In the night of Thursday to Friday, the reigning Super Bowl winners of the New England Patriots kicked off the new Football Season against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Madden NFL 18 is released for the new season on August 25th, bringing a story mode. Whether the story mode and the changes in the other game modes will make the title more than a yearly update, you will learn in our test.
Although football is the number one sport in Germany, American football is becoming increasingly popular. Already in my test to Madden NFL 17 I pointed out to the growing community and in the course of last year this has grown again a bit. In the social networks, the fan numbers are increasing and some franchises have presented themselves in German language editions. Madden NFL 18 unfortunately can not be said of this. EA Sports relinquishes a German language edition and even the least what the German fan can expect, German subtitles, we are looking for in vain.
If you are not familiar with English, or you know the football terms at least, you will not enjoy this part either. But apparently many players are willing to do without a German language edition. Sales in Germany are steadily rising, as is already evident in the availability in the local stores or online trading. A few years ago, one had to look out for his current Madden experience with foreign-resident dealers.
Madden NFL 18 – The Playful
Play is the same as with almost every sports game. Because of the annual phenomena, only nuances change in part, and only the regular adjusters will notice. In the individual modes you can hardly find any changes, which we had in the form of the franchise mode in Madden NFL 17. Technically, EA Sports uses the basic framework of the predecessor, but now also the Frostbite engine is entering the football world ,
Madden NFL 18 has a lot of different modes and settings, allowing beginners as well as more demanding players alike to customize the game to suit their own needs. In addition, casual gamers have the opportunity to adjust themselves to more spectacular games in Arcade mode, instead of having to resort to the tactically shaped games.
Madden NFL 18 – New Engine New Problems
The in-house Frostbite Engine was already deployed at FIFA last year and is now to be improved in Madden NFL 18 (and NHL) and the developers new possibilities (but later more). The collision inquiry criticized by me last year was significantly improved. The players and coach animations just look fantastic and they are no longer directly consciously pushing away, but leave the well-orchestrated atmosphere at work. However, the Frostbite Engine also has its usual problems with it. In the available intermediate sequences have mini-Ruckler (despite PS4 Pro Power) and partly these are also felt during the play, which is not only annoying, but also play-decisive can be.
Madden NFL 18: Longshot!
After the successful launch of “The Journey”, the story mode in FIFA 17, the developers try to “Longshot”, the counterpart in the football universe. In the new story mode we are slipping into the role of Quarterback Devin Wade, who is to create a TV show in the NFL draft. The 4-5 hour experience is certainly convincing at the beginning, but shows its weaknesses from the middle part and disappointed to the end.
In terms of content, it can be said that almost all popular sports film clichés are served. “Longshot” also feels more like a feature film than a self-controlling story-mode. We are more in intermediate sequences and quick-time events than in real parts or influenceable elements. And who thought that he had little influence in “The Journey” with FIFA, we in the “Longshot” even more to the head. While the mode suggests, by means of selectable decision-making possibilities, that one can tilt in one direction or another, however, a repeat of these text passages has shown that the story moves exactly in the same direction and that its own decisions are designed to become the desired one Finish the end.
For hardcore football fans, who can do something with the well-known sports moderators from the USA and well-known player legends and coaches, may find in the one or the other scene quite pleased with the production.
The basic idea of “Longshot” is good and the production is film-ripe, however for me this is not for a new game mode. Here I expect more depth and more influence in the coming parts.
Madden NFL 18 – MUT (Ultimate Team)
Although the playful changes are limited, EA Sports has continued to work on the mode, which is after the release of further money into the own coffers. The previous concept of MUT has been reworked to the point that now you can get together with your friends and get a stronger squad in the form of a squad. In a game, each of the maximum of three players plays a specific role (defense, attack, head coach).
For those who prefer to go solo, MUT Champions can be lucky. There, committed players can develop new packs and coins for their own team or qualify for eSport events. By the way, gamers can buy madden 18 coins online to make a finely personalized Madden team.