Madden 08 Quick Hit

I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to bother with Madden. But then I saw it at the video store, and I just couldn't help myself.

The one mode I was really interested in when it was introduced in Madden 07 was Superstar mode. Create a player from scratch, start as a rookie, and work your way into the Hall of Fame. Like most things Madden, it sounds fantastic in theory, but falls apart horribly in execution. Superstar mode in 07 was terrible. For an example of what I'm talking about, I direct you to a couple of posts by the always enjoyable Bill Harris. If you're too lazy to click and read, the influence system sucked ass and the accelerated play for when your superstar isn't on the field was broken.

What's the Superstar mode in 08 like? Well, for starters, the influence system still sucks ass. You still get a popup box after every single play you're involved in showing you how many points you gained or lost. You still gain or lose points on plays you're not directly involved in. Plus, it doesn't have any effect on the game, as far as I can tell. It's just busy work. As for the accelerated play, there isn't any. It's been replaced by a sim system. When your Superstar isn't on the field, you can either sim the next play, or sim until you're on the field. I like simming each play, since then you get to see how broken the sim system is.

I've seen the clock stop after plays when it should have kept running. I've seen the clock keep running after plays when it should have stopped. I've seen teams given a new set of downs when a new quarter began. I've even seen teams score fieldgoals after they'd already used four downs. Let me say that again: I saw a team pass on first down, pass on second down, run on third down, run on fourth down, and then kick a field goal.

Even when plays aren't being simmed, Madden manages to screw things up. My superstar is a rookie cornerback for the Raiders named John Bowie. That is one cool thing 08 allows you to do: play as an actual rookie rather than some create a player. However, despite the fact that the Raiders have two excellent starting corners, Nnamdi Asomugha and Fabian Washington, as well as two good second stringers, Duane Starks and Chris Carr, Bowie gets the starting job. He should be returning punts on special teams, but screw that! Sit down, Asomugha and Washington, John Bowie's on the job. Speaking of returning punts, Bowie does some of that, too. When he can actually keep his hands on the ball, that is. On one kick, I had Bowie field the ball, run through two defenders, get tripped up by the ankles, and drop the ball before he hit the ground. After the other team had recovered the fumble and scored, they kicked off again. Bowie waited for the ball at the goal line, had it bounce off his helmet, and then got to watch as a defender picked it up and scored. Sorry, Madden, even rookies aren't that bad.

All that said, it's still kinda fun. If I was actually on the field the whole time, calling and running offensive and defensive plays, I don't think it would be. Thank goodness I decided to rent it rather than buying it.