Madden 23 Review (Xbox Series S)

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For our Madden 23 Review, we play our way into the history books. We get to control our impact, passes, and shots in all-new ways. Call the shots in Franchise with free agency and trade logic updates, leave a legacy in Face of the Franchise: The League, and assemble the most powerful roster in all of Madden Ultimate Team.

Madden 23 Review

Madden 23 Review Pros:

  • Awesome graphics.
  • 46.1GB Download size.
  • 1000 Gamerscore.
  • Three passing style options – skill-based passing (placement and accuracy), skill-based passing (placement and power), and classic passing. You can try each one out before accepting.
  • Faster initial load time.
  • American football gameplay.
  • Loading titles are a homage to the late great Madden and show snippets of the game and even the original MegaDrive version.
  • Set your favorite team, game difficulty, etc.
  • Three game styles – simulation, competitive, and arcade.
  • Opening John Madden legacy game with NFC vs AFC with old and current players.
  • Learn to play area.
  • On-screen icons will appear above your player to help with controls and actions.
  • All new touchdown celebrations and graphics.
  • Cleaner Ui.
  • Five main game modes – Ultimate Team, Play now, Franchise, Face of the franchise, and play with friends.
  • 10-hour free trial with EA Play and/or Gamepass Ultimate.
  • The performance of the game overall is much improved.
  • Movements of the players are more fluid and responsive and look natural.
  • The new to Madden section will explain how it all works from player positions and objectives to the rules of the sport.
  • Accessibility options – menu narration, subtitles, enlarged field graphics, Colourblind support, dynamic camera effects, and VOIP settings.
  • Four difficulties – Rookie, Pro, all-pro, and all Madden.
  • Three game styles – simulation, arcade, and competitive. (determines the game pace, rules, and how the game flows)
  • Click can be set for the accelerated clock, play clock on/off, and minimum play clock time.
  • Coach mode – (optional setting) has the Quarterback automatically throw the ball after the snap if you don’t take control.
  • Player sliders for injuries, fatigue, and player speed parity scale.
  • CPU and player sliders for QB accuracy, pass blocking, WR catching, run blocking, fumbles, reaction time, interceptions, pass coverage, tackling, FG power, FG accuracy, punt accuracy, and kick-off power.
  • Much improved and more impactful halftime shows and opening presentations.
  • Madden Ultimate Team game modes – Challenges, solo battles, H2H season, MUT champions, Squads, and draft.
  • MUT missions (solo/co-op) the campaign, superstars, ultimate season, legends, team affinity, and the ultimate champion.
  • Earn MUT coins to buy packs of cards.
  • Auction House to buy/sell players.
  • Microtransactions.
  • Excellent highlights and replays.
  • You can now have more of a battle in the air for the ball.
  • The ultimate team is the same as always except now it runs better on the menus, and has more support for new and lapsed players.
  • At half time you can lay out a plan of how you want to play and the game will offer up ideal plays to accommodate.
  • The difficulties have been tweaked and the new actions and mechanics make even rookie games a lot closer than before.
  • They have made stats matter more than before.
  • The face of the franchise is laid out better, performs better, and gives you more choices and actions than last year. It’s actually fun to play.
  • Live play is where you go to follow the season, play the games that you watch on TV plus you get a ticker showing scores. Your team rosters will change depending on real-time changes.
  • The momentum system is back so get on a roll with passes or tackles to add buffs like increased catch probability or get an extra yard on the carry.
  • Touchdown celebrations, flexing and all that showmanship are dealt with quicker allowing the flow of the game to continue.
  • Edit teams, rosters, play styles, and uniforms.
  • Madden tournaments and qualifiers open up.
  • The season pass style system is now in play adding new rewards, cosmetics, packs, etc.
  • The all-improved passing and catching is a real game changer.
  • All the X factor and superstar moves actually matter now.

Madden 23 Review

Madden 23 Review Cons:

  • Few random crashes to dashboard moments.
  • Commentary gets repetitive and stale pretty quickly.
  • Same old commentary team, it’s time for a big shake-up either script or the team.
  • Microtransactions.
  • Can’t always restart a challenge.
  • Difficulties feel inconsistent.
  • Still hate the next-gen only features whereas the older consoles and PC get the same tired game over and over.
  • Cannot play multiplayer with older console players only next-gen.
  • The Ai is still frustrating to play as they only run on the fourth in the fourth never before even if it makes sense. They make stupid calls and so much more.
  • Battle Pass is for the ultimate team only.
  • The soundtrack isn’t as good as last year.
  • They are pushing the ultimate team more this year.
  • Occasionally the tackling in the open field can feel stilted or like the tackles do not want to hit.

Related Post: Dyna Bomb 2 Review (Xbox Series S)

Madden 23 Review

Madden 23:

Official website.

Developer: EA

Publisher: EA

Store Links – 

Xbox

  • 9/10
    Graphics - 9/10
  • 8/10
    Sound - 8/10
  • 9/10
    Accessibility - 9/10
  • 9/10
    Length - 9/10
  • 10/10
    Fun Factor - 10/10
9/10

Summary

It feels good to say finally, Madden is a must-buy this season! Finally, I have a Madden game that has risen to the challenge and made it one of the most accessible and realistic American football games I have ever played. (well except for 2k5 but man that game is one of the best ever, period) this year’s Madden movement doesn’t feel robotic or that simply cutting in on a run doesn’t come down to a game of measurements, no they have made cutting, spinning, and stiff-arming a hell of a lot better. The passing now has a different style including a reticule that shows on the ground of the intended destination, sounds trivial but it’s a game changer. Passing is one part though because the acceptance of a pass is reworked with 3 ways to catch, aggressive, safe, and straight-up run types mean a normal pass can be caught in a way that turns it into an epic play. I love that when I barrel down the pitch I’m not immediately shot down by tackles, I can (player dependant) Bob and weave, shrug off tackles and just feel like a badass as I do it. The momentum stuff from last year is back and tbh by now, it’s just part of the game so it’s just more of the same. The story mode is a bit more fleshed out offering more roles on the field and having the story be a bit more realistic in its telling and pacing. Ultimate Team has had a makeover with improved menus and a battle pass style system. You have 3 sets of battle passes and each requires you to earn exp for doing challenges. Which challenges you do determines which battle pass you work on, it’s a really cool idea to keep you playing long after you’ve done the dailies and that. The rewards are not huge but they are significant because you can get packs, certain rated players, strategy items, gold, and even uniforms for the team. I came away from Madden this year really happy with what we got. I say all this and I didn’t even mention the John Madden memorial stuff and that stuff is just as good with historic tape playbacks, unique presentations, a throwback to the MegaDrive debut game and so much more, I don’t want to spoil it all but they do a great job of honoring Mr. Football. Overall Madden 23 takes it home, that is if you are on a next-gen console because the bog standard Xbox One version is lacking any of the cool additions like the new passing models, cut down Madden experiences and there is no momentum so once again its another year where the last gen consoles and PC get in essence, the same game as the last 3 or 4 years. Next Gen Madden 23 is the real deal, Last Gen and PC Madden 23 is still getting shafted.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!