As each summer turns to fall, Electronic Arts, better known as EA, adds to their longstanding Madden franchise. Madden NFL 21, their newest iteration, has received poor reviews from its players so far. Is this feedback warranted?
Renowned video game review website IGN gave Madden NFL 21 one of its lowest scores to date, a mere six out of ten. IGN’s David Jagneux said, “Despite the introduction of the surprisingly fun and unique The Yard mode, the list of persistent issues, neglected features, and new annoyances is growing quite long.”
Many agree that the only thing holding the game afloat this year is the new game mode called “The Yard.” Rooting from a backyard football game, “The Yard” is a six-on-six competition that allows players to improvise and explore different aspects of the sport, throwing away traditional rules.
EA updated other game modes as well, but they are rather insignificant. A fan favorite, Madden Ultimate Team, which allows players to build their own team, feels quite similar to what players experienced in Madden NFL 20.
Students also have mixed thoughts about the game. Sixth Former Drew Loughnane, a veteran Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) player, stated, “I feel the gameplay this year has been enhanced greatly despite a few bugs. But, I wish EA made a few more additions to MUT, as we usually see the same players and missions year in and year out.”
“I feel the gameplay somehow got worse this year.”
Tyler zimmer ’21
Loughnane, like many other critics, believes that EA is successful in delivering a realistic gameplay experience.
Sixth former Tyler Zimmer disagrees.
“I feel the gameplay somehow got worse this year,” Zimmer said. “The unrealistic animations have returned from years past, along with new in-game glitches I have never seen before.”
On top of these poor reviews, EA has seen a significant drop in sales for Madden NFL 21. Usually the top-selling game during its launch month, the script seems quite different this year, as sales continue to lag.
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