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Aug 28, 2020 · Game Features Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame Rise to fame and become immortalized in Madden NFL 21 as you transcend NFL history and shape your own path to greatness. Learn More Take Control Master innovative running enhancements and live playbooks to run up the score. Learn More X-Factor 2.0
It's Madden Season once more, and though that means different things to different kinds of players, no Madden has ever had such diversity of game modes as Madden NFL 21 has. Along with that, new ...
Jul 23, 2020 · "Explore over 50 new Superstar and X-Factor abilities, fresh out of the lab designed to elevate the stars of a new generation in Madden NFL 21.” The Madden 21 release date is 25 August (Image ...
Jun 23, 2020 · The new Madden NFL is on the way with fresh gameplay features and improvements.A new gameplay deep dive video just dropped for the football simulator, and the details should get Madden NFL 21 fans ...
- Incremental changes and a flashy new mode can’t hide a stagnant transition year.
- Madden NFL 21 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S
- Do You Believe in The Madden Curse, Where The Cover Athlete Is Doomed to a Bad Year?
- Every IGN Madden NFL Game Review Ever
- What We Said Last Year
- A Face Only A Mother Could Love
- Bring All The Boys to The Yard
- Crafting the Ultimate Team
- Microtransaction Reaction
- Disenfranchised
By David Jagneaux
Updated: Jul 2, 2022 11:42 pm
Posted: Aug 28, 2020 12:05 am
Every year a new Madden NFL game comes out, and every year the marginal improvements and new additions feel like just enough to keep the series moving forward. This year, however, things feel a bit different in Madden NFL 21. Despite the introduction of the surprisingly fun and unique The Yard mode, the list of persistent issues, neglected features, and new annoyances is growing quite long. So even though the underlying moment-to-moment football gameplay has continued to make progress with its fine-tuning refinements, just about everything else is underwhelming -- including technical performance.
Updated December 11, 2020
You’d be forgiven if, outside of the minor graphical upgrade, you can’t tell the difference between the Xbox One/PlayStation 4 versions and the Xbox Series X|S/PlayStation 5 versions of Madden NFL 21. Some of the marketed improvements, like overall animation quality, more realistic sideline character interactions, and higher quality fans are hard to spot at a glance or seemingly non-existent. The only noticeable changes in gameplay are mostly under the hood to funnel in more accurate stat tracking, animation cycles, and a better play-calling interface.
Specifically, you can now select plays based on key players instead of sifting through the entire playbook, and key plays will automatically trigger fancy “Next-Gen Stats” replays that dish out fun facts like how fast the receiver was running or how many yards after the catch they racked up.
Other than that, there’s not much. When you first open up the new-generation version it will automatically carry over saved data and info if you played Madden NFL 21 previously, and everything you know, love, and hate about Madden currently is still intact, just as you remembered it -- for better and for worse. Maybe there was a lot of hard work done behind the scenes to subtly improve things, but it hasn’t made a big impact while I’ve been playing. However, despite the fact that it seems to be functionally the same game, there is no cross-generational multiplayer at all (and no cross-platform play) so you’ll need to download the old version to play with friends that haven’t had a chance to upgrade systems yet.
Overall, Madden NFL 21 on the new generation of consoles suffers from the same problems and doesn’t seem like a leap in quality at all. Maybe EA will finally make some changes next year.
Similarly, the NFL pageantry around each game is still lacking. The pre-game highlight reel is full of players awkwardly celebrating even though the game hasn’t started yet and it’s missing the vast majority of stat blocks and recap cutaways you typically see during the actual NFL broadcasts Madden strives to simulate. On a related note, the half-time show is basically non-existent, especially in Franchise mode where its absence is especially conspicuous. A narrator will summarize a handful of games from around the league, it’ll show a couple slow-motion highlights from your game, and then it’s right back into the second-half kickoff. Where’s the actual contextual commentary on what happened and how each side could improve? Where’s the broadcast booth or analyst desk with commentators and interviews? Or at least something to fill that void? It all feels unfinished, which is disappointing considering how much this aspect has been lacking for several years and it was done better in much older games like ESPN NFL 2K5 or even in Madden NFL 10. Instead, it’s the same old song and dance.
Yes, it's proven science
I used to but it doesn't hold true anymore
No, it was always a myth
When things are running smoothly on the field, moment-to-moment gameplay feels a tiny bit faster than last year, with more precise animations for things like jukes and spins. As a ball carrier, using the right ‘Skill Stick’ feels more dynamic and fluid for pulling off evasive moves and overall blocking seems more realistic. Runners plant their feet well and make decisive cuts, so it all adds up to really satisfying goal line moments on both offense and defense. Last year it was far too easy to run over anyone and everyone if you knew what you were doing, but this year running lanes are narrower and require following blockers more precisely. This is also the first entry in recent memory that lets me throw the ball away relatively easily without taking a cheap sack.
On the defensive side, pass-rushing as a lineman is a much deeper experience than in previous Maddens. There’s an entire new Pass Rush ability system for the defensive line that includes new moves to help navigate blocks. Offensive linemen have new skills at their disposal as well.
Also on the defensive side of the ball it’s much harder now -- as it should be -- to play linebacker. In Madden NFL 20 it seemed like every linebacker in the league could run down speedy receivers and running backs while making superhuman leaps into the air to intercept bullet passes out of nowhere. If you know Madden well, you could cover the entire field with just an average middle linebacker. But while throw trajectories seem about the same this time around (generally too flat and low compared to the actual NFL) linebackers are thankfully toned down in effectiveness, with far fewer impossible-seeming moments. Defensive backs are much more aggressive on the interception front this year, to a point of near comedy with how quickly they can react and clamp down on curl routes or catch up to deep post routes. So if you play on All-Pro or All-Madden you can expect to throw more picks than you’re used to at first.
Madden NFL 20 Review Verdict
By Robert Kollars - July 30, 2019
In addition to the usual incremental graphics upgrade and respectable new story campaign, Madden NFL 20 meaningfully improves on a lot of the issues that plagued the previous iteration(s). The running game is noticeably smoother and X-Factor traits make superstar players actually feel like a force to be reckoned with on the field, and while there are still problems that linger with animations, it’s safe to say that EA Tiburon is making large strides in the right direction. That said, I’m running out of patience for the Franchise mode to receive some revitalizing updates – it’s still fun after all these years but Madden 20’s Franchise doesn’t feel substantially different from Madden 19’s.
Madden NFL 20 Score: 8.1
This year’s version of the story-driven campaign mode is called Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame (as opposed to last year’s QB1: Face of the Franchise), and it’s a genuinely bad story built around a paper-thin illusion that your actions and choices matter. You start all the way back in high school as the backup quarterback to local legend and rival, Tommy Matthews. Matthews is voiced by Tye Sheridan (best known as Cyclops from the recent X-Men movies) but the character is written in such a way that I can’t help but roll my eyes anytime he shows up. Everything centers around Matthews’ health condition and your internal struggle to support him and the team or capitalize on the opportunity to take over. Performances feel phoned in, animations are poor, and some of the most crucial scenes are inexplicably devoid of all voice acting.
One way or the other, eventually you get a shot at the limelight, go on to become a star in college, and enter the Rookie Combine and NFL Draft. Playing NCAA games again, albeit briefly and fragmented, was a real treat -- except that nothing matters. You can intentionally tank every game and not complete a single pass, yet still get drafted because off-screen you lit up the scoreboard. You’ll even get a chance to force your preferred team to pick you if you’d like, or switch positions to running back or wide receiver.
The big new mode this year is called The Yard, and it has proved to be a bright spot in Madden NFL 21 even if it comes at the expense of other modes. At first glance it seems a bit like NFL Street or NFL Blitz, but it’s actually nothing like those at all. Instead, The Yard is a completely new way to experience American football: a 6v6 mode that pits superstar-caliber players against one another in a ludicrously silly but oddly captivating backyard game. The closest comparison would be that it’s trying to emulate how you may have played football with friends at school during recess, with fluid rules, lots of movement, and everyone lining up on both sides.
There are no quarters or time limits here, and the field is only 80 yards long. Each side gets three offensive possessions, starting at their 20-yard line, with a 1st-and-20. There are no kickers so it’s always four-down territory and when you give the ball back, it goes on the opponent’s 20. To make matters even more complex, you can hike the ball to any player on your team and you can throw behind the line of scrimmage multiple times. You even get bonus points for interceptions or for throwing a TD after already passing it once. Heck, you can even go for three after a TD by lining up from the 20-yard line!
With so many new and unexpected rules to learn The Yard is extremely jarring at first. On top of that, players dress up in bright, flashy clothing instead of typical uniforms, giving it a more jumbled look, and every person on the field is a top-tier talent at their position, which makes the margin for error even slimmer than usual. Giving up a big play usually results in a touchdown and, with only a handful of possessions to count on, coming back from a big deficit early on is extremely tough.
Much of the gains The Yard makes in ingenuity, though, it gives up in its lack of depth. Other than unlocking a handful of customization cosmetics and experiencing the thrill of beating a stranger online, there isn’t a whole lot to it. You can play solo or in team games with and against other players, but there isn’t a Franchise structure or League format to go through other than a handful of stadiums with unique rulesets. It plays out like a tutorial for a deeper, more involved mode that never materializes. I enjoyed The Yard for what it is -- a nifty distraction from the real core of Madden -- but it doesn’t have enough meat to satisfy on its own.
Not much is new this year with Madden Ultimate Team (MUT), meaning you’ll still see advertisements for microtransactions in loading screens and feel pressure to try it constantly, even if you have zero interest. If you’re unfamiliar, the gist is that you open random packs of sports cards that each represent NFL players of today and yesteryear, and those cards make up your team -- like a living, breathing fantasy squad. You’ll iterate and expand on that team over the course of the year by earning new cards through completing challenges, playing against other MUT squads online, and so on.
The premise is cool enough -- basically merging the NFL with Collectible Card Game (CCG) ideas -- but it’s so riddled with microtransactions it’s hard to enjoy. Taking your team online invites unfair-feeling matchups against the legion of diehard fans that drop tons of money on building the best team as quickly as possible, and you’ll find your progression painfully slow if you opt for going the no-cost route. It’s a tedious grind that will all be erased when Madden NFL 22 comes out.
The only really significant change to MUT this year is how abilities are capped. Previously, you’d find yourself limited to only selecting three offensive and three defensive players to equip special abilities, but now each ability has an Ability Point (AP) cost and you’ve got an AP cap for offense, defense, and special teams. This allows you to be more flexible with balancing your team and customizing it just right.
Other than that, the onboarding experience is a bit better as well, with the inclusion of Rivalz, which is like a series of Arcade-style challenges to help jumpstart your team right out of the gate.
Ever since Madden Ultimate Team made its debut over a decade ago in Madden NFL 10, fans have been harshly divided. By its very nature, MUT is full of microtransactions to speed up the process of building a great team and, in many cases, to let you outright purchase highly rated cards. Most purchases are in the form of card packs you can buy with in-game currency earned through normal gameplay or bought with real money. Packs are rated into different tiers that contain player cards of varying rank and rarity. If you want to be competitive within a reasonable amount of time, you’re all but required to spend money or else you’ll get destroyed by those that do online.
Packs can get quite expensive as well. An All-Pro gold fantasy pack lets you pick two of five shown cards that are 75+ OVR or better for 500 points, or around $5 USD. To get 11 Clutch packs, which each contains a single 80+ OVR player and five 62+ OVR players is nearly $60 -- literally the cost of another game. EA will also sell you massive 24x Gridiron Bundles that include dozens of high-level cards for 12,000 points. But don’t worry! You can save $20 and get that many points for just $100. As shocking as those prices are, it is at least entirely optional. The new challenges help alleviate the grind slightly, although it still takes far too long to reach parity with players that have deep pockets.
Speaking of the core of Madden, Franchise mode is once again relegated to background status and completely neglected. In Madden NFL 21 the main classic Franchise mode is almost identical to last year, all the way down to the menu visuals and on-screen layout -- and that means it’s almost identical to Madden NFL 19, as well. It’s like a case of deja vu, all over again.
Last week you may have read my op-ed about the state of Madden’s classic Franchise mode. I wrote that before playing Madden NFL 21 but everything still stands true. Other than expanded Wild Card rounds to match actual NFL rule updates, new X-Factor abilities that were added this year, and more authentic rookie contracts, it is literally identical to last year, with only vague promises of patches over time as a “live service” to look forward to. It’s a shameful lack of attention for what is, historically, one of the franchise’s most-played modes.
- David Jagneaux
Aug 25, 2020 · Madden NFL 21 is a stellar football title, albeit with some odd priorities. While the gameplay boasts simulation-based tweaks, the big-ticket new features largely center on the arcade formula.
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Aug 28, 2020 · The other brand new feature coming to Madden 21 is a new mode called The Yard. This game mode is like a mix of NFL Street and NBA 2K's The Neighborhood. You can create a custom player, and ...
