Madden NFL 25 (Xbox One Review)

EA Sports released Madden NFL 25 on August 27th for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. You can check out our initial review of the game on Xbox 360 here. Now Madden NFL 25 has made its way to next-gen consoles with a few changes that many gamers will truly love or hate depending on your personal preferences. However, even the most cynical of players will have to admit that Madden NFL 25 has received some great improvements on next-gen that creates an overall better gameplay experience.

The first thing players will notice with Madden NFL 25 on next-gen consoles is that it in fact does look better and more polished. Player's faces and animations are more detailed alongside more fluid movements when running, kicking, throwing and tackling opponents. Every visual detail in Madden NFL 25 has been enhanced with more intricate detail being applied to small aspects that range from the team's fabric on their jerseys to the shine on their helmets. Madden NFL 25 is visually superior on Xbox One than it was on Xbox 360 and adds a great deal of realism to the game.

While most of the gameplay will be almost identical between the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, there is a slight improvement in the AI on the Xbox One. The same successful plays you ran on Xbox 360 seem to be fooled on the Xbox One since linebackers and blitzers seem to be more quick witted and are smarter overall in their plays and movements. The new addition really adds a great deal of immersion to the game since you have to think more quickly on your feet and learn to adapt faster to the smarter AI.



It is easy to see that the developers put a lot of work into Madden NFL 25 on next-gen consoles because all of the noticeable improvements across the board. The game's texture resolution has been enhanced which adds more depth to the grass on the field, the 3D crowds in the grandstands, and the detail of the stadiums. It is truly amazing when looking at the grass on the field and to see each individual blade with the variation of browns and greens to create the appearance of real grass. Player interactions are now more authentic and smooth which create exquisite animation sequences. The game has also saw an improvement in the autosave function which will save your game more frequently. This feature alone will save you tons of headache if you have to leave in the middle of a game or your power suddenly goes out. It would be hard for anyone to dispute that the enhanced, crystal-clear visuals and features don't make the Madden NFL 25 experience a little better.

While Madden NFL 25 has made some drastic improvements from the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One, there are a couple of things that players may not appreciate as much. Madden NFL 25 on Xbox One brings an increase in injuries due to the improvement in AI alongside the fact that the announcers still suffer from repetitive dialogue that was present on current-gen consoles. Players will have to drudge through the commentary of repeated phrases with often time the announcers not being aware of the situation in-game as much as they should.

Fans can often overlook a few small imperfections in a game when it is evident the amount of work and detail that has went into the product overall. Madden NFL 25 has improved greatly on next-gen consoles with many improvements that fans have been looking forward to for years. Another great addition is the improvement in running which is now even more realistic since weight now plays more into your momentum and how quickly you increase in speed.

CLOSING COMMENTS

All-in-all, Madden NFL 25 offers a better gameplay experience on next-gen consoles by offering a more realistic experience. The visuals have been vastly improved with more detail applied to all areas of the game from the fields to more interactive crowds. The AI are smarter which makes the game more immersive and challenging. Yes, you will suffer from injuries more often on Xbox One than on the Xbox 360. Players in the game act more like their real-world counterparts alongside the continuously-updated rosters and player stats. Madden NFL 25's updated visuals have created an improved graphical presentation overall alongside updated physics and AI making the title on Xbox One the optimum version of the game. Do you have a sports or Madden fan to shop for this Christmas? Then you will probably want to pick up Madden NFL 25 for their stocking this year!

Madden NFL 25 is now available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $59.99 and can be purchased for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Madden NFL 25 is rated E by the ESRB. For more information on the game, check out the official Madden NFL 25 website.

Game Features:

• Online Multiplayer 1-6
• Online Leaderboards
• DLC Support
• Trophy/Achievement Support

Game Information:
Developer: Tiburon
Publisher: EA Sports
Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 & Xbox One (reviewed)
Release Date: November 22, 2013

Score: 9.2 out of 10
Pros:

• Improved visuals and animations
• Smarter AI
• More realistic gameplay

Cons: 

• More frequent injuries alongside repetitive
  announcer dialogue

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