So yes, it’s that time of year again. Madden is once again on the shelves, and whilst it’s not the chart-stormer in the UK that it is in the States, it’s one game I always look forward to.

This year it’s all about fighting for every yard, and the new Pro-Tak system which allows for gang-tackles. I got this on release day and have been playing it, here’s my thoughts.

Overview
After opening the stunning box, with Larry Fitzgerald and Mactalksnfl favourite Troy Polamalu and loading the game, the first thing you’ll notice is that the presentation has been buffed and shined to an almost silly standard. Each stadium has facts and figures about it, delivered by Tom Hammond whilst some incidental activity takes place. I’ve seen fans at a tailgate, leap-frogging bollards, admiring statues and buying hats. That sort of thing. The stadia are rendered beautifully (I just played at Texas stadium and it looks amazing) but we’d expect that. Beyond the background, the players look great and are animated excellently. I’ve seen a few clipping errors and the running does lot a bit odd, but it’s really well done overall with all sorts of little touches that really add depth: from players calling for flags, to the Chain Gang being called on, to refs conferencing, on and on… that sort of thing.

Gameplay
The core of the game has not changed, as you’d expect, but the pace has been slowed. And I’m a big fan of this… now I’m used to it. I spent my first couple of games passing too soon and running for the smallest hole. Now I sit back and watch, you can see the pocket forming, the corners bumping their assignments as the play develops. I’m still having issues with leading them too far though, but am working on that. As a game though, passing works great.

The slower pace also helps the running game. You can see the gaps and follow your blockers much easier. Pro-Tak is a big part of this too, and you can battle your way through a crowded line as the players do in real life. More than in previous versions, you’ll need to pay attention to who’s running at you. Brandon Jacobs, for instance, ploughed through me for the entire first quarter until I adjusted and started hitting him low. It sounds obvious, and it is, but as EA would say “it’s in the game”. I’ve found running the ball easier than on previous versions.

Defense too. When attacking the QB, you get time to battle your man and watch the pocket shifting as the linemen battle it out. Playing in the backfield is still hard, but the pace makes things easier. I still get turned by a receiver (a lot), but in most cases I’ve noticed it before he’s got the ball and am able to make a good hit for a minimal game. Yes, the screen-shaking hit is still there.

Other Changes
Some things from previous versions are gone. The icons under the players? Gone. The intrusive play-calling system, that’s gone too and a much more user-friendly system is there that also makes it easier to bluff between the plays on screen. Oh yeah, want to run the Wildcat? Go ahead, it’s there.
Other subtle improvements are for the best too, like the fact the camera changes to ‘broadcast’ mode as a play ends. It’s the visual equivilent of the whistle – play until the camera changes. There’s a sort of button-mashing minigame for fumbles in the pile which is nice too, though will catch you out the first time it happens.

Franchise
Franchise mode has a reworked menu system, but the best addition here for me is The Final Point. A clip show presented by Fran Charles and Alex Flanagan that gives pretty simple overviews and previews of games, but which – more usefully – shows the standings and playoff picture and other league information. Each stage can be skipped directly too, and you can come out of it at any point. There is also an edition of this ‘show’ at hafltime, which is frankly a bit of a nuisance and something I wish it was easier to skip. The only useful part of it is the scores from other games going on, but the screen is up so quick you’ll only be able to take in one or two of them.

This year sees the introduction of online co-op, which is fun but harder than it sounds, and online Franchise. This is the game mode that everyone’s been waiting on, and could be great. My league is forming at the moment and I’ll give full thoughts on it at a later date. Incidentally, a printing error in the UK booklet means the code to unlock Online Franchise is not provided, but if you ring EA on 0870 243 2435 (UK only) and provide your GamerTag, they’ll enable your account on the franchise servers.

Sound
EA Trax is still here, and I’m hating it less and less each year as the fashion moves more and more towards guitar-based stuff. The first time I loaded it up, Madden 10 greeted me with Them Bones by Alice In Chains who are one of my favourite bands of all time. There are other good tracks too, and I look forward to the music now rather than wanting to turn it off.

The on-field sound is great, from the banter between the players to the hits, the rousing crowd. The tannoy guy is still there too and the whole audio experience is incredibly natural.

In Closure…
I’ve only played in Franchise, so haven’t taken a look at Superstar mode yet. Or the Madden Moments either. The standard mini-games are still present as well. There’s plenty to get into here. Overall it’s better than 09, and probably 08 too and I’m enjoying it a lot. Games have a great ‘flow’ to them, resulting in drives and results that feel natural. I thoroughly recommended it.

I have the Xbox 360 version, but it’s out on all the PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP and there is even an iPhone version coming that I’ll check out when it’s out.