There is no question EA Sports NFL franchise has been on the upswing for a few years now. Ever since Madden 25 dropped a few years ago, the series has made steady improvements. The Madden community is booming and tournament payouts are growing. The franchise is in great shape.

Gameplay remains rock solid; Franchise mode expanded; The defence has improved; Most authentic NFL experience yet

Kick meter blows; No real visual upgrades; No new modes; Lacks innovation; Soundtrack stinks

The best (and only!) football game for consoles returns, maintaining all the on-field excitement, and offering enough improvements, to please the most seasoned veteran.

Accessible for newbies and challenging for veterans; Realistic ball physics; "Play the Moment" lets you focus on significant moments of each game; Fresh and accurate commentary

Hilariously poor post-play collision detection

With reinvigorated defense and gameplay styles that match the real teams, Madden NFL 17 returns the series to glory.

Madden NFL 17 certainly isn't a release for the series that introduces sweeping changes for the annual franchise. Smart tweaks to familiar modes, a slew of accesibility features, and a presentation that continues to impress, it's hard to knock this year's package for what it contains.

Madden games have historically had many different difficulty settings and challenges, but Madden NFL 17 actually gives you the confidence and the desire to take them on. Between an improved running game and welcome changes to the defensive line, EA Sports' latest iteration of its lauded football...

Fully loaded movesets offer the opportunity to be a well-rounded player; Improvements to defensive running complement the established passing game; Glitzy presentation impresses without being overly flashy; Little changes go a long way toward enhancing replay value; Great choice of commentators

No online co-op; Long loading times in select areas; Significant play-call bug hinders the offense

I figured I'd give an extremely limited review of what I thought regarding the roughly 1/2 season of offline Franchise Mode that I've played thus far. I am playing on Pro level with slider adjustments. Pros: Some better face scanning on various players from last year's version.

Touchdown.

Improved AI on defensive plays; New features to enhance running plays; Franchise mode has all the right additions

Unenthusiastic commentary; Player movement after a tackle looks odd

It's that time. Madden NFL 17 is here and with it the official (in my own head at least) start of the video game season. After a couple of truly stellar releases from the guys and gals down in Orlando, we have this year's release of Madden promising a better running game, improved defense, and a...

Together with FIFA, the Madden NFL franchise is one of EA Sports' most popular series. It may not seem that way in Europe as we mostly care about soccer-ball over here, but in the US the coin is flipped the other way.

Way back in 1988, Electronic Arts released the very first Madden NFL Football title, which actually bore the iconic coach's full name and not just the abbreviated title. It's hard to believe that, since 1988, the franchise has evolved the way it has.