Madden NFL 07 (PS3) (gamespy)

- gamespy -

It's a bit disconcerting to me every time I look at the cover of Madden NFL 07 and see Shaun Alexander, the latest victim of the Madden Curse. I wonder if he regrets signing up for the honor and dooming his chances of repeating last year's record-breaking performance. Well Shaun, we wish you good luck for the rest of the season; may your comeback be a great one. Interestingly enough, the PS3 version of Madden NFL 07 has launched (alongside Sony's new system) just as the cover athlete is making his healthy return to the gridiron after sitting out several months with an injured foot. Shaun's running game may have enough strength to bring fans to the stands, but will the PS3 version of Madden break any records this year? Sadly, it probably won't.

Madden NFL 07 may please the brand new PS3 owners who actually managed to purchase a system, because it boasts highly detailed, vibrant visuals and the sort of eye candy that you'd expect from next-generation gaming. If you have an HD television, you're in for a treat, with the game's immense, detailed stadiums, grass that deforms into a sloppy, muddy mess as the game plays on, and well-animated player models that work for every yard like their real-life counterparts. The same can be said for the Xbox 360 version, however, which looks just as good in most every way.

There are loads of new animations in this year's game, particularly for running backs, the focus of this year's major gameplay improvements. The major gameplay feature added to this game over last year's efforts is the lead blocking mechanic. Basically, you can take control of an offensive lineman, fullback, or other blocker to open up a hole for your running back. Since you can now take full control of the key players in every run, you can't blame the AI when your play gets stopped at the line of scrimmage. The system works pretty well, and with the Sixaxis controller you can lay down blocks by just moving the controller, instead of using any button input. Like the other uses of the controller's tilt functions, it's a gimmicky method of input that feels tacked on, but it works well enough. The unique control scheme of the recently released Wii version reinvigorates Madden football to a much greater degree.

The most interesting feature in this year's game is the Superstar mode, which allows you to guide a rookie from his first NFL game down the long hard road to the Hall of Fame. You'll want to play every game instead of hitting the simulate button in order to garner influence, as influence allows you to be more than just a role-player. With enough influence, you can improve the players around you, and rattle opponents in ways that decrease their potential. A top-notch quarterback can inspire his receivers, or weaken an opposing defense, while a bruising running back can bolster the linemen clearing the way before him. The unique camera perspective specific to each position changes the way you play Madden, in many ways for the better. It'll take some getting used to if you try playing as a wide receiver superstar, since you'll have to learn how to run crisp routes and catch incoming balls from unfamiliar camera angles, but once you get used to how it all works, it's a blast.

The Superstar mode also drives home the importance of blocking in the game of football. If your halfback superstar doesn't get his number called, and has to sit back and protect the quarterback on a passing play, you can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when you miss a block and let an incoming defensive end get an easy sack, especially if it causes an injury. Wide receivers that can lay down effective blocks on stretch run plays are prized in the league, even if they don't get all the glory. The complete players can block as well as run or catch, and this aspect of the game has never been explored, so it's good to see how the developers have made the effort to educate players in the importance of football fundamentals.

The mini-camp games that have gone over so well in the previous Madden games have been supplanted in the Superstar mode by a trio of training-camp events that define your player's key attributes. The 40 yard dash is a test of your speed, and is played by alternating motions with the analog sticks. It's more about getting a proper rhythm down so you can get "in the zone," although quick timing helps a lot. The bench press is particularly frustrating on the PS3 if you've done it on the 360, since the shoulder triggers are firmer and harder to quickly depress while resting between reps. I must have done the bench press about a hundred times now across the different systems, and while I can consistently hit 20+ reps on the 360, I have to struggle to get more than ten on the PS3. This would only be an issue for you if you've played both versions and have a point of comparison, of course. The third event is tailored to your player's position, and is usually the most fun of the bunch, and it can be plenty of fun to just play these mini-games over and over again from the mini-camp menu.

The franchise mode allows you to play out thirty years of your favorite club's dynasty, including trades, free agent signings, and of course, the NFL Draft. It was a curious decision by the developers to unlock Hall of Fame players to the free agent pool, which makes for very bizarre starting lineups a few years into each franchise. The lowest-ranked teams in my franchise would start snatching up players like Barry Sanders and Y.A. Tittle, which would end up throwing everything for a loop. I understand that these players add a bit more flavor to franchises than generic randomly generated players, but the disconnect is pretty severe going from a realistic simulation of today's NFL to a Hall of Fame league.

It's a minor gripe, but I also have issue with not being able to edit players on the NFL rosters. It's week 12 of the NFL season, so why can't I tag Clinton Portis or Donovan McNabb as injured, seeing as how they're out for the remainder? Marques Colston has been a top wide receiver this year in New Orleans, showing incredible athleticism, so why can't I boost his stats above the paltry 60s he was given? If I want to swap the stats between Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo, I'd like to have that option. I understand that rosters are locked in when a game is released, but this version was released well into the season. Surely one of the many mandatory roster updates should actually do what they're supposed to, and update the rosters with more accurate stats, or at least allow the player to edit them manually.

Playing online can be a lot of fun, even if there's a hit in the game's otherwise smooth performance. The lag online can be an annoyance, and we consistently experienced jittery gameplay and painfully obvious drops in frames that were likely a result of client-to-server lag. There are adequate systems in place to take care of griefers who would disconnect and rob you of your win in the closing seconds, though, a problem which has plagued online sports games since their earliest days. Shortly after the release of Madden NFL 07, it was impossible to find players online, but gamers are slowly trickling in, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting some competition in the future. It's somewhat disappointing that two friends can't play against the CPU on the same team, a game mode that is often far more fun than head-to-head play. So while multiplayer can be a lot of the fun here, the options for online play are more robust than what's available to friends playing side-by-side.

Madden NFL 07 on the PS3 is a tough sell to die-hard football videogame fans, especially those who already picked up a copy of the game this past August. As expected, this game is nearly identical to the Xbox 360 version that was available to you when the NFL season first kicked off, and the improvements here fall somewhere between slim and none. The lack of a decent mid-season roster update is also painful. But if you were waiting until the PS3 launch to get your next-gen NFL football game, then here you have it: your one and only choice, thanks to the wonders of NFL license exclusivity. Madden NFL 07 is more than competent; in fact, it's very good, but unless you've waited all this time for a football game for this platform, with only a few weeks left in football season, you may want to just wait for next year's game.