Madden 09 - Rent First, Buy Never

Top Line

Pros

• New graphic effects for the field (Field Goal nets, etc)
• Better player animation/motion
• Difficulty Test (Some love it, some hate it)... I like it
  

Cons

• Franchise Mode Is the Same As Madden 08
• Still has wonky roster, progression, draft, free agency glitches (after 3 years on next gen)
  
• Nothing really new...at all
• Online Franchise is half-heartedly done
• Online Gameplay is still laggy
• Tom Hammond is possibly the worst announcer ever (I would take the radio announcer over him)... BUT Chris Collinsworth is amazing
• Feels more like a Wii Family game than anything close to an NFL quasi-simulation
  
• Players seem to have been redone with some sort of cell-shading technique. There is a blue glow around many of the players (at least on my standard definition TV)

I managed to hold off on buying Madden this year. I did end up getting NCAA 09, but that was money well spent (since it was only $5 out of my pocket with a $50 gift card).

I have read countless reviews, impressions and rants about Madden 09 leading up to this point.

I decided I would put down the cash and see how it was for a week. I am glad I only put down that little bit of money! This game is fun. I will give it credit for being a somewhat entertaining piece of software.

However, most people I relate to tend to want a Franchise/Dynasty mode with some reason to have longevity. Madden 09 does not provide longevity to the Hardcore offline Franchise gamer. It does on the other hand provide a good time for their "casual" audience that has played Madden for the last 10 minutes instead of the last 20 years. I have played madden since Madden 92. I must say, this iteration has been a slap in the face.

The presentation is a joke. With the same navigation and menus as the 07 version and the same drab non-gratification when you win the Super Bowl. It's like someone at EA just went in and said, "Please, rip the fun out of this game before we take the people's money.".
Yes, I know I said the game was fun; and it is for about an hour. After that Hammond's voice will start sounding like a Dentist Drill. (Not to mention hearing Hammond say in his best Ben Stein "He gets drilled" after a big hit) if you play the game you will know what I am talking about.

This game gets rave reviews from all of the sycophantic gaming websites and magazines. I on the other hand give this game a different rating-

6/10
C-
One Middle Finger

The Developers and Producers from EA keep telling us that 2010 will be better with Franchise, etc.

I for one will be renting that game as well. Instead of giving those gaming monopolizers another blind dollar.