Madden 2016 comes out tomorrow

[artemicion]

I think a lot of it has to do with there simply not being a ton of comparison in football. There is one league and college, as with soccer there are thousands of players in tons of leagues. Plus, NFL players actually complain to EA about their ratings. I don't think Ronaldo is calling up EA when he was only rated 92 in Fifa 15. It also doesn't help rookies actually think they should be rated around the low 80s. Rookies... A soccer player getting called up to the a Premier League first time is going to be high 60s IF he has a ton of potential.

And some of the Madden ratings make no sense. Bo Jackson is only rated an 80 and not one of the fastest players in the game. The guy who ran the fastest combine 40 in NFL history. He ran literally a tenth of a second faster than the next fastest time...

I agree Bo Jackson seems low, but TBH 80 isn't that far off from accurate if you're judging by his career stats. The guy was more famous for being a versatile two sport athlete, moreso than his NFL production.

Rookie ratings in NFL are a tricky thing because for some positions (WR and RB in particular), it isn't difficult to imagine a rookie coming in and being one of the best in the league. OBJ was probably better than the 75 OVR he got in Madden 15.

In any case, I don't think the scale is too different between MUT and FUT. If you throw out the special edition player cards with inflated stats, the best players are in the low 90's and in both games you start out with a team of guys in the 60's and getting a guy in the 80's from a pack is a "win." I got Pierre Garcon (82 OVR IIRC) last night and got excited. I've never been excited about Pierre Garcon before in my life...

 

[smackababy]

I agree Bo Jackson seems low, but TBH 80 isn't that far off from accurate if you're judging by his career stats. The guy was more famous for being a versatile two sport athlete, moreso than his NFL production.

Rookie ratings in NFL are a tricky thing because for some positions (WR and RB in particular), it isn't difficult to imagine a rookie coming in and being one of the best in the league. OBJ was probably better than the 75 OVR he got in Madden 15.

In any case, I don't think the scale is too different between MUT and FUT. If you throw out the special edition player cards with inflated stats, the best players are in the low 90's and in both games you start out with a team of guys in the 60's and getting a guy in the 80's from a pack is a "win." I got Pierre Garcon (82 OVR IIRC) last night and got excited. I've never been excited about Pierre Garcon before in my life...

I don't have a huge problem with Bo Jackson's overall as much as I have a problem with his individual stats. Bo Jackson was one of the fastest players to ever play in the NFL. Nobody has broken his combine record, or even the 40 he did after (4.12 and 4.18). It is fine if his other stats that contribute to his rating are low (vision, blocking, etc), but his speed and strength are things of legend.

And rookies are incredibly overrated in Madden. Winston, for instance. No rookie QB is rated that high. Even OBJ. He had ONE good season. That doesn't mean his rating should go from what is likely a fairly accurate one to one of the best in the league. Let's be real here. Fifa handles these much better, IMO. Harry Kane and Charlie Austin were both mediocre BPL strikers, but had amazing years. Does that mean they will go from mid-high 70s to 85+? Hell no! They will get upgrades, but not like that. OBJ should be around 83 and the 99 spectacular catch is fine. Putting him, because of a few great catches with the likes of Dez Bryant and Megatron is ridiculous.

 

[artemicion]

OBJ should be around 83 and the 99 spectacular catch is fine. Putting him, because of a few great catches with the likes of Dez Bryant and Megatron is ridiculous.

OBJ is 94 OVR in the main game (#4 WR, behind Antonio Brown (97), Dez Bryant (96), and Calvin Johnson (95)). In MUT, ignoring his special edition 99 card, he's an 88 OVR with the same #4 ranking among active players.

OBJ's Madden ratings and ranking are consistent with his rankings by multiple fantasy experts (he's top 5 in most fantasy rankings I've seen). I wouldn't be surprised if he has a sophomore slump, but at the same time, I've got him around #5 in my fantasy rankings so I would tend to agree with Madden that he belongs in that tier among WR's this year.

An 83 OVR rating would make OBJ tied for the 38th best WR in the league (with the likes of Dwayne Bowe, Malcom Floyd, Stevie Johnson, Brandon LaFell, Pierre Garcon, and Kendall Wright). If you truly think OBJ belongs in that tier of WR, I would like to cordially extend an invitation for you to join my fantasy league ^_^

 

[Xonim]

Have they added an "easy mode" to this year's game? I haven't played much Madden in a really long time, but the times I've played on the XB360 I've just been overwhelmed with things like the hit stick and juke stick and whatever else. I don't think I've gotten a sack ever, and I'm pretty sure I don't have any passes defensed either. Any points I've scored have been 100% luck without me knowing what I did to actually have a good positive play.

Is there any way to make the game more like it was back in the Sega Genesis days?

 

[smackababy]

OBJ is 94 OVR in the main game (#4 WR, behind Antonio Brown (97), Dez Bryant (96), and Calvin Johnson (95)). In MUT, ignoring his special edition 99 card, he's an 88 OVR with the same #4 ranking among active players.

OBJ's Madden ratings and ranking are consistent with his rankings by multiple fantasy experts (he's top 5 in most fantasy rankings I've seen). I wouldn't be surprised if he has a sophomore slump, but at the same time, I've got him around #5 in my fantasy rankings so I would tend to agree with Madden that he belongs in that tier among WR's this year.

An 83 OVR rating would make OBJ tied for the 38th best WR in the league (with the likes of Dwayne Bowe, Malcom Floyd, Stevie Johnson, Brandon LaFell, Pierre Garcon, and Kendall Wright). If you truly think OBJ belongs in that tier of WR, I would like to cordially extend an invitation for you to join my fantasy league ^_^

I think in terms of rating a player based on a 0-99 scale, All the guys you listed him in are over rated as well. The problem is EA actually listens to these morons when they cry about it. You know damn well if the rankings were more on par with reality (like in FIFA), EA wouldn't hear the end of it. These guys are huge babies when it comes to this stuff (they even cry about it). I am not saying OBJ isn't at the cusp of the top 5 receivers in the league, I just think, as a whole, the 5 or 6 stats that average to make a receivers overall aren't 89 for OBJ. Hell, I am on the fence about Dez Byrant and CJ breaking that. OBJ played 10 games with an elite QB and no true number 1 target (Cruz was out the season). He had a good season because of that, yes, but put him on another team and would it happen?

Look at it this way: Sergio Aguero was the top scorer in the BPL last year. He is the best striker in the BPL. He is easily in the top 5 of forwards in soccer. He is rated 86 and it is completely fair.

 

[artemicion]

OBJ played 10 games with an elite QB and no true number 1 target (Cruz was out the season). He had a good season because of that, yes, but put him on another team and would it happen?

/shrug. Whatevs on the ratings issue. IMO, if they've got the relative ratings reasonably correct, the scale doesn't matter so much.

I don't particularly like the Giants and OBJ looks like a stereotypical WR prima donna, but I will say this about him: Eli had a great year last year (4,410/30/14) after having two pretty mediocre years (3,818/18/27 in '13 and 3,948/26/15 in '12). Like you said, Eli had Cruz (and Nicks) in '13 and '12 and Eli had pretty much just OBJ in most of '14. To me, that's evidence in favor of OBJ's talent, not against it.

 

[Lil Frier]

I probably wouldn't even get this game if it was $5. I guess I clearly underestimate how many people buy Madden every years since it a monopoly. I don't particularly blame any of you guys because I understand wanting a football game every year but dammit, it a monopoly and a sucky one at that. It funny cause Blitz player run more realistically than Madden.

EA has never made a single decent sport titles other than for hockey.

Look at this cool kid who doesn't know what MVP Baseball is.

 

[Sulaco]

Look at this cool kid who doesn't know what MVP Baseball is.

...or FIFA

...or NCAA Football

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I'm doing madden Easy mode. I never really played madden since I was a kid. Maddden on easy is almost to easy but it gives me a chance to learn the controls.

I might take it up to the next setting today. I need to learn more about moves when running with the ball. I only remember a few from the tutorial. I mostly do deak and spin move with the occasional stiff arm.

Yes, I am having fun.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Damn it Madden! I had a small balance left in my Paypal account from a sale a couple months ago and bought a new copy off of eBay for $49.99. Couldn't resist, even though I have two games (The Show 15, NBA 2K15) that I've barely played.

 

[Homerboy]

Damn it Madden! I had a small balance left in my Paypal account from a sale a couple months ago and bought a new copy off of eBay for $49.99. Couldn't resist, even though I have two games (The Show 15, NBA 2K15) that I've barely played.

$50 on ebay huh? Now YOU'RE tempting ME!

I still need to get a PS4 to play The Show. I just can not justify the $400 tag on a PS4. (all my son and I do is baseball... we love it to no end and have no video game to appease our appetite)

 

[IndyColtsFan]

$50 on ebay huh? Now YOU'RE tempting ME!

It is through buy.com (aka Rakuten) on eBay. $49.99, free shipping. Not a big fan of theirs but can they REALLY screw up sending a game?

I still need to get a PS4 to play The Show. I just can not justify the $400 tag on a PS4. (all my son and I do is baseball... we love it to no end and have no video game to appease our appetite)

I saw a PS4 package for $350 last week, so they're dropping. You can get the Madden pack (also includes Last of US IIRC) for $400 as well.

EDIT: Found some PS4 deals on Slickdeals:

1. Target apparently has the Arkham Knight PS4 bundle for $340. I imagine it is just a download code so sell the code for $30-$40 and you're around the magical $300 mark.
2. Walmart has the PS4 with Madden, a choice of Last of Us or Arkham Knight, one additional game, and 3 months of PS Card for $399. Your "additional game" options are:
-Assassin's Creed: Unity
-Call of Duty: Ghosts
-Evolve
-The LEGO Movie Videogame
-LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
-Alien: Isolation
-Watch Dogs
-Injustice: Gods Among Us - Ultimate Edition
-Sniper Elite III

 

[Xonim]

1. Target apparently has the Arkham Knight PS4 bundle for $340. I imagine it is just a download code so sell the code for $30-$40 and you're around the magical $300 mark.
2. Walmart has the PS4 with Madden, a choice of Last of Us or Arkham Knight, one additional game, and 3 months of PS Card for $399. Your "additional game" options are:
-Assassin's Creed: Unity
-Call of Duty: Ghosts
-Evolve
-The LEGO Movie Videogame
-LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
-Alien: Isolation
-Watch Dogs
-Injustice: Gods Among Us - Ultimate Edition
-Sniper Elite III

1) The Batman game is a physical copy, not a code.
2) This is a better deal if you have any interest in the games included. Get the AK bundle, sell the game (you can buy TLoU codes for ~$10). Pick the 2nd game as whichever sells for the most ... my guess would be either CoD Ghosts or Alien Isolation, but I didn't look it up.

If all you want is baseball, the Target deal is currently the best. $340 minus 5% for the redcard, sell Batman for $30 net or so after ebay fees/shipping ... brings your net cost for the system to under $300.

 

[Vaux]

Well they pretty much destroyed player development in Madden 16... all the attributes seem to be the same cost as in 15, but now you can only get a max of 123 xp, unless you do the player drills, and that is only 348 xp. That really sucks. Good luck trying to meaningfully develop more than one player every few years.

If my copy of 15 wasn't broken, i'd go back to it. It was the only reason I bought 16 anyways.

 

[Homerboy]

Thanks for the breakdown IndyColtsFan and Xonim

Sadly, as a "responsible parent" I sort of have to wait for Christmas or something at this point I think before I lavish this "gift" on my son. With school starting, it would just be wrong of me to toss a new console on my kid. Sadly, I also have to suffer in this equation..

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

 

[purbeast0]

i heard on the radio today people talking about how they can't get through the first quarter of the game without RG3 getting injured lol. he has the 3rd highest injury rating stat or something according to the people calling in.

 

[sao123]

This is what happened last time there was a relevant NFL videogame...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PBvOxicz-0

 

[Homerboy]

This is what happened last time there was a relevant NFL videogame...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PBvOxicz-0

Everybody has such fond memories of that... then rips on Madden for shitty game play....

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Thanks for the breakdown IndyColtsFan and Xonim

Sadly, as a "responsible parent" I sort of have to wait for Christmas or something at this point I think before I lavish this "gift" on my son. With school starting, it would just be wrong of me to toss a new console on my kid. Sadly, I also have to suffer in this equation..

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Ah, good plan. I have a much younger brother and way back when he was a kid, I'd buy "him" games for the holidays that I also happened to want. It was an AMAZING coincidence!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

i heard on the radio today people talking about how they can't get through the first quarter of the game without RG3 getting injured lol. he has the 3rd highest injury rating stat or something according to the people calling in.

Lulz.

I had Vick on my team in one of the Madden iterations and he would always miss games every single year and sometimes get knocked out for the season. No surprise RGIII is the same way.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

OK. Here is my opinion on the menu system. IT SUCKS. And I think that I read that they improved it over last years because people complained. They must have driven people to counseling if it was worse.

What is with all the lag between menus? Why on earth can't they just make a standard tree style menu. These boxes suck.

 

[KMFJD]

is there a way to turn off replays etc to quicken the pace of the game?

 

[smackababy]

OK. Here is my opinion on the menu system. IT SUCKS. And I think that I read that they improved it over last years because people complained. They must have driven people to counseling if it was worse.

What is with all the lag between menus? Why on earth can't they just make a standard tree style menu. These boxes suck.

Which console do you have it on? I know in Madden 14, the menus were awful on the 360, but on the Xbox One, didn't lag at all.

 

[thehotsung8701A]

get free Madden 16 would any console purchase bundle at Best Buy! http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/ps4-and-madden-16-promo-144999?acampID=0&ref=8575135&loc=0

 

[KMFJD]

I like the Draft Champions mode....i wish there was a way to shorten/get rid of the replays and all the other useless clutter in between the actual action of the game.