Madden 22 Review: The best change in a long time

This year Madden 22 finally started. Fortunately, Madden's long-term Franchise has ushered in a very significant change and change. Compared to the poor performance of the face of the Franchise in Madden 21 last year is the change this year worth looking forward to. In the face of players' criticism of the beginning of the franchise mode in Madden 21, can EA sports bring new updates to meet the players' expectations? 

What are the essential changes to the franchise model in Madden 22?

Instead, it has made substantial changes to some core game models, especially its franchise model. Although the addition of dynamic game days and changes to gameplay and feel are always welcome, fans have been hoping for some changes in one of the most frequently played modes over the years. Fortunately, EA Tiburon finally listened, and it turned out to be the best franchise model proposed by Madden.

If you don't know, Franchise allows you to take over as the team's owner, general manager, or coach and operate as you wish. Following the strong protests from fans last year, EA Sports finally released a suitable, overhauled Franchise version, which is excellent.

This year, many demanding Franchise updates were introduced, including more detailed ways to manage your employees as general manager and coach. Now, you can not only become the coach or boss of the team, but you can also see more coach lists, including various coordinators, player personnel departments, and so on. Thanks to the newly included skill tree progression system, you can now upgrade your team, allowing you to adjust your team-building plan accurately, whether it is the master of an entire offense or a more balanced team.

Adding weekly activities is a significant focus of EA Tiburon. It shows here that you will try to achieve the proper balance in preparation before the weekly competition. For example, if the team you are playing is a pass-intensive offense, you may want to focus on different defensive scenarios when you are playing a running group. You can do this by adjusting your weekly strategy to customize a specific game plan for the opponent you are playing.

Further changes in the franchise model are underway, including an overhauled reconnaissance system, which is expected to add a more structured and powerful way to detect future players. Although these changes may not sound much to players who have not entered the franchise model, these changes are enormous. They show that EA Tiburon is committed to genuinely listening to fans and addressing the changes that need to be made.

Why is Madden 22 changed rather than renewed?

In the world of sports games, change is not a frequent occurrence. When trying to replicate the live experience, the studio can only do a lot to make it all feel truly different year after year. However, in Madden 22, developer EA Tiburon did not focus on adding different game modes. Instead, it turned its attention to many existing methods and provided it in the form of some very significant reforms that many fans have always wanted.

Just like past entries in the Madden franchise, the first thing you will notice when entering the game, especially on current systems like Xbox Series X, is how incredible the game looks. The details you see in the actual NFL game are there. Players react on and off the court as if it were a real game. Like Madden NFL 21, EA Tiburon continues to increase the level of detail, quarterbacks, such as cover stars Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rogers, their throwing moves, and other little quirks in the face-off line, appear in the game middle. The upgraded graphics make the game look better, but the minor adjustments to the broadcast and crowd response make Madden 22 look more accurate than before.

EA Tiburon's commitment to realism is not limited to graphics upgrades. Perhaps the most significant and most powerful addition to Madden 22 comes in Dynamic Gameday, which the studio added this year. As the name suggests, it helps to determine many things you will experience in any given game. It is divided into three parts: Gameday Atmosphere, the Gameday Momentum, and Next Gen Stats Star-Driven AI, all of which take the game behavior to a new level.

As its name implies, Gameday Momentum is an additional feature that will change the ups and downs of the way you play games. Although home-field advantage has always existed in sports games, Madden 22 has made some adjustments to this by adding a new momentum meter and unlockable perks called M-Factors. These M-factors are similar to the X-factors of a particular player in a game but only apply to 32 different stadiums in the NFL. Now, your in-game play will increase or decrease the Momentum tracker that appears above the scoreboard. Each stadium also has its own unique M factor, from the game art that is not displayed to the receiver's button that no longer appears when your performance is too bad.

The second part, Gameday Atmosphere, is not something you will experience in the game, but something you will feel when playing the game, bringing the actual scale and experience of the NFL to the fans. It is now possible to use brand-new crowd animations and content such as super fans in the stands and remade audio, which help make any particular stadium feel more alive. It's not as big as Gameday Momentum, but it does help make each round feel more like you are watching an NFL game, not just playing a video game.

Finally, Next Gen Stats: Star-Driven AI is the latest addition and adjustment to the game physics and overall game feel. After being initially introduced in the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 versions of Madden NFL 21, NextGen Stats is back and more detailed than ever. Similar to the fundamental tools used by the NFL to help decompose a football game, Next Gen Stats in Madden 22 uses real-world data such as speed, interval, and finer details, such as the route the player runs or the rate the player can break the tackle.

The game then obtains the data and correctly applies it to the AI ​​​​behavior of the players on the field. Now, when you make a significant offense or get rid of some tackles in the process of reaping huge gains, the game will show you how fast you are or how much time you have passing the ball. In addition to providing you with more information about how specific teams play, Star-Driven AI will also affect how non-player-controlled football players operate on the field. Smaller, faster linebackers will be able to hit the gap faster than before, while larger, scarred batters will have to make up for them by making some intimidating shots at their opponents. The speed is insufficient.

Why do I feel that the changes in Madden 22 are only superficial?

Elsewhere in Madden 22, you will find many of the same patterns you expect. Madden Ultimate Team-or MUT as it is known-is back and continues to allow fans to build their custom team by collecting cards. Fortunately, this model has received some upgrades in the past few years, and its reliance on microtransactions is much less than before. Models like Superstar KO and The Yard have also returned, but unfortunately, none of them seem to have undergone any significant changes.

The mode is still the same. You can provide a bite-sized football version when you don't want to experience the full simulated NFL game in-depth. Although The Yard does have more locations to explore, the gameplay may become a bit boring after a while. Superstar KO is similar; 3v3 and 2v2 squad games are fun, but they haven't changed or improved much since they were first released a few years ago.

However, one of the leading models that did change is the face of franchising. During this process, you will experience some movie moments, take you to exercise for the team, sign with brand sponsors, and so on.

It's as good-looking as the redesigned model, but it has never really felt so different or enjoyable from a storytelling perspective. A glimpse of the story, such as signing a contract with a brand or competing with a university team, shows more than anything else. In an era when many other sports games use a nearly full-length single-player mode, allowing you to create characters and grow in multiple seasons, seeing Madden's version is a bit disappointing, so the barebones.

Once the face of your franchise player enters the NFL, you are just playing a version of the franchise model of the game, which is not bad, but you don't feel that you are using your custom character through the NFL.

In other places, Madden 22 contains some of the problems in different Madden as a whole, including various malfunctions and errors during playback. Although some of them can be explained because the game has not yet been technically launched, it is disappointing to see so many technical problems continue to appear over the years.
 

Is Madden 22 still worth playing?

However, for Madden fans who may have left the series after years of stagnation, Madden 22 may be the best series in a long time. After all, football fans will play the latest Madden entry in some way. Minor improvements in gameplay, from better catch control to problem-solving, make the game experience better than ever.

Similarly, it is not easy to play Madden 22 well! Not only need to master more game skills and strategies, but also need a lot of support from Madden 22 Coins. Therefore, although the overall changes, updates and performance of Madden 22 are good, if you want to improve your level and experience in the game, you still need to learn more about the relevant content guide!

With the enormous changes in its franchise model, Madden 22 is a must-play game for any football fan. In addition to adjustments to gameplay, not only is it still the most realistic way to play NFL games, but the addition of dynamic game days and other content makes the game feel more like a mature experience rather than a simple analog video game. This will be the perfect entrance to the game for fans who may be ready to step on the court again.