The biggest criticism of the Madden series (and most sports series, for that matter) is that each year’s edition is essentially an upgrade of the previous version, with no real innovation or change. Madden NFL 09 falls somewhere in the middle of that charge; it feels exactly the same to me as did the games in the series I was playing 10 years ago, but at the same time, does take some chances. Altogether, it’s as fun as hell, if imperfect.

The most significant addition, as far as I can tell — I skipped out on last year’s installment — is the new “My Skill” difficulty setting. My Skill basically changes the game’s difficulty on a game-to-game basis based on your performance, strengths and weaknesses. It was a nice try, but playing with My Skill is a recipe for an ulcer. Por ejemplo: during my season with the Jets, using Brett Favre as QB, I threw 4 TDs in one game. Next game, with My Skill adjusting the difficulty, I threw a ridiculous 6 INTs. In addition, your players will mind-numbingly fumble and drop passes at the most inopportune times, all because My Skill is trying to balance the game. There were moments where it was only through sheer will power that I did not throw my controller out the window. Moral of the story: Just put the difficulty on All-Pro and play the old-fashioned way.

Still, the graphics are pretty amazing. This is, without a doubt, the best looking football game ever. From the player models to seeing everyone’s breath on cold game days, it all looks fantastic (though it’s only in 720P, unfortunately). Also, and most importantly, the game controls are excellent. Passing — whether gunning or gently lobbing a ball — is amazingly intuitive, and the running game is rewarding with a revised set of moves. A particularly nice improvement is designating the right analog stick as the “Highlight Stick,” which will give your runner a special move (juke, leap, stiff-arm, etc.) when hit. Picking up and playing is easier and more fun than ever, really. And when you pull out that last second win, it’s a great feeling.

So, as usual, the new Madden is a mixed bag; some things work, some don’t, but it still plays a mean game of football. If you haven’t played Madden in awhile, then this is absolutely worth buying. If you bought last year’s edition, you may want to try it at a friend’s house first. But whichever category you fall into, you’ll have a great time playing this.

KFR Grade: B+

Video Games