Fun, accessible family play - An all-new play calling system featuring simplified game controls and playbooks makes NCAA Football 09 the most accessible college football game ever
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Running back combo moves - Set defenders up like never before by stringing together multiple moves, including jukes, spins, and stiff arms.
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All new mascot challenge - Quickly go from a novice or mid-level player to All-American status by improving your skills and technique in a slew of practice drills that Focus on passing, rushing, receiving, and defense.
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Prepare for the big day - See what may or may not work on Saturday by practicing against an opponent's playbook during the week. Fine-tune up to 10 plays on offense in hope of having a greater chance of success when playing against live competition, or practice with Crowd Noise in an effort to replicate the game day atmosphere.
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36 of 41 found the following review helpful:
Madden-Defective-Trash 09 (FREEZE)Aug 25, 2008
By H. Pericles
"TZ"
This game is seriously horrible, which is why EA is now on its "second patch." I few reasons will be stated.
LOS LIMIT
The line of scrimmage (LOS) limit is useless during gameplay. The quarterback can scramble from the backfield while being pressured, pass the line of scrimmage and complete a pass to his receiver without any penalty. More devastating to the defense is this: the defensive back (DB) breaks coverage and leave the receiver wide open, causing the QB to complete a deep pass.
To combat this glitch, Senior Designer Cummings states: "We addressed this by making sure the DB will no longer break on the ball when the QB crosses the line while throwing."
This means that the QB crossing the line of scrimmage (even though it is a violation/penalty) will remain in the gameplay, while the defensive back stay with his man and not break coverage.
USELESS PLAYER RATINGS
This glitch is perhaps the most disheartening glitch during gameplay. Players' ratings are put in the game for a reason and expected to have an impact and mean something, but they do not mean anything. EA developers added the ratings for the hell of it and for show - knowing they will be useless on the field and hoping gamers would not realize its uselessness. There have been many instances where QBs run over defenders and dishrag them around as if the defenders are Barbie Dolls. During a game against the New York Jets, QB Chad Pennington trucks DE Jason Taylor and then MLB Channing Crowder, and was later gang tackled. Such nonsense like this does not happen in real life and never would; it's impossible, especially against DE Taylor.
To show how useless and unrealistic the players' ratings are, three of these players will be evaluated. Because there are so many attributes, only the important ones will be mentioned: Overall, Strength, Trucking, and Tackle.
The disparity in Jason's and Crowder's trucking compared to Pennington's is fickle and quite funny. How can a QB have a better trucking attribute than defensive players? Moreover, how could the strength of both Taylor and Crowder have no ability to render a tackle when their strengths are higher? Quarterbacks are not known for their trucking ability because they don't truck. When QBs break the line of scrimmage, they run for yards and slide on the ground or run out-of-bounds to avoid a hit (that's common), so for Pennington to have a trucking ability is fantasy; he doesn't even have the strength to truck.
Although he rarely did, it would be believable if a former QB like Michael Vick trunks and abuses a defender because he has the speed, agility, power, elusiveness, and more. In fact, he was known for making players look silly on the gridiron, but Pennington and other present QBs? Get out of here! It's foolish.
Strangely, there are even punters/kickers who have better trucking ratings than defensive players, which makes this glitch even more absurd: Dolphins' B. Fields, 45; Eagles' S. Rocca, 74; Jaguars' A. Podlesh, 35, etc. Never have a punter truck anybody in the NFL; it if occurred, it was rare. Basically, anyone can truck and throw aside any player in this game; the difficulty levels (even on All Madden) and ratings mean nothing. The physics is severely broken and means nothing. What a con.
POOR TACKLING
The tackling ability is poor at best. There is no other way to say it, because the tackling EA implemented this year is not authentic. Everyone (especially CPU) in this game seems to have the ability to breakaway and spin away from unexplainable easy tackles like never before, even when tackled by two players simultaneously. All the players on the field appear to be on superman mode. A player such as a RB can actually get hit by a defender, fall back and lose leverage, and without even putting his hand on the ground to gain his balance, he breaks the tackle(s) and continues running. The Laws of Physics demonstrate that such occurrence can not happen. This kind of absurdity can happen with any player, from a QB to a WR, from a DB to a PR. Don't weight, force, leverage, power, motion, and other physical mechanics matter anymore?
Hall of Fame RB Barry Sanders (the best RB in NFL's history) defied the laws of physics by doing some incredible things - and simply murdering and making his defenders look stupid: breaking 3 to 4 tackles at the same time; leaving his feet and landing on his feet; losing leverage and mysteriously rebounding; breaking heel tackles; trucking defenders; sniff-arming defenders with ease; escaping from two defenders while wrapped up; making defenders embarrassingly jump one way as he gained more yards or scored a touchdown; dragging defenders forward as he ran, etc. It wouldn't be problematic if a few players had some of these abilities, but everyone on the field? Not only do players embody the Sanders' motif, but their uniform seems to be drenched with Vaseline, which makes tackling a chore.
USER CATCH/SPIN-CATCH
In Madden NFL 08, the user catch was good and not so irritating. This year's Madden version is a different story. Under user control, a WR can run down the field open and have a clean bomb, but once the ball is about to be caught, the WR jumps up and does a strange spin-catch, allowing defenders to gain ground and make a tackle. There is no way a WR can be running down field alone at full speed and mysteriously turn around and do a spin-catch, when he could have easily continue his stride and catch the ball by turning his head around. (At times, the WR doesn't even react to the ball, even if it's at arm reach, when he is guided by the user.) Maybe this happens because the QB leads the WR poorly by throwing a bad pass, which is a common problem too, but it still shouldn't happen because receivers don't do such a thing.
The spin-catch affects the offense tremendously and seems to be an often occurrence. Spin-catches are done in real life, but the way EA executed this feature is unrealistic. When a receiver lines up and does a slant route, he does not jump and spin, showing his back when the ball is in the air, to catch it. In a slant route, a WR runs to the ball and reach out for a catch; if the ball is thrown high (beyond his ability to catch it), then he jumps for the ball with his face focused on the position of the ball in order to catch it. A receiver never turns his back, losing the sight of the football, and catches it in slant routes. It's not possible nor is it logical.
Moreover, there have been times when a simple screen play is done, and for some reason the RB spins and jumps and catches the ball by turning around for no reason. There is no way to explain why stuff like this occurs, and why EA implemented a dismal/impractical spin-catch feature when the game is marketed as a "real" football simulation.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?
By definition, artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer to execute functions that usually require human intelligence. No one expects the AI to be perfect, because humans are not perfect. However, people don't expect AI to lack the intelligence of common sense, and that's what they lack in this latest installment. They don't block nor do they care to block; they stand around and investigate the scene as if they are FBI agents; they miss easy interceptions by not putting up their hands, and more. These unresponsive issues are a headache. The user can only control one player at a time instead of his entire team, so he expects computer backup. Sometimes they act on impulse, and most of the time they don't. When the latter occurs, it is simply a mess.
For example, when a RB play is called, an offensive lineman (OL) could be directly in front of him as he runs and for some strange reason, the OL moves out the way and just stands there, leaving his own teammate defenseless while defenders are converging. Why would an OL abandon a block and simply stand there or aid another OL hold off a defender that is irrelevant to the play, allowing his RB to be tackled? This lack of common sense is mind-boggling, and would never happen in a real life football game. This is not AI; this is what I call PD, Pure Dumbness.
In Madden NFL 04 and 05, EA added a great feature that allowed anyone running with the ball to facilitate a lead block by pointing his hand, which was great for RBs (unlike the pointless OL Lead Blocking feature). Strangely, this feature was gone in the later installment. This is what EA is known for; developers put a feature in one year and it vanishes the following year.
The AI flaws occur in every aspect of the game. For example, on offense, a WR could be the intended target and when the ball is in the air, he doesn't even try to catch it. He doesn't even react to the ball. Many times, the ball hits him directly in the back. Every WR knows that when the ball is in the air, he needs to react and attempt to catch it, or knock it down if the defender is in position for an interception. Therefore, why is this realism not in the game?
Another case in point occurs on defense when the DB has a clear-cut interception and doesn't even put his hands up to catch the ball. Because of such stupidity and lack of common sense, the ball hits him directly in the face or chest. This is what gets one's veins boiling. At least attempt to catch the ball. If things like these occurred in the NFL with a WR or DB, he would get a tongue-lashing from his coaches and probably released the following week.
EA claims to have enhanced the AI yearly, but it is slim at best because there's really no headway. In truth, the AI in Madden has been stuck on pure dumbness for years (even when the AI slider is at its max) and it continues in the latest installment - and developers at EA haven't done anything to address the problem which is sad.
FREEZE ISSUE
This glitch is the biggest killer. The freezing occurs in Play Now and in every area of the game at random, but where it happens the most is in Franchise mode. It affects the Franchise mode tremendously and happens constantly, 100% of the time.
As a Dol-fan, the team of choice in Franchise was the Miami Dolphins. In Season 1, everything was going fine (including the "Training" mode) until the latter. Around week 14, the Training mode and games being played started freezing. The freezing in Training mode happens when one leaves the menu to see their players' earned points. When one continues to player's two earned points, it just freezes (bringing back memories from Madden NFL 08 and 07).
Frustrating as this glitch was, the console (Xbox 360) was turned off and restarted. The Franchise was loaded and Training mode was tried again, and the same thing occurred. Again, the console was turned off and restarted. Rather than going back to Training mode, it was skipped, opting to only play the game.
From then on, only the games were being played without training any players. Subsequently, the games started to freeze up too. In fact, I played the same team three times because it was continuously freezing; one game froze in the 4th quarter, but I remained persistent with anger. With all of these difficulties, Season 1 was finally completed.
Season 2 is when things really started to act up. The game started to freeze while trades were being executed, while players were being signed, and the whole roster adjustments. After some turning off and restarting the console, my roster was finally set for pre-season. Training mode was tried again, and again it failed via freeze. Instead of wasting time trying to combat this annoying glitch, the entire pre-season was simulated. This is where it gets worse.
I enter Season 2 and play game one. The 15-minute quarter game goes well without any glitch; I return to the menu and attempt to use the Quick Save feature, and it freezes. No longer could my anger be contained. My controller nearly flew out of my hands and into the TV screen. And yes, several expletives were said, especially having difficulties prior. Trying to simulate the week thereafter with the Quick Save feature still didn't help because it froze.
This is when I went into troubleshooting mood. Each game was simulated one by one which worked. However, every time simulation (and Quick Save) was used to advance to week 2, the game froze. This method was tried more than ten times straight and it failed. I then tried to save the game the normal way and it froze. In other words, there is absolutely no way to advance to the following week, because it freezes in simulation and during saving.
Trying to find some answers, Training mode was selected again, and this time, the game froze while showing the NFL facts. The Training mode can not be entered, period. The game freezes in every aspect of Franchise. After trying so many things, the conclusion was simple: there is no way to fight this issue. For example, a new Franchise was started and it too froze. Moreover, the game disc was exchanged for another new one, and the same thing continued to occur, proven that the game is, in fact, broken, poorly developed, and has a major freezing bug. This is just unacceptable.
The NFL, NFL Players Association, and John Madden should be embarrassed for having their names and likeness involved with this game. The NFL should revoke their exclusive license from EA, for their name is being exploited.
All in all, this game is great in regard to graphics; the same can not be said for the players. The gameplay is okay but it needs an overhaul. However, because of so many glitches (especially the constant freezing), Madden NFL 09 is PURE REFINED GARBAGE.
EA is a multi-billion dollar company and has conned its loyal Madden supporters by constantly putting out defective products. Moreover, EA uses consumers as beta testers and later releases "patches" to remedy the problems.
The so-called patch that should be out in about 3 weeks shows how lethargic their work ethic is, and most likely will not remedy the freezing bug. If released through Xbox Live only, what will happen to those customers who have no access to the Internet? Will they be out of luck or will EA come up with a solution?
EA ought to be ashamed for such disaster. All of the employees that were involved with this game's development should take a sock, fill it up with ice, and slap themselves in the face for releasing MADDEN-DEFECTIVE-TRASH 09. Electronics Arts should be renamed to Electronic Faults, because majority of their games are embedded with bugs.
Congratulations EA for defecating on your loyal Madden fans once again.
COMPLETE REVIEW can be found here (rendered AUG 30): http://www.helium.com/items/1168363-video-game-reviews-madden-nfl-09
15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
MADDEN "FREEZE PATCH" 09 - DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!Oct 02, 2008
By Virtualj0e
"Virtualj0e"
A class action law suit should be filed against EA Sports for releasing this seriously flawed product for sale.
Instead of calling the game Madden 09, they should have called it Madden "Freeze Patch" 09.
It is bad enough that all of your game data is lost when Madden 09 invariably freezes, but in order to "fix" these problems, you have to download a patch, and once the patch is loaded, you have to start a brand new franchise in order for the patch to work. By the way, if you do not have a way to run these patchs... Sorry... You are out of luck!
EA has taken away some old bells like the General Manager feature, which was a personal favorite, and added a new whistle like the Trainer Mode, which is apparently supposed to help you learn how to play the game, but it seems to me that once you get proficient at the game, this feature would be useless. However, I wouldn't know this for sure because the game froze when I tried to use this feature, and EA Sports answer for this was "Say no when you the game asks you if you want to go to the training mode."
Really? I just put down $60.00 for a game, and I am instructed by the company not to use the features they programmed into the game, because they know it causes the game to crash.
Unbelievable!!!
Do yourself a big favor, if you are considering purchasing Madden 09, go to www.easports.com and read the blogs before you buy. It is truly astonishing the number of problems that people are having with this game, and EA Sports take on all this seems to be... We realize there are problems, and we are working on the issues, but if we implement all the fixes, we will not have anything new for Madden 10.
What?
This year is the twentieth anniversary for the Madden football series (and I have owned most of them), you would have thought that EA Sports would have gotten right by now, but this is far and away the worse Madden game they have ever released, and what is EA Sports concern... If they fix all the problems this year, what is going to motivate us into wasting our hard earned money next year?
But hey... I guess EA Sports doesn't call it MADDEN for nothing... The more the game freezes the MADDER you get!
18 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Freeze FrameAug 27, 2008
By Dusty Records
"Dusty Records"
Great graphics but again EA being the Monopoly that they are finds a way to ruin things and their cockiness won't accept the fact they messed up.
My game freezes randomly. In franchise mode I know for sure if i play a second game it will freeze if the first game doesn't already. It has froze online and on the play selection menu sometime the instant replay will be all black and white (think like old tv static with no reception)
They patched the game the first week becuase there were so many bugs.
I called EA on Sunday and the Tech guy EVEN SAID "I have a 360 and it freezes on me too we have been receiving alot of calls about this...THE PATCH SHOULD BE OUT IN LIKE A MONTH"
Isn't this why EA has game testers? to find bugs to find glitches..Like I said before the cockiness is too point where we are the BETA we test the games but we don't get paid we pay to test the game.
I can understand bugs but a game that completely freezes or says unreadable disc (new game no scratches) is ridiculous.
The one thing you can always say with a EA game good graphics as far as gameplay, controls, and overall enjoyment????
12 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Started 4 Games completed 1!!!!Sep 15, 2008
By E. A Kelsey
"Elizabeth"
I wish I could have been able to give this game a more honest review because from what I was able to see the graphics were heightened and the difficulty set to your personal playing level seemed like an improvement.
But the time-line went a little something like this: I started a franchise with the Lions (I know) went through the Madden test to receive my Madden IQ (how the game is fine-tuned to your playing level) and around the 4 minute mark the game FROZE after a tackle (I even intercepted the ball!).
I restarted the entire process right away after turning the game off of course. IQ test, preseason pre-game training (how you increase your players' stats - rather pain staking for so measly little upgrades), I SAVED the thing and started my first game. Froze. Second period during the play call screen. Game off for the night.
Next day: Turned on load saved game and tried again. FINISHED THE GAME. I lost. BUT I FINISHED MY FIRST GAME. Hey I'm 1/3. Saved. Second game. Froze in the first period. Game off for the night.
Next day: Walked into EB and returned the stupid game. Never another Madden game ever. Went home and enjoyed 2K5 on the ps2. Waiting for Fallout 3.
The end. This might not be you. Check EA forums for similar stories and updates on the problem.
14 of 17 found the following review helpful:
EA Released Defective Product!!!! - not just my copySep 07, 2008
By J. Fox I have been playing Madden for more than 15 years and have purchased a new copy almost every one of those years. The gameplay is always enjoyable and the visual appeal is consistently high - even this year. The problem, unfortunately, is much bigger than gameplay and graphics.
This game does not work. It freezes constantly in the middle of games, making it frustrating to play and impossible to make progress in a season or franchise (in my opinion, the most fun part of Madden). I'm not the only one that has had this problem and I know it's not just a case of returning a defective copy for a new one. The EA forums are filled with posts of rapidly angry Madden customers whose games do not work. Many of these people have returned their discs for new copies - 4 or 5 times!!! - and every copy they play has the same problem. It gets worse.
The game has actually killed many people's consoles! Killed. After trying to play the game and having it freeze multiple times, many people experienced freezing problems with other games that had never frozen before. Some people were unable to play games or DVDs in their console after trying to play Madden 09. Some had their hard drives stop working completely. Thankfully, I have not yet had this fatal problem. But I fear it could happen at any moment, and my console is no longer under warranty. But if you search for "Madden freeze" at the EA forums, you'll see how many people have had this happen.
A few of us have been able to minimize the freezing problem, by doing this: after every single game or training session, save your progress and restart your console! Every single time. Apparently (even EA admits this) the freezing seems to occur when you try to load the "game engine" multiple times within the same session. So if you try to train your players before a game (one load) and then play a game (another load) without saving and restarting the console - you can almost be sure your game will freeze. Maybe in the 1st quarter, maybe in the 4th quarter. Maybe your console will freak out and die! Who knows.
Because of all the complains on their message boards, EA is obviously aware of the problem. Supposedly they are working on a patch to fix this issue. The game was released on August 12 - almost a month ago - and since then their product has literally destroyed people's consoles. By their own admission, they have to balance their time spent working on this patch with time spent on next year's version of Madden. That's how much they care that their product is faulty and even potentially destructive. I have also heard complaints - via the EA forums - that many people experienced serious defects with last year's version of the game and EA had also promised a patch to fix the issues. Unfortunately, the patch was not released until almost the end of the NFL season - about 4 months after the game was released. So I'm not holding my breath while I wait for the patch they say is coming.
If I had known all this before I pre-ordered the product, I would never have purchased it. That's why I want everyone else to know what's in store for them. I highly recommend nobody else purchase this game until EA decides to release a functional product. It's criminal that they can release software they KNOW doesn't work (and actually build hype about how great it is for months) and then just move on to the next thing without any consideration for their customers' experiences or, for that matter, property damage. Unfortunately, EA is the only company licensed by the NFL to use the real teams and players, so they have zero competition in making true-to-life NFL video games. And this is what we get as a result: a terrible product and worse service.
based on 95 reviews
( 95 customer reviews )
