Madden NFL 21 Review – It’s Sort of in the Game

Let’s be honest, this year a certain pandemic has placed a hold on our lives and the way we operate. No one has felt this as much as sport athletes as they’ve had to discontinue doing what they love in order to protect themselves and loved ones. And while some sports, like MLB and NBA, are slowing returning to scheduled games, the NFL is just finishing training camp. With the season beginning September 10, 2020, what direction did EA go in creating a unique feel to ensure fans of the pigskin would celebrate the release of Madden NFL 21?

EA Sports isn’t afraid to take risk to deliver something to new to the franchise. We’ve seen small stories like in Madden NFL 20 to the Longshot in 18 and 19, but with the season cut short, and the team likely having to social distance, you can only imagine they went into overtime to render what we have today. Once again, it’s time to grab your favorite jersey and put on your war paint. Football is back, and in the famous words of EA Sports, It’s in the game!

Welcome to Madden NFL 21

Madden this year remembers your settings if you played NFL 20, introducing a few new features to keep you on the field and the yard. Presentation this year is superior, leaving you ready to scrimmage and work your way into the endzone. Menu options this year is sleeker and more simplified, getting you to the options you prefer faster than usual. Even commentary feels more fluid this year with Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis, then again it could just be us missing the sport and excitement for the new season. Either way, let’s discuss the new modes beginning with The Yard.

The Yard is everything we grew up on as kids, without the two-hand touch. On the 80-yard field, it’s 6v6 game mode allowing each team three drives in an attempt to score the most points. Enhancing the experience, like the old NFL Street, there is a no blitz clause in play for a few seconds, unless the QB runs out the pocket, giving the defense a chance to earn a sack. As for each team, you can play against the AI or other players online, but initially during this review, there was one major problem, The Yard was broken. Players were missing, flags were thrown for plays you can’t see happening, and leaving the session due to in-game errors, anticipate Madden counting your “quitting” as a loss.

The tutorial was working however, allowing me to earn early XP and partake in the concept of what’s to come. While behind the line of scrimmage, you can pitch the ball to different players as many times as you wish before passing to confuse the defense and potentially rush into the endzone. You’re equally responsible for playing solid defense, can you keep your opponents from breaking the line and stop their drive?

Face of the Franchise 2.0?

Madden NFL 21 also returns with Face of the Franchise, a mode where you take your high school player on their road to stardom. In this year’s franchise, your agent sends you back to your high school to interview with Reggie Brown about how you started in football and what it took to transition to the NFL.

New to the school as a transfer student, your coach looks to try you out as a quarter back, giving you the nickname QB 2. Like a typical high school, you’re not exactly welcomed by other players in the locker room, including the lead quarterback Tommy Matthews. What Madden does well this year is giving you the ability to lead or follow, creating your own unique choices. Be careful though as it may negatively affect you further into your career. For example, in high school, I said I enjoyed being an entertainer on the field. That decision later hurt my character in the NFL as my coach saw my response as arrogant and irresponsible.

Even from high school to college, you cannot get rid of Tommy as he decides to follow you, determined to take back his QB position and outperform you on the field. It’s here where the story becomes a little muddy. Regardless of the success of your player, the game doesn’t always reward you for it. I literally lead my team one game 56-0 as a QB and the next cutscene was the coach saying I didn’t have a great game. Further into the story, winning the State Championship, the coach decides once again to sideline you and gives you the option of switching to a Running Back or Wide Receiver. For me, this is where I decided to part ways and join the NFL Combine to look for a spot in the NFL.

There are two things I enjoyed this year Face of the Franchise. One, you can stick your position and only play when It matters, or play the entire game, controlling every player on the field. For the first time in a while in Madden, I felt much more involved in my team’s outcome. Second is how involved your career mode in the Franchise this year. So many Madden’s have passed with the story going as far as college and ending with a cell phone and social media post determining my skill level. This year, what you do and say both on and off the field matters.

It’s in the Game

In Madden NFL 21, you are greeted to an avatar that you can fully customize. As you earn Rep and Credits for completing daily Madden challenges, you ‘ll unlock new gear for your character. There are microtransactions allowed if you prefer to buy any gear right away, but a few games in, you’ll see how easy it is to get what you want for your avatar from playing Madden NFL 21 or the mobile version of the game.

Ultimate Teams, Franchise, Exhibition and Superstar KO are also featured in Madden NFL 21. Madden Ultimate Teams will likely still be one of the most played features, allowing you to buy cards and create your own fantasy team to take on the field for an online head to head challenge against other players who believe they have a better team lined up. Place cards up for auction or even buy the player of your choice to edit your roster how you see fit. In all, it’s a gamble, but for some it’s about cementing your legacy online against some of the best players and Madden Bowl Champions.

As for gameplay, one of the best additions this year is the skill stick controls (pass rush and ball carrier). Whether on offense juking players mid-field or on defense, successfully rushing past the offensive line, I had a ton of fun utilizing the new mechanics. Honestly, the most fun I’ve had in years.

Verdict

Madden NFL 21 looks the same as last year but does have a different feel that screams for attention. While Franchise was unmentioned for its lack of updates by devs and The Yard not quite up to snuff (at the time of this review), Face of the Franchise and overall gameplay is solid. Even seeing the work in presentation, Madden’s final impression is somewhat of a mixed bag.