EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 Video Game Review

By Olin Coles

Manufacturer: Electronic Arts Inc.
Product Name: Madden NFL 25
UPC: 014633730562 (PS3)
Price As Tested: $34.99 (PS3 Version / XBOX Version from Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by EA Sports.

Chances are good that if you’re reading this article, you enjoy NFL football. You might watch the games religiously every Sunday, or play the game for sport in some form, either digital or physical. In fact, it’s probably not far from the truth that in-between watching games and playing in your Fantasy Football League you might also enjoy the sport by way of video games. You’re most likely a huge fan, and have your favorite team. I was none of these things, until EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 sucked me in and turned me into a devout follower.

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 is more than another annual installment to the Madden franchise, it’s the brand’s 2014 edition to be sure, but it also combines teams and players from the past 25 years: 1989-2014. By collecting some of the greatest players to ever handle the pigskin over the past twenty-five years, Madden NFL 25 assembles the Madden Ultimate Team based on your preferences. Alternatively, you can keep things current and use players with 2013 statistics, or even manage your own team through Connected Franchise. In this article, Benchmark Reviews decides if EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 receives the two-point conversion or gets sacked.

Available on console for Sony PlayStation3 or Microsoft XBOX360, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 can also be pre-ordered for the upcoming PS4 or XBOX ONE consoles. A demo version is available as well, that incorporates all of the latest features into a single-player exhibition game. Built upon Electronic Arts’ Infinity Engine 2 game engine, Madden NFL 25 introduces force-feedback and more realistic player and ball physics. Game modes span from single-player drills to multiplayer games, managing a team to owning the franchise, with plenty of variety in-between. It’s an understatement to say Madden NFL 25 is really a collection of unique game modes bundled into one title.

Madden NFL 25 blurs the line between fantasy football and video games, incorporating fan-suggested features and functionality into the draft and scouting components. This creates the ideal vantage point for every type of fan, from those wanting to be the player, team coach, franchise manager, or scout. If this isn’t enough micro-managing for you, there’s still the opportunity to set ticket prices and the cost of popcorn. Still not enough control? Design your own player with custom physical attributes and appearance, then create your team’s custom uniform.

Madden NFL 25 New Features

• Run Free – Unlock the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier. Whether you’re a slashing running-back, dual-threat QB, or ball-hawking safety, unleash 30 new moves and string together devastating combos with the all-new precision modifier
• Infinity Engine 2 – Brings both a more polished physics simulation and introduces all-new Force Impact System. Power moves including Hit Stick, Truck, dive tackle, and more have been completely redesigned to harness full potential of Infinity Engine 2, giving more control over outcome of a play than ever before
• Connected Franchise – Be a player. Be a coach. Be an owner. Cement your legacy as one of the all-time great NFL players or coaches in new and improved Connected Franchise. Become the ultimate sports tycoon as you take the reins of your favorite team to manage personnel, set prices, build the next cutting-edge stadium, and more in all-new Owner Mode
• Madden Share – Best content from around the Madden NFL universe right at your fingertips
• Madden Ultimate Team – Enjoy new ways to play and build your team in this year’s edition of Ultimate Team
• Madden All-25 – Celebrating 25 years of Madden NFL’s best of the best