D Is for Defense

With a long-running franchise like the Madden NFL series (the only video game that has its own place in the NFL Hall of Fame—seriously, it does), one shouldn’t expect huge changes from year to year. But that hasn’t kept EA SPORTS and developer EA Tiburon from rewriting the Madden NFL playbook (sometimes literally) every year—sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, and this year they went for a whole lot. Mixed in with the 800-pound gorilla of Xbox Live™ online game play, sharp, improved graphics, and the fan-friendly Storyline Central,Madden NFL™ 2005 boasts the most advanced defensive options yet, with dramatically improved A.I. for computer-controlled defenders, the mighty Hit Stick which allows you make your own analog-controlled tackles, and the fine control of the defensive Playmaker feature.

Just one the new features: this guy!

Hit This
Finally, there is a reason to use that right thumbstick! The Hit Stick is so simple, yet so elegant, and definitely satisfying in a bone crunchin’ kind of way. It’s also a way to completely blow your defensive moves in spectacular fashion, so be sure to work in plenty of practice before you take your game online. To cause a spectacular, game-stopping hit, make sure you’re controlling the appropriate defender, then flick the right thumbstick in the direction of the chump you want to lay out. If you time it right, you’ll be rewarded with one of a dozen or so painful new tackle animations. Time it wrong, and your defender will fall flat on his face (if he’s lucky), letting the offense off the hook and you looking embarrassed with fresh turf in your facemask.

“What did you say? Oh—Hit Stick … ”

But man alive, when it works, it works great. Odds are, you’ll cause your victim to fumble the ball, assuming you haven’t mismatched the match-up (a Hit Stick tackle is still a tackle, after all). And although you’re not any more likely to injure another player with the Hit Stick than with a normal tackle, you’re sure to encourage some payback when playing on Xbox Live.

That D is S-M-R-T
Brilliant as previousMadden NFL games have been, the defensive A.I. wasn’t always the sharpest tool in the groundskeeper shed—but no longer. Say goodbye to defensive lines that think with one brain, and say hello to the defensive Playmaker feature. Moving up, down, left or right on the right thumbstick before the snap lets you go for the blitz, or change your specific defensive formation to match against the offense on the fly.

The all-improved D will not be D-nied.

Defensive backs are further individualized with coverage audibles, so that they aren’t all acting as a group. A.I.-controlled linemen will actually jockey for position, and even try to help your player-controlled defenders take better positions.

Madden NFL 2005 features a focus on D that adds more game balance and makes this hall of fame franchise better than ever. Make way for the EA SPORTS steamroller!

By Ben Barker