Madden 25
had the opportunity to play a handful of early Madden 25 games. After playing College Football 25, I'm stoked for the upcoming virtual American football season.
While EA doesn't have much competition outside of its walls, the presence of two football games that are somewhat intertwined but have different teams of men and women working on them (there is some crossover) feels as if there is some healthy competition in the building, which appears to be good for both products.
I will explore each aspect of Madden, from modes to presentation. However, in this article, I will focus on two of the primary aspects of my LIT concept (Looks, Immersion, Touch): the visuals and gameplay.
Let's talk about gameplay first.
Things I Liked About Madden 25's Gameplay
General Impressions
Very early in the gameplay session, it was clear that Madden 25 plays a better game of football than Madden 24 did–and I liked last year's gameplay sans the over-powered jukes. Is this a whole new Madden experience? No, of course not.
At this point, anyone expecting EA to completely change their gameplay approach on a formula that mainly works well and has been enormously successful isn't living in reality. Those people are also likely robbing themselves of some enjoyable games of video game football.
Tackling and Collisions
There is a repeated focus on physics-based tackling. Does Madden 25 deliver the perfect balance between the complete ragdoll physics we saw in Backbreaker and the more football-conscious, contextually aware All-Pro Football 2K8?
Maybe not exactly, but it is about as close as we've ever seen to this concept–if that's even attainable. Madden 25's tackling and overall collision system feels really good, and the game plays the way football should in a video game. That's the best place for football gamers.
The hits didn't lack punch as they did early on in Madden 24 when I felt they needed more feeling and audio support.
The New Ball Carrier Moves Are Insane
Successful gameplay actions on both sides of the ball can be satisfying. The two new features that I could feel the most were the new ball-carrier moves and Boom Tech, which mostly touches gameplay on the defensive side of the ball.
It is a perfect year for San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey to be on the cover of Madden. EA has given tons of attention to increasing the functionality of what users can do while controlling ball carriers.
If you're controlling an offensive player as gifted as McCaffrey, what you can do with jukes, spins, high-steps, hesis and more is at an all-time high.
I've never felt more liberated while controlling a character. Suppose you take one of the top players into practice mode, and you only put the offense on the field, and you're just riffing with the ball carrier. In that case, it feels very similar to the exercise many of us do with players in NBA 2K when trying to discover which dribble animations they have at their disposal. The freedom–at least from a football standard–is on that same level.
It's hard to quantify how much cooler this feels in Madden 25.
Perhaps the best part about this enhancement is that it isn't accessible to every running back, quarterback, wide receiver, or tight end in the game. The juke, spin, agility, and related attributes determine how deep the player's bag is in this regard.
This gap in access is crucial because it makes the best players feel special, and that's the immersion and ooh-wee effect you want during gameplay when switching teams.
Boom Tech Is Mostly a Defensive Concept, And It's Pretty Solid
The Boom Tech concept is a broad term referring to the tech EA used to upgrade multiple areas of gameplay. For me, it felt most impactful on defense, especially with the changes to the Hit Stick mechanic.
The revamped Hit Stick offers various results based on timing, momentum, weight, speed, strength, and player ratings to determine the animations and results of all tackles, but this is especially important for Hit Stick attempts.
You can now perform perfect Hit Sticks based on the above factors, making it more of a skill-based mechanic and potentially more rewarding when you pull it off.
I had one Hit Stick with the Chicago Bears' Tremaine Edmonds that would qualify as a perfect execution. It resulted in a fumble on the sidelines by the Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs. The fumble triggered another aspect of improved gameplay, as the recovery system has improved.
We're still not at the point where we have as much control over whether we can fall on it or attempt to scoop and go, but it looks and feels more natural and realistic. The only way EA will ever completely conquer this, and a few other trench-related issues are to figure out a pile-up system that allows bodies to stack on top of each other during gameplay.
We're not there yet, but when the pile-up concept is mastered, we'll see even more improvements in collision detection and fewer immersion breakers during Madden gameplay. But I digress.
I also loved the newer stumble-recovery animations, which are also ratings-guided. Depending on who you're controlling, it adds a solid layer to the gameplay experience.
Trench Play Feels Better
Trench play from an offensive line standpoint feels much better. The increased pocket logic encourages you to play more like an NFL quarterback. Stepping up in the pocket feels more contextual and better associated with your O-Line's ability to create a safe space for the QB to operate.
EA had yet to give the Bears' line much respect in the build I played, so No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams wasn't getting much time to throw the ball. On the downs, when he did have time, I had to train myself to step up to create different angles and windows to pass.
After absorbing about seven sacks, it started to feel good and easy to understand based on the O-Line vs. D-Line matchup, the play-call, and the Bears' receivers' ability to get open.
I touched on the run game with the ball-carrier liberation, but the improvement on this side rightfully goes back to the O-Line play. I found that EA continues to make strides with AI for offensive linemen. There are 500 new animations in the game for blocking alone, per EA.
I didn't see one egregiously missed blocking assignment in the four games I played. The game was nearly in this place for Madden 24, but we're on another level with more player control for Madden 25.
Users have even more options to direct their offensive line before the snap to nullify defenders. In more ways than before, your success will be based on your pre-snap recognition, one of the most enormous skill-gap dividers in Madden and the real-life NFL.
The more you see before the snap, mixed with your ability to react and the players you're using, will dictate your success.
You Now Control When Your Receiver Attempts a Spectacular Catch
In Madden 25, you can control when your receiver goes for a spectacular catch, and you can switch between a spec catch and a possession grab in the milliseconds before the ball has arrived.
While I wasn't skilled enough to execute the new additions to receiver play, I can appreciate its impact on Madden 25.
On the defensive side of the ball, we saw similar work go into the coverage shell integrity that I noticed in College Football 25. Even more than in College Football, quarterbacks aren't going to get away with putting the ball up into spaces and hoping for the best.
Defense and Coverage Shell Integrity Feels Better
The core principles of doing your job individually on defense and being where you should be on the field felt solid. In replays and a couple of CPU-vs-CPU games, the AI-controlled players play with a decent balance of attribute recognition and logical, real-world football behavior.
I did not have any complaints about defense, and in some ways, I deferred to more skilled users who were also present at the preview, like Henry Leverette, the world's No. 1 Madden player.
The young man is unbelievably good at Madden and has a high football IQ in general. It was impressive to listen to him explain why he just read, reacted, and destroyed everything you were trying to do in the passing game.
It also showed the depth of defensive gameplay if you're skilled and knowledgeable.
Deeper Playbooks
The playbooks are unbelievably deep, and EA is still committed to adding new plays during the season based on the strategies they see from NFL coaches. As was the case in Madden 24, the team and playbook you choose are very important, and learning the style of play that best fits you as a user is equally essential.
New NFL Kickoff Rules
Wrapping the positives, I loved seeing the new NFL kickoff rules in the game. It's the first time we've seen this in action, and it felt completely different. It will be interesting to see how real NFL coaches attempt to scheme for success in this area of the game and how EA reacts to those real-world changes.
What I Didn't Like About Madden 25's Gameplay
Sideline Awareness is Still Not as Responsive As it Should Be
On the downside, I'd still like to see more sideline awareness for receivers and running backs coming out of the backfield on wheel routes. For years, players in Madden have allowed passes to pull them out of bounds if they're running their route near the sidelines.
The toe-tap animations have addressed this on some level over the past few years. However, it is still frustrating sometimes to see a guy run out of bounds without regard to where he is on the field and without an animation that suggests he's aware he can't catch the ball on the wrong side of the boundary.
Unfortunately, I still saw this in Madden 25.
Madden 25 Won't Have College Football's Wear-And-Tear System
Another negative is the absence of College Football 25's Wear-and-Tear system. Both games have an exclusive gameplay concept. Madden got BOOM Tech, and College Football has the WAT system. WAT is more impactful, and you can easily argue that it belongs in both games because it relates to football at all levels.
Unfortunately, it isn't in Madden 25.
I Didn't See a Lot of Value in the Switch Stick
EA pushed the Switch Stick concept, but I failed to see its impact. I wouldn't necessarily say I hated it, but where else do you call out a new gameplay feature that makes little of a splash?
It felt very similar to switching your defensive control before the snap; only it happens when the ball is live. Color me lukewarm on this one, as it could be a skill issue, but how many players will benefit from this new mechanic?
The New Kick Meter is Better for College Football Than it Is for Madden
The last thing I didn't like was the new kick meter. It took some time to get used to it, and it is similar to the one used in College Football 25. To put it plainly, the new kick meter is more challenging.
While I enjoy the volatility in the college game, where field goals and even extra-point success aren't as automatic, it feels misplaced in Madden. Will I and most others get better at it in Madden 25?
Sure, but I didn't hate the kick meter in Madden 24, so I'm wondering why this change was implemented.
Let's talk about the visuals.
What I Liked About the Visuals in Madden 25
Madden 25 Finally Looks Like a Current-Gen Title
This is the first Madden game I've played over a decade that impressed me visually. While you can't tell from the approved image EA provided for this article, the game looks great.
It finally felt like I was looking at a game developed on hardware for this generation of consoles. Don't get me wrong. Madden hasn't been a bad-looking game for decades, but it also hasn't really impressed me visually. Madden 25 looks impressive.
What are the most significant differences?
The Lighting Matters
Lighting and shader upgrades are things you see but may only sometimes be pinpointable. That said, they are arguably the biggest factor in the overall visual quality of what you're seeing.
Madden 25 has stellar lighting, helping to provide the best-looking virtual football environments in the series' history.
3D-Grass and Turf is the Real Deal
Another layer of positive visuals is the 3D grass and Turf. I never would have believed this element would make much of a difference. However, having this in for Madden 25 boosts the basic in-game visuals and pops for instant replays and that entire suite.
There Are More Star Likenesses
Every year, EA seems to up the ante when it comes to player likenesses. The first guy I looked for was Caleb Williams, and his render is spot-on. Several rookies and new veterans have equally sharp renders.
Player renders in football aren't as big of a deal as they are in basketball, wrestling, MMA, and soccer titles, but they still matter.
All 32 Head Coaches Are on the Sidelines
Thanks to the New England Patriots' firing of Bill Belichick as head coach, Madden now has all 32 head coaches in the game and on the sidelines.
Jerod Mayo will be a welcomed sight for gamers on the Patriots' sidelines, even if the team is set to be horrible in 2024.
The Uniforms and Helmets Look Great
The next level of visual goodness is related to the fidelity of the uniforms, helmets, and shoes. We saw the impressive tech used to produce the most accurate uniforms in any sports game.
Because of how tight uniforms fit in the NFL, EA doesn't have to worry about fabric flow or bounce, but as it is, EA did an excellent job re-creating the overall player kits, which adds to the overall visual quality.
The Additional Animations Across the Board Add Life to the Gameplay
There are thousands of new animations in the game across every aspect of gameplay. Marry this with what we see with new ball-carrier moves, and this is the best-looking Madden game ever.
This is usually the case because of incremental improvements, but this jump is a little more than incremental.
I don't have anything negative to say about the game's visuals. They're part of the reason I'm so hyped for the release of College Football 25 and Madden 25.
Is it July and August yet? Madden 25 releases on August 16.
