JOHN MADDEN NFL FOOTBALL 2012 DEMO OUT NOW.

Grab it.

Post thoughts.

HERE.

I was very impressed. One thing to note is that old school pre-play controls we seem to all prefer are available, but you have to go into the in-game menu and select them.

Otherwise, the game ran very smooth and I didn't see anything in one playthrough that brought up concern. The only thing that really bugged me is that accelerated clock STILL doesn't run after the 2-minute warning. Also the music seemed a bit lame, but I'm gonna chalk that up to limited demo space. Was glad to see that time progression FINALLY found it's way back.

The last Madden I played was '09, since they've actually done something to the franchise mode this year I'm ready to get back in.
The game looks great, and plays pretty well too.

• I found the ability to run up the gut without being pulled into defenders who are nowhere near you was really nice.
  
• In the first game I got burned by two huge plays to Hester. That dude is seriously quick (in case you didn't know that).
  
• I haven't used gameflow before, not sure if it has changed since 11, but it's pretty good. I liked the ability to override the play within the gameflow interface. Like selecting Aggressive on defence (which caused one of the huge plays to Hester )

I played two games, both as the packers, both wins. I made a point of running more in the second with some good results.

Seems like defense is more fun to play, because you can actually tackle someone. So that's a HUGE improvement. Unfortunately,
you're the only guy on defense who can seem to remain in position. WRs are constantly behind the DBs--this thing is going to be a streak-fest. And when people aren't running four go routes, the middle of the field is always, and I mean ALWAYS, completely open.

Running game feels good. Not so many crazy broken tackles (I only broke a few tackles with Forte) and it has the same kind of momentum that NCAA has. Good stuff there.

The graphics have higher highs and lower lows than NCAA. The college game seems like the more cohesive package
graphically--everything makes sense. But, goddamn, Madden's player models are so much better, more detailed, and more realistically gritty. I wish those were in NCAA.

Without the commentary it's tough to say, but the stadiums and the rest of the presentation seem pretty dead. The Swamp or The Big House should be louder and crazier than an NFL environment, I suppose. But the home crowd in my NCAA dynasty--in
Corvallis, Oregon is considerably louder--and at the appropriate times, as well. Madden's idea of presentation is adding the Gears roadie run camera and some fisheye lenses. Honestly, some of the camera angles in the between-play sequences kind of make me dizzy and nauseous.

I wish to God these guys were humble enough to take the good ideas from NCAA and implement them. For example, NCAA solved no huddle. They nailed it. It's over. You call no huddle and get a set of plays from your current formation that you can call at the line. Perfect. Seamless. Realistic. Madden still has the audible system from ten years ago. Bleh.

The more camera angles you show me on special teams and before the snap, the more I'm reminded that I used to be able to PLAY from different camera angles.

The kick meter does not need to be redesigned every year. Leave it alone, for fuck's sake.

The Jeopardy theme during coach's challenges is cute.

That's all for now.

mik wrote:Seems like defense is more fun to play

Agreed. I spent a lot of time controlling one of the DTs, which is not something I usually do because it's not much fun. I actually felt like I was having an impact on the line. I managed to overpower a lineman with Raji and get a sack, and on another occasion I span away from the block and stood Forte up behind the line. In previous generations I have felt like it was impossible to be effective on the line.

Hopefully the tuner sets and other tweaks will help with the streaks because you are dead on with the WRs getting behind the secondary.

I have played the trial 2 and half times. These are my thoughts.


First off, whoa, the lighting looks incredible, honestly this year it's like moving into True HD*, lighting on the field and off all surfaces looks sharper and more life like, player models look like more based in reality and bigger variations between them all. The whole build up to the opening kick off looks like a TV broadcast as does the opening drives then when starting line ups flash up. I can see it becoming tiresome after a while when you just want to get into a game.The pitch looks more like it does on tv, rather than all other pitches in past games looking like astro turf even if it was meant to be grass.


Onto the game itself, having not played this years NCAA, I cant comment on how well it's audible system works. Gameflow has been through the changes, but as described in the 4th String Podcast, I'm not sure for the best, I used it sometimes, but then went to full playbook more often than not.


My first half was crazy, I was the Packers and Rodgers was perfect, hitting all his men and moving the ball, turned it off 10v0 up at a half, I was shocked there was a 2nd Half, but had to go back to work.


2nd match, took the Packers again. This team is crazy talented, yes they are the SuperBowl Champs and deserve to be, Rodgers is awesome, Greg Jennings is ridiculous, Clay Matthews is immense. It ended up 28v0, turned into Fumblitis though which was worrying, Grant fumbled for me, Cutler twice for the Bears. Rodgers was intercepted in this game though on a good drive. Overall, game felt good and improved over 11.


3rd Match, was the Bears, and boom, you know Cutler aint wearing a SuperBowl Ring, wayward passes, tipped passes, just no rhythm to his play, so had to punt straight off, Packers got a FG, then I knew I had to try something different, so time to give the ball to Matt Forte, got a FG of my own. then held the Packers and got a TD. In the end, it was 23v3, with Matt Forte getting 129 yards on 15 carries and 2 TD's, the first TD was incredible, all the blocks came off and I was in the secondary with a blocker in front of me looking for a Safety, but there was no one home and I run it in without needing the FB.


Overall, looking forward to the full game, worried about the fumblitius I got in the first full game, but with all the sliders in the game now, I guess each league will be able to set up their own specific sliders and when you log into that league they are adjusted accordingly.


The Packers are still a ridiculous team though, so much talent, Greg Jennings one handed catch running over the middle got me though, I was thinking I've totally overthrown him, and up came this magic grab hand and he hauled it in.


*May or may not be a trademark