by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze
Video Game Editor
It’s
really a testament to EA when they’re able to improve
on what is arguably the best sports franchise in video games
today. The Madden franchise has been so good the last few
years that it’s hard to imagine how it can achieve anymore
than it already has.
Instead
of going for a touchdown by overhauling aspects of the game,
Madden 2005 underwent a series of tweaks that makes the game
easier to get a hold of, especially on defense. One big addition,
the Hit Stick, is as brutal as it sounds. Flick the right
analog stick in your opponent’s direction and you’ll
see him get trounced by a massive hit. That is, of course,
if you time it right. The Hit Stick packs no guarantees, and
is based more on timing than on positioning. You’ll
have to keep in mind that this feature usually works best
with bigger players, so a cornerback or even a safety may
not be able to slow down the freight train coming their way.
Going even further, you can now give specific instructions
to individual players on both the defensive line and the secondary.
For instance, you can have a lineman blitz the quarterback
while also instructing the safety to cover a certain zone.
The multitude of options here make for as realistic a football
game as you can get because like any coach, you have to be
crafty and try to outmaneuver your opponent through sound
positioning.
The
defensive A.I. is also much improved, bringing the days of
freewheeling wide receivers to an end. The secondary will
be far more aggressive and double-teams will be common, depending
on the receiver.
Storyline
Central is a new addition to the Franchise mode, which gives
you insight into the morale and happiness of your players.
You can access local and national papers to see what your
guys are saying or if they’ve become a cancer in the
dressing room. All the aspects of running the team are still
here, with minor changes to keep things fresh.
Online gameplay is much the same as last year, with the notable
addition of a feedback system, which serves the purpose of
rooting out the troublemakers. People who act like idiots
or constantly drop out of games will likely be inviting negative
feedback. It’s an interesting concept and one that will
probably be emulated elsewhere.
Despite
the low price for ESPN NFL 2K5 ($29.99 Cdn.), Madden 2005
is still worth every penny for football fans, even if it costs
$40 more. The improvements made here are significant enough
to warrant its higher price.
|
