Madden vs ESPN - The EGM Controversy

[Hetz]

Well, EGM in the latest issue has rated Madden quite a bit higher than ESPN NFL 2k5. This has caused lots of drama on various message boards.

Here are the facts, starting with the scores:

ESPN got a 8.5 (Bryan), 8.5 (Patrick), 8.0 (Chris B)

Madden got a 9.0 (Bryan), 9.5 (Patrick), 9.0 (Chris B) and the Game of the Month award.

Here are quotes from the review:

Bryan: So even though ESPN rings up at a shockingly wallet-friendly $20, would you rather stump up $50 for Madden.

Patrick: Yes. It's gameplay that keeps you coming back, and Madden is the king in that department

Chris B: Yep. I think a casual football gamer who wants to play a week or so will be perfectly content with ESPN. It may well be the best $20 game ever. But hardcore players (or rich people) who don't think twice about spending $50 on the best should definitely spring for Madden.

Bryan: Agreed. And if you're ultra hardcore, fork over another $10 for the PS2-only Collector's Edition, which includes making-of documentaries (snore) and tweaked verisons of Madden 93, 97, and 99 with present day rosters (score!).....I'm on that like a lineman on a free buffet.

Patrick: What about Madden's New Look? I'm really digging how the stadium lighting changes with the time of day, and the players---from body sizes to the number of wristbands they wear---are spot on.

Bryan: ESPN doesn't look too shabby, ethier, but the player models are a bit stretched out and lack some of the finer details(not in the faces but everywhere else)you'll find in Madden.


Comparison shots:

Madden 2005 -
   

ESPN 2005 -
   


YOU MAKE THE CALL.

[Hetz]

My Take:

EGM is f'ing nuts, if not on the take from EA. How they can claim that Madden looks much better than ESPN, well that just blows my mind...Madden is still using the same freaking player models that they have used since the first PS2 Madden for crying out loud!

Also, Madden brings nothing new to the table at all, with the same boring commentary, no halftime or end of game highlights, no weekly highlight show, no online leagues etc......oh but they have "Storyline Central" and the HIT STICK! Yay.

*snore*

How EGM can claim that Madden is the better game when it is $30 more expensive and has FEWER features, POORER graphics and doesn't even come close to ESPN in presentation...well it's beyond me. Oh and don't tell me that Madden's 20 yard dropback and pass for a TD is better gameplay either, cause that bird aint gonna fly...

[AgtFox]

My take: People are going to give themselves a heart attack defending each game until they are blue in the face

It's much like religion or politics...you just aren't going to change anyone's opinion about them.

[Devil]

I'd be shocked if any big name publication picked ESPN over Madden. That's just the way things are.

The game could just be a looping video of John Madden taking a dump and it would still be rated higher than ESPN.

[AgtFox]

I'd be shocked if any big name publication picked ESPN over Madden. That's just the way things are.

The game could just be a looping video of John Madden taking a dump and it would still be rated higher than ESPN.

I agree with you...well, except for Madden taken a dump and rating it higher, but I understand the situation you're addressing.

As I've said before, Madden is the easier game for Joe Schmoe to pick up, play and enjoy.  Madden has 15 years behind it, Sega has 5 now with the new NFL series.  It will take a lot for Joe Shmoe to notice ESPN and that's most likely why Sega/Take Two dropped the price to $19.99 so people will take notice, try it and see which one they like better.

I personally like the gameplay mechanics of the Madden series over the NFL series so far.  Maybe Sega has tightened up the control a bit more this year, although I am not very enthused by the "tap the A button when your circle turns red" idea in order to get out of a sticky situation.  I liked way back when where you boosted up your speed by holding down a button and then pushing it again to get a burst.

Anyway, I'm not giving either game a leg up on the other until I play both.  However, for the first year I'll have ESPN in my hands before Madden and have some time to play it

[Balshazaar]

I'm not a huge pro football fan, and would NEVER fork over $50 for a game.  I would, on the other hand, fork over $20 for a game, if I was bored and didn't see anything else in the store.  With everything else being equal (or maybe even not, in this case), ESPN would get my dollars every single time.  All Madden has going for it is its name.

[denoginizer]

AgtFox do you really think the controls for Madden were tighter than ESPN's last year?  I couldn't disagree more.  I think the reason why ESPN uses tapping for speed instead of the "hold the button" method is that they wanted to give you a choice between sprinting (tapping), and charging up (holding down).  You can't do both.  Personally I could do without the whole charging mechanic.  But one of my biggest gripes with madden and ncaa the last few years has been the loose controls.