now it has icons telling us that payton manning is an accurate quarterback and brian urlacher is a heavy hitter, and so on. thanks EA, i wouldn't have known that otherwise. also if you're carrying the ball and run into the back of your guard or a fallen player you can be knocked back a dozen feet. that being said the game looks amazing. anyone who complains about the frame rate is just being anti - PS3, because after playing a quarter you can't even tell the difference. the game runs smooth and there are no major glitches that will ruin your experience. in conclusion this is a solid game that should feed any football appetite you might be having but it won't fill you up.

Jeff L. gave it an8:
This game is definitely better then last years version, as far as the frame rate, well, to me it runs very smooth, the gameplay is better then last years, graphics are a tad better, certain players are a bit more noticable then last year. The animations are fantastic, very relaistic, gang tackles, new catch animations, they look very realistic, one thing they can work on is the kicking game, especially on kickoffs, hardly any kickers boot kicks into the endzone, in this game it is inevtiable, also there should be custom moves for certain key retunr players that have the ability to retunrn kicks and punts to the endzone all the time. The annoucner is not horrible, but tiresome and annoying, they desperately need a real announcer to spice things up, and the presentation is lacking, although I like how they showcase key plays at half time andat the end of the game, it just needs to feel more like watching an actual football game. it controls very well, very responsive, and as far as everyone talking about a lot of fumbles, well, I have not expereinced that many, but I can see what they are talking about, there should be a specific slider that increases fumbles or decreases, something like that would help balance the game. i say if you played madden last year on the ps3 and liked it, you will like this version, just dont expect it to blow you away, maybe next year.

RealReview .. gave it a6:
This game is compeletly average. i thought the frame rate was fine and that whole issue was overblown but the game just wasn't good. so many features are still missing. i'd rather be play a madden from two years ago with an updated roster.

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Madden NFL 08

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