Overall a solid football game. The defensive changes are intriguing but not game-altering as they should have been.
User Rating: 8.6 | Madden NFL 2005 XBOX
Every incarnation of this venerable series has to come up with something different. Something engaging and novel, something to draw in new blood but keep its old and faithful fans coming back. This year, the defensive side of the ball had a makeover. Before the snap, you can shade the coverage of your defensive backs to the left or the right depending on where you think the throw is going to go or where the strongest receiver is lined up; you can change man-assignments to double up receivers, you can change coverage assignments to blitzes (and vice-versa). If you can read the offense, you can basically tailor the defense to fit any situation. The only problem is that you have only as much time as it takes to snap the ball. But if you are fast and perceptive, there is no reason you can't dominate on defense in Madden 2005. Another change that has come over defense is the hit-stick: By using the right analog stick you can instruct your defenders to deliver a monster hit to the ball carrier or receiver. This can jar the ball loose and cause a fumble, or simply bring the player down with a maximum of force. While it is a cool concept, it takes a LOT of practice to make it work correctly. At first all I was able to do was either get called for defensive pass interference or watch the runner run all the way downfield to the goal line. Once the timing is right though, it can be murderously effective. The Franchise mode has seen a face-lift, giving it a more user-friendly polished look as well as adding a few cool tidbits like the Tony Bruno radio show (that tells you all about what is going on in your franchise and league from week to week) and a practice mode that lets you practice plays with the actual personnel you will be using on the field. For the first time, Madden 2005 is online with xbox live. Don't expect that playing against a live opponent is going to be as straightforward is playing against the computer. Apart from the straight mano-a-mano online game mode, there are online mini-games, just like mini-camp but playing against real people. Overall, I really enjoy Madden 2005, though I think the changes to the defensive game could have been designed to give the game a bigger 'different' feel. Lorangriel 
