Madden NFL 07

Last year’s Madden NFL 06 marked the series’ first foray onto Sony’s PSP, and was a bit of an experiment as a result. In some ways, the game bit off more than it could chew, and was plagued with technical flaws like long loading times, a lousy interface, as well as a string of buggy games (with the infamous “shutdown issue” that would cause certain copies of the game to power down the PSP while in the franchise mode) that required an exchange for early adopters. However, this year’s entry is a lot cleaner. Madden NFL 07 is an impressive entry that irons out most of the kinks that bogged down Madden NFL 06, as well as introduces great new elements to the running game, in the way of lead blocker controls and the highlight stick. Madden NFL 07 makes some much-needed changes to the gameplay formula and stands as a solid entry to the franchise that makes some nice additions.

Last year’s console version of Madden NFL 06 made some large changes to the passing game, in the way of the passing cone. The passing cone would narrow your field of vision depending on your QB and their proficiencies on the field (a second-string rookie wouldn’t have the cone width of, say, Peyton Manning, for example) allowing for more accurate, albeit more difficult passing ability. However, this feature isn’t in the PSP version of this year’s Madden, instead showcasing the focus on the running game.

The two new ways that the running game has been edited are through the highlight stick and the lead blocker controls. The highlight stick allows your ball-carrier to perform a variety of different moves in order to get the drop on the defensive line. To use the highlight stick, you must hold down the triangle button and push the analog nub in a direction to illicit a response from your player. These moves are unique to players, as larger/tougher running backs won’t have access to the same moves as smaller/quicker backs. This allows for some variety of play, meaning that you have to approach your running game with consideration to your player’s strengths and weaknesses.

While the highlight stick does add some strategic advantages to the running game, it does have a pretty glaring flaw. There is a slight delay between the input and your moves, and therefore it doesn’t really feel as smooth as it should, and even though this can be anticipated, it can oftentimes seem frustrating when you’re starting out.

The other big change in the running game is the lead blocker controls. These basically allow you to take control over a blocker to keep your opponents away from your running back as they gain yardage. This is an innovative addition to the series, and comes through in a pinch.

However, with all of the big changes made to the running game, the passing game seems to have fallen by the wayside this time around. The passing cone is still absent, instead relying on the same mechanics as last year’s game. The camera is quite problematic in the passing game, as your QB and your receivers will get lost when the camera seems to still be zoomed in on the line. This can be quite frustrating, and led to some sacks and inopportune passes when I played the game.

Another issue that I had was with the way fumbles were doled out. It seemed that every time I recovered a punt from mid-field and the defense was on top of my receiver, they would hit him the split second he caught it and he’d drop it. This happened quite a few times, one instance had my guy drop the ball, then a defender pick it up and drop it, then one of my guys again who fortunately got tackled. It looked like a bunch of keystone cops on the field.

Madden NFL 07 does have some nice additions in the way of mini-games. One new game, called End 2 End, requires you to turn your PSP 90 degrees and run across the field from one end zone to the other while dodging defenders. You do so by pushing the correct direction on the D-Pad at the precise moment, the end result feeling like Dragon's Lair on the football field. As you progress, the game ups the ante with more defenders and faster speed.

Graphically, the game is extremely impressive and flexes the PSP’s graphic muscle very well. The players are realistically animated (which is important given the new crop of moves and animations in the running game), and sport a very unique look. Players look different from one another and each no longer seems to be cut from the same generic cloth. Some players are heavier set, while others will be medium and smaller in build. The stadiums also look nice and the action moves fluidly with minimal slowdown.

The game features a good soundtrack, albeit with a lot of assorted punk and emo music, with artists like AFI and Taking Back Sunday filling out much of the bill. However, there are a few rap cuts thrown in there for good measure. The commentary still works fine, but sounds a little repetitive after a while.

All in all, Madden NFL 07 is a solid entry to the franchise and feels like a big improvement over last year’s version in terms of polish. While there are still some technical issues here and there, this is still the best football game you can get on the PSP. 

Gameplay: 8.5
Madden NFL 07 adds some much-needed improvements to the Madden formula, namely in the way of the lead-blocker controls and player-specific highlight stick moves added to the mix to greatly improve the dynamics of the running game. However, a few technical issues like buggy camera angles and sluggish responses from the highlight stick moves, add some undue frustration to the passing game.

Graphics: 9.5
Madden NFL 07 has some truly great graphics that rival anything ever seen on a handheld. The players are very nicely animated, and are rendered realistically (in other words, there’s not just one stock player model for everyone), and the stadiums look great.

Sound: 8.5
The game has a great soundtrack, with tons of licensed tunes from artists like AFI and Keane, focused mainly on punk and rock but also with some rap tracks in there. Also, you can customize the soundtrack to only play the music you like and no filler. The commentary sounds good, albeit a tad repetitious after a while.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 9.0
The changes to the running game are what highlight this entry to the franchise, and the lead blocker controls are an innovative addition.

Multiplayer: 9.0
Madden NFL 07 offers up multiplayer gameplay in both ad hoc and infrastructure form, allowing you to use their lobby system to set up and play an online match.

Overall: 8.5
Madden NFL 07 makes some much needed improvements over last year’s game, with improved running controls and shorter load times, taking better advantage of the PSP’s hardware. The game still has a few technical flaws, but all in all, this is the best football experience you can get on the PSP.