I'm a long-time Madden NFL fan who's been with the series through its highs, like when Madden 2003 added online play, and its lows, like when they added Gameflow in Madden 11. When I got my hands on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Madden 25, at first I liked a lot of what I saw, including...

Great atmosphere; Smarter player AI; Fundamentally good football

Irritating controls; Underwhelming graphics

As Kleenex is to tissues, John Madden is to video game football. It's hard, and humbling, to realize that 25 years have passed since the legendary NFL coach first enthusiastically charged through the digital sports landscape.

Pro Bowl-level presentation Madden NFL 25 embraces the big-budget bluster of the NFL; Fighter-jet flyovers; Mascots running through fireworks and confetti; Talking heads in the booth; Muscled-up millionaires chest-bumping each other.

Needs more ‘boom!' With Madden, EA Sports is in a unique position; Its nomenclature tends to focus on athletic endeavors - NHL, NBA Live, FIFA Soccer, and so forth; Yet, the publisher handcuffed Madden (and Tiger Woods PGA Tour) to a personality, and with the Hall of Fame coach having telestrated...

There are moments when Madden NFL 25 is awesome. Thanks to long-needed improvements in key areas, every type of football philosophy can be successful this season. Want to pound the ball up the middle? No problem. Feel like being a mad bomber? Fire away.

Powerful running game; Moving your franchise; Being a historical player

Occasionally bizarre physics; Too many interceptions; Rather ordinary commentary

Shunning the annual naming approach that's followed the series for most of its existence, Madden NFL 25 celebrates the beloved brand's quarter century of dominance. It shows on the game's cover, which features legendary running back Barry Sanders, as well as its loading screens, which depict...

+ Improved physics engine and control tweaks; + Owner features are a welcome career enhancement

- Dated presentational elements remain intact; ? What; no museum to browse past games?

The NFL season is almost here, which means it is time for Ken's annual Madden review. Check it out inside.

+ Run Free is great; + Connected Careers impresses again; + Fixed Infinity Engine; + Ultimate Team is still addictive

Feels incremental; Has the tank run dry

Madden NFL 25. Didn't think we'd see that game for another dozen years. EA Sports has broken with the traditional year-based naming scheme for its flagship game franchise in honor of its 25 straight years of releases. To put that into perspective, the first Madden game was available on the Apple II.

With the professional football season underway, it's time to appreciate a quarter century of gamers attacking on a virtual gridiron in Madden NFL 25. It's hard to believe the alliance between legendary coach and commentator John Madden and Electronic Arts has continued to pump out the top pigskin...

EA Sports welcomes the newest installment in the 'Madden' franchise as the popular title celebrates its 25th anniversary. For this historic achievement, EA Sports has created one of the best Maddens yet, by introducing new features and improving several existing gameplay mechanics.

With a new physics engine and a new connected careers mode and Kinect capabilities, Madden 25 is looking to score a touchdown with the fans. The game is looking good, playing ok, and prompted some gleeful moments as if I really scored a touchdown in real life.

Madden NFL has reached twenty-five. Back in 1989 gamers were introduced to a fun new football franchise. Few could have imagined it would one day be the dominate football game in the video game industry. Here we are in 2013, and that is just where it is.