EA Sports
Madden 25 must bring a win to the annual sports series.
This is the first year in a long, long time that Madden has had real competition, thanks to the college game’s brilliant resurgence with College Football 25. That success and positive feedback gives players an alternative when Madden stumbles.
And a year ago, that was the case with Madden 24. That entry made some necessary changes, but chasing past greatness by implementing things like on-field referees once again brought the endless comparisons to previous, better entries in the series into the spotlight.
Madden 25 is clearly feeling the pressure, and players will be pleased to hear that much of the effort is being directed towards gameplay, where the running game and user interface (UI) are being overhauled with great results.
Make no mistake, Madden 25 starts out as an underdog. But if the gameplay can undergo meaningful changes, the presence of the new competition won’t matter in the end.
Impressively, Madden 25 expands the gameplay in ways that feel great.
A year ago, the gaming experience was improved with additions to the blocking game and more realistic player behavior of the quarterbacks and their targets.
But Madden 25 does the same thing – and in perhaps the best way we’ve seen from the modern series yet.
A new system called BOOM Tech reworks the physics to make tackling more realistic. In short: New balance physics for ball carriers and muscle-based tuning for each player – and a new hit stick – are designed to reinvent the feel of tackling.
It does just that, adding a healthy dose of realism to the gameplay experience. Those fierce, tenacious defensive backs, who are known for their ability to bring down ball carriers, will do just that, provided players handle the situation correctly. Aside from being fun and more realistic, the new details on defense can also create a huge skill gap.
Tackles are also more rewarding, as silly as that may sound. Preventing a touchdown is rewarding in and of itself. But now there’s a green feedback indicator that, when fully lit, could reward players for causing a fumble.
Like the college side, Madden now gets the defensive Switch Stick, allowing players to quickly dart around the field with more precise control than in the past. This is a much-needed modernization, especially when the ball is in the air, as it helps avoid those frustrating moments where the play doesn’t switch to the defender players would prefer.
Carrying the ball is getting a much-needed refresh. Ball carriers now brace themselves for impact before they’re hit, or try to squeeze through a small opening left by blockers, which is refreshing in and of itself. It’s hard to overstate how important and game-changing that last point is compared to a player who has been running awkwardly into the backs of his own linemen for over a decade.
But the game also gives the player a lot of freedom of action. Players can now pull up a “setup” list of moves (though it’s a bit complicated to press a trigger and move the right stick mid-game) and then quickly perform things like different types of turns, dodges, and hesi maneuvers.
This feels more grounded and realistic compared to previous years. Ball carriers lose some of the “skating on ice” feel they had in the past, which is nice. But there is also still an air of randomness, just like in real life, as sometimes a ball carrier will just channel their inner Beast Mode and break through a ton of tackles.
In fact, something similar is now happening with receivers. If players press a certain button, they can attempt a risky catch while the ball is in the air. This increases the catch radius but decreases the chance of a successful completion. It feels fair and makes for some incredible moments, although of course it might be wiser to opt for a possession catch.
The fundamentals of the sport itself also seem deeper. Each team’s playbooks are more individualized, such as all the “cheat” moves that were much discussed in Miami’s version. And there’s more going on before the snap than usual, such as the ability for players to disguise coverage maneuvers by making certain inputs on defense.
This includes the freedom to adjust route stems before the snap. That means you can simply hold down a trigger and adjust exactly how far up the field a route goes, yard by yard.
All of the above makes for the best Madden feeling yet. But don’t worry, there are also Maddenisms, like simply amazing plays from ball carriers or strange hiccups that lead to turnovers. But the word authentic springs to mind to describe the more staid, star-dominated pro simulation compared to the college game. And that might be the only reason players prefer Madden 25 over its relaunched competitor.
Graphics and presentation
Players know what’s going on in Madden by now, and this is no exception.
The game itself looks fantastic, especially after fixing some of the player body composition and likeness issues from years past. Lighting, reflections, and the sheer size of the stadiums and fans are top notch.
In short, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the game and a real broadcast, largely due to small changes in presentation.
In addition to the clothing of individual players, the attention to detail also extends to the stadiums, where fan-specific items like the Terrible Towels in Pittsburgh deepen the immersion.
Gameplay and presentation combine with the new physics system to create some remarkably unique styles. Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco’s furious run, for example, is spot on. The same goes for the pre-snap period, where the quarterbacks are no longer robots doing the same thing with slightly different voiceovers. Joe Burrow looks very different at the line than, say, Dak Prescott.
This is also true for defense. For a long time, the robotic movements and postures of all the defenders on the screen gave away that it was indeed a video game. That is suddenly over. Defenders now aim, move, adjust things and generally just seem relaxed and, most importantly, human.
And while it’s just a minor presentational issue in live action, having an on-screen indicator showing where a pass is going – and how accurate it is – makes tracking the ball easier.
And then there is the restructuring of broadcasting.
Two new teams complement the standard efforts of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis. Mike Tirico and Greg Olsen, as well as Kate Scott and Brock Huard, give players more options and provide much-needed variety.
This broadcast feel is further enhanced by the simpler introduction when you first boot up a game. Last year’s big introduction, which featured players standing around on a colored stage and staring at each other, is mostly gone. Now there are wide, broadcast-like shots of players warming up on the field, which is a nice improvement that adds to the immersion of the game.
Praise also goes to the pre-snap presentation method, which already provides the player with a ton of information. Something as simple as being able to see which offensive linemen are targeting which defenders and then make the slider adjustments is one of those why wasn’t this in the game earlier Things.
The overall user interface seems largely stripped down and the menu navigation in the game is also simpler than last year.
Superstar, franchise and more
It’s not an attack on Madden 25 to say that most of the work went into game design before launch.
Check out the headline additions to Franchise Mode this year. There’s a new Draft Board, Prospect Board, and new Draft Cinematics that freshen up the experience around the most popular sporting event.
And that’s a welcome thing. Anything that makes the draft side of the game refine things to the point where they feel like ultra-detailed fantasy football drafts is a win.
Otherwise, there isn’t much that sets this franchise mode apart from previous versions. There are revamped menus like top news stories and interactions with members of the organization, and a little more RPG-lite goodness in the form of more varied storylines and personalities to juggle. Make no mistake, these are welcome things that players will appreciate, but not The Reason to start the game.
Similar sentiments apply to Superstar Mode. While one of the biggest features in this area is the ability to import a created player from College Football 25, which is nice, it still feels like the mode is stuck in a holding pattern.
Still, the three-on-three Superstar Showdown mode offers a nice change and promises more events than usual this year.
Extending the lifespan of these game modes in the spirit of a live service is a big part of the effort this year. In Madden Ultimate Team (MUT), this year’s game promises seasons leading up to the launch of Madden 26.
The usual applies to the collecting craze, but with a few small changes. Now, wins are the only thing that improves ranking in the competitive scene. A Weekend Gauntlet keeps things interesting throughout a season. And those solo seasons against the AI are back with a vengeance.
Perhaps most importantly, there are significant improvements to the lineup screen, allowing for smoother fine-tuning of the depth map and subreddits.
In the area of online functions, the competitive online structure in direct comparison in the form of seasons will also be revised.
As a series, Madden felt like a team heading into a week full of surprises, especially given the enthusiastic reception to College Football 25.
Unlike the college series, however, Madden 25 hasn’t had the benefit of a honeymoon period. What it does have is a dramatic focus on the gameplay side of things, offering significant improvements that have resulted in the best-feeling Madden ever.
Yes, that means most modes feel stagnant at best, and year-round players have every reason to lament that aspect. But the distinct pro playstyle is a nice counterpart to the offensive, match-matching action of college.
If nothing else, Madden 25 won’t turn players off because it’s simply worse than its college counterpart. It’s such a strong entry that players will be able to pick it based on their gaming preferences above all else. The choices and execution in gameplay also mean that it’s strong enough to be considered the best entry in the series yet, ideal for new players and veterans alike.
