Madden NFL 08 (xbox360: 2007): Reviews

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Madden NFL 08


6.2

based on 46 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 92 votes
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GAMES:

Madden NFL 07

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]

PUBLISHER:	Electronic Arts
DEVELOPER:	EA Tiburon
GENRE(S):	Sports, Football
PLAYERS:	8
ESRB RATING:	E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE:	August 14, 2007

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...

100

Yahoo! Games

These animations are gorgeous to look at, from Reggie Bush doing his trademark summersault for six, or a Chad Johnson river dance after a score. This is because the game runs at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second...Madden 08 is simply superb. If you could only own one next-gen football, this is it.

GamePro

The definitive football game to buy this season.

XboxAddict

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.

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.

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.

PGNx Media

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

Armchair Empire

Competition has brought out the best in the Madden franchise with Madden NFL 08, an all-around excellent football game that more than atones for its somewhat uneven Xbox 360 showing in Madden NFL 07.

GameDaily

After two disappointing efforts the last two seasons -- disappointing by the high standard that EA's football franchise set for itself over the years -- Madden NFL 08 redeems the franchise as one of the best-playing football games in recent memory.

1UP

You'll find a much smarter brand of football in 08: Quarterbacks now scramble when no one is open, wideouts continue to make blocks 30 yards downfield, and defensive backs rarely fall for the deep ball. Some might even say that pass defense is a tad too stingy this season.

Team Xbox

While Madden NFL 08 certainly isn’t perfect, it’s damn near close. The on-field action is stellar, thanks largely to a buttery smooth framerate and one of the best animation systems seen in a sports game to date. You’ll stay busy with the Franchise and Superstar mode for a good deal of time, and the impeccable online netcode will ensure that you’ll have an excellent experience on Xbox Live.

GameTrailers

Madden NFL 08 is easily the most realistic 3D football game ever made. And quite honestly, one of the most complex games you'll ever play. There are so many intricacies to separate the men from the boys, and as a head-to-head sports experience, it's hard to beat.

GameSpy

While it has been difficult to wholeheartedly recommend a Madden football game for a few years, Madden NFL 08 is a significant improvement over the series' past, and has refined the formula in such a way that it actually brings something new to the game.

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.

Games Radar

A whopper of an NFL game to play this season, with more good stuff to experience than most of us will ever get to.

AtomicGamer

In the end, Madden 08 is probably the most realistic feeling football experience ever, for better or for worse.

AceGamez

Madden NFL 08 is not a perfect game, but it's damn close.

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.

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.

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]

IGN

A great game. It's certainly the best Madden since the 2005 edition and a worthy offering for the new generation of gaming. The new animation system is outstanding and the game itself plays wonderfully. Madden succeeds where it matters most: The gameplay.

Planet Xbox 360

It took three tries, but EA finally gave us a solid NFL game for next gen consoles. The fact that our Madden is better than the other guy’s is just icing on the cake.

Talk Xbox

Luckily, the gameplay stays true to its roots, favoring fast paced action over realistic football. As a result, those who have been Madden fans in the past should definitely grab this one, and those who have not enjoyed past titles should hold out against the marketing tidal wave.

GameZone

It is nice to finally have nearly all of the features back and playing them on the Xbox 360. All of the new features and additions make this a game that will be played for hours on end.

Console Gameworld

Pigskin fans aren't going to go wrong with this purchase. This is the best football game on the market and this year it's not just because of the NFL license.

Gamers' Temple

Madden NFL 08 has many things going for it and it certainly will provide you with some enjoyable videogame football action. However, you'll still be stuck with the feeling that it's still not quite a complete package.

Official Xbox Magazine

Pound for pound, this is the Madden you've been waiting three years to play. [Oct 2007, p.80]

GameSpot

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

Worth Playing

We've actually been waiting for this game for years, ever since people started coining the term, "next-gen." Thankfully, that time has finally come.

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

Rich sim blessed with amazing graphics and animation. Just what we expect. [Nov 2007, p.80]

Gaming Nexus

Overall, Madden 08 is an impressive football game on the Xbox 360 and it serves as a step in the right direction for the franchise.

Game Revolution

The good news is that this old friend seems to be trying to change for the better, at least on the 360 (and almost assuredly on the PS3...eventually) and that’s great.

Game Informer

There is undoubtedly work still left to be done before the series can match the glories of the past, but this is a noticeably better game the moment you pick up the controller.

VideoGamer

The most realistic football experience on consoles. It also happens to be the most challenging Madden since as far back as I can remember.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

Its enhanced framerate, more responsive controls and extra gameplay modes mean it's the most complete gridiron experience on the console. It's just...didn't we play this last year? [Oct 2007, p.94]

DarkStation

The Xbox 360 has had three years to mature and grow with Madden, and we are really ready to be wowed and Madden 08 does a good job of it, but I still think fans want more.

X360 Magazine UK

A clear improvement over last year's effort. [Issue#24, p.83]

games(TM)

Not only the best NFL game yet on a next-generation platform, but also one that could even rival the best in the series. [Oct 2007, p.122]

PALGN

Madden NFL 08 is a step in the right direction for Madden on the HD consoles. While it's still quite a good game, a few more steps are needed.

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.

Boomtown

It tries so hard to be all things to all people but for me it tries to walk before it can run. Oh well, no invite for me next year then!

Operation Sports

From the completely lackluster presentation to the utterly uninteresting modes, Madden NFL 08 is a great game for a very short time.

EuroGamer

Madden 08 stands by itself as a respectable, rewarding sim, but judged in the context of last season, it's merely a mild, expensive improvement.

GameShark

A game that while still fun, is nowhere near the level that it should be. A game this popular and that is this much of a money making machine should not have some of the problems that crop up every single year.

ZTGameDomain

Yes, there were great additions to this year, but the horrible AI, and multiplayer just really mess up the experience for me.

G4 TV

Maybe next year will bring us that much closer to having a Madden game like never before. It’s still a good game, slightly above average, but not as great as it should be.

The average user rating for this game is 6.2 (out of 10) based on 92 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Aaron M. gave it a4:
The graphics are amazing, but with the problems this game has I would prefer the problems to be fixed and have Madden '96 graphics. Terrible AI, lineman are useless, recievers don't put their hands up, you can't change the positions of players. Brian Urlacher was a safety in college! Manny Lawson and Terrell Suggs were ends! Hines Ward played quarterback! No one releases anyone to free agency. This game is terrible but it's the only pro football game so by default it's the best.

Du M. gave it a3:
Madden 08 sucks! the game graphics are great but the sideline and stadium graphics look like nfl 2k2... franchise mode is useless.. why can't i control it like in madden 05 (prices, tickets, advertisement) where is the newspaper thing?... another thing that simply drives me crazy is that i can't change a players position even though i have a need and also i can't change a player's height like in past madden... after a week i get tired of hearing marshall faulk's stupid intro and after game ring what it's called thing..stupid!!! why is there only one frikin official in the game? that sucks too... and finally madden is too slow for my taste.. loading takes forever and every single thing you do like changing a players appearence takes for ever... and it runs slow in my ps3 meaning sometimes you feel it freezes... simply awful!!! the only thing that keeps my buying madden is the draft class. Period.

Stan D. gave it a4:
Anyone who knows video games will like the new madden, but if you like and know football the old one is so much better. I don't understand why they got rid of substitutions, if my MLB sucks I don't want him in on 1 or 2 linebacker sets. Also I like having me best WR in the slot on some plays, for the mismatches. Madden 08 for regular xbox is still the same, just to let you know.

Black Machismo gave it a5:
This game didn't fix anything! The rosters weren't even accurate. The ratings were horribly ill-proportioned (Carson Palmer a 90! Phillip rivers an 88! Rex Grossman above 75! come on!). The training camp mini-games (if they can be called games) are still impossible. I barely got under five seconds with devin hester! Also it is Bullsh*t that they call features like create a team that have existed since '04 "new". And if I cant change positions (which is complete bull, by the way), why isn't there any flexibility t ohave players play as "tweeners, ie:Rodney Harison playing WR. The AI is so broken I'm not even going to talk about it. The only redeeming quality is it is football (barely). Come on EA get on the ball and stop ripping us off.

Dan C. gave it a2:
I have the PS3 version. Gameplay can be choppy online. I played one game online and I would be sacked before my primary receiver got off the line every time, or else have to rush a pass that would always get picked off, because the other guy clearly had a better connection. The worst thing is the turnovers, though. Some of you guys say it's realistic to have a guy fumble 4 times a game if he doesn't constantly cover up. That's just wrong. How many guys do you see covering up the ball with both arms every single time they get hit? None. And yet there are some guys out there who fumble once a season or less, and practically nobody that fumbles even once a game on average, much less 2-4. If covering the ball is what is required to avoid fumbling 3 to 5 times the real-life average, then you shouldn't have to slow to a crawl in order to do it. These guys drop the ball like they're carrying it in one hand. The other terrible thing about fumbles in the game is that you can't tell you've fumbled until it's being recovered by the other team. There is no notification on-screen, and the announcer never says anything until it's too late. Sometimes if you have it stripped without getting really hit, you can tell you've fumbled because your guy keeps moving and the camera stops, but when you notice that, you've run 10 yards away from the ball and still have momentum in that direction. I'm trying to remember even one time that I've recovered a fumble on offense. I think the underlying reason for this is that EA felt they had to make the difficulty levels distinct. Pro is too easy. You basically impose your will on both offense and defense (at least I do). You win by 20 points every game in your sleep, and there's no challenge. Then you step up to all-pro, and you can execute perfectly and still get buried by 30-40 points because after you break that 20 yard run or 30 yard pass, the CPU decides it deserves the ball back, and takes it accordingly. I'd say defense operates about right in this mode, but it still gets ugly quick because the CPU never starts in its own territory after recovering a fumble on your 2nd to 3rd play from scrimmage. I'm going to try playing on pro and just boosting the CPU AI. Maybe that will strike some kind of balance. I don't know why anyone is hating on NCAA though. The gameplay on that is head and shoulders above Madden. NCAA is as great as ever. I think what EA ought to do is, instead of having the 4 very drastically different levels, have 10 more subtle difficulty levels, where only level 10 is the "CPU cheats you" level, and the rest just require you to be smarter and execute better. The current difficulty levels are basically set up to where the bottom two are characterized by the CPU laying down for you, while the upper two are characterized by the CPU cheating you. I guess with the sliders, it's still a little better than, say, Fight Night, where the hardest level is still basically the CPU laying down for you.

Jeff B. gave it a2:
Wow just got the PC version and it was nothing I hoped it would be. The AI is flat-out terrible and favors the computer for sure. Players make impossible defensive plays - like instantly changing direction the instant your QB releases the ball only to cover 15 yards and make a play on the ball before your receiver can catch it. Blockers are retarded and let obvious threats sack/tackle you while stopping obviously benign defenders. The comp always gets good protection in the pocket, even with a crappy O-line, while your first four draft picks were O-linemen and you get sacked every other play. The computer also seems to become invincible as soon as you are up by about 14 points, generating turnovers and making impossible plays like the cheater it is. The mini-camp games are still largely impossible and you need to play them if you want to level up your players. I chose to skip them and screw my player's stats rather than deal with the frustration. This year you can't switch the positions that your players play. WTF? It was nice to be able to move your players around in previous versions, especially on defense. Franchise mode still generates statistics that are completely unrealistic. Custom playbooks are still limited to 11 formations and less than 80 plays. Custom play building is still buggy and frustrating. The one thing that is new, player "weapons," is actually just a useless gimmick! For instance, if a player has a 95 speed, he gets a little foot icon above his head! If he has a 95 break tackle, then he gets a little bulldozer icon! It has changed nothing significant at all! This game was a disappointment across the board. I have been unsatisfied with the Madden franchise for years, and this years release proves to me that EA has ceased trying to make it better. I will go back to playing Madden 06 for now, and pray to God almighty that the NFL has the sense to let someone else use their signature in the future.

Matt P. gave it a5:
For some reason, some very odd, very naive reason, I thought that this Madden would somehow be better than the horrendous outing in 07. I thought that everything would be fixed and that the game wouldn't be a broken mess, boy, was I wrong. I know I'm not going to steer away any fans of the series, and seeing as how this is the only NFL game out there, there really isn't any option, anyway. To start off with, the turnover mechanic is woefully broken. Not only will you fumble two, three, four times a game, but you will also throw about three or four interceptions a game. This is, however, nicely balanced because the computer QB will either throw 7 INTS or none at all and eight touchdowns. QBs will consistently throw lame duck line drives that will end up in the hands of a middle linebacker. Balance is way, way off, with the computer being really bad and your team being really good, for the most part. The recievers will, I kid you not, turn around with their hands out infront of them like a cowboy holding two six shooters and watch the ball hit them in the helmet. On one replay, I watched Larry Fitzgerald's eyes actually follow the ball as it hit him the thigh. Playing as a secondary defender is next to impossible, because when you press the Y button you jump, you more than less wait three seconds then shoot your hands up in the air, like you're doing the wave. The only positive: it's the only real, liscenced pro football game out there.