MAdden 2004 (PS2)- A Solid title
The running is fluid and fun once you get the hang of it. There are plenty of special moves to juke defenders with and to keep gameplay interesting. It’s rewarding to bust off a touchdown run occasionally. Passing is fun and comparatively easy (think of everything else) to execute but difficult to master. It’s all about timing and moving in the pocket. Offense is fun and rewarding. Play calling is like all things in Madden; complicated. It requires knowing what each formation is good for and how moving receivers affects it. The Ask Madden feature, which suggests a play, is hit or miss, either a 10-yard gain or a 10-yard loss.
Defense is difficult and frustrating. It’s almost impossible to put your man in coverage and rushing is no fun either. Defensive controls are hard to remember because they’re different for lineman and ‘backs. I hate switching between a lineman and a DB and hitting the wrong button. Also, no button smashing; all your players end up on their face when you need them most. You’re usually at the mercy of your computer players when the opposing team has the ball.
The controls are complicated but consistent with previous games. That means if you aren’t already familiar with them, it’s going to take a while to learn the ropes. Supposedly, Madden 101 is put in there to help novices like myself. Help, I ended up screaming at my TV for John Madden to shut up and for the ball carrier to hit the hole. I learned more actually playing the game and experimenting. In franchise mode though, the training camp feature helps you significantly build your skills.
The graphics are smooth and polished along with the menus, no matter how confusing they are. The players are crisp and when hit they respond appropriately. The replays look good and you can analyze a bad play. The spectators and coaches look like your still on N64. Pretty blocky looking.
The music played is decent and I like the little box that pops in the corner of your screen to tell you the name of the song and artist. John Madden’s commentary is what really drags down the sound rating. Luckily, you can turn it off. Game sounds like bone crunching tackles or the crowd cheering could be increased in frequency and volume.
Once your enthusiasm wears off, Franchise mode becomes repetitive. You can go for million seasons! Who cares if you get bored before the first on ends? The “fantasy draft” loses it charm very quickly to become boring. The bright spot, preseason training camp is fun and you can earn points to add to your player’s attributes. That means you need to enlist the help off a friend to make this game more fun. Against another person you can play multiple games without getting bored. It’s a great multiplayer game. You can run trick plays and challenge calls. It’s crazy fun to get an intense, close game going.
Overall, it’s a fun game and a solid title. If you have liked previous Madden games then this will be fun and if you detest the other ones, than you won’t like this one either. Is it worth upgrading from ‘03? I can’t tell you, I don’t own it. Overall, it’s not perfect but it beats other football games on the market now. It’s a fun game and great for two players.