Madden games have become like iPhones – people only need to buy them every 2-3 years, yet this doesn't stop hordes from lining up for a shiny new one every September. Madden NFL 17 is no exception.

Finally; a kicking system that isn't always a sure thing

: Ultimate Team seems to be a bigger cash-grab than before

It's been a number of years since I last played a Madden game. I'm not exactly a fan of American Football, I'm more your English Football man…providing it's only watching, I'm actually terrible at FIFA and PES..but I'm half-decent at Rocket League.

Electronic Arts has released Madden NFL 17 for Xbox and PlayStation. Madden NFL 17 raises the bar once again for the franchise with new gameplay features, improvements and commentaries.

The Year of the Running Back

Each edition of a sports video game poses and answers a question of the series preceding it, making its developers' choice of the question just as important as the reply. The makers of Madden NFL 17 have again chosen well, and responded earnestly, for the third straight year in EA Sports' glamour...

New running features makes this the most balanced and enjoyable Madden yet, but a few awkward sights and sounds will remind you that it's just a game.

Revamped rushing game is much more fun; Additions to Franchise mode greatly increase replayability; Play The Moments makes you feel important

Player animations can seem lifeless; You'll probably want to mute the announcers; Building a Madden Ultimate Team is expensive

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.

begins with an authoritative stamp: You're thrown in Memorial Stadium, right in the thick of a NFC playoff game against the Washington Redskins. The crowd is ferocious, the commentary is well timed and filled with chemistry, and everything that is happening on the field has a manic pace to it.