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Review: The Aura of John Madden Lives on in Madden 23

For the first time in nearly a decade, this feels like a step in the right direction

Rowan Fisher-Shotton

Published: Aug 22, 2022 05:57 pm

Any experienced Madden player would gladly admit that the franchise has lacked a certain pizazz over the last few years. From fans calling out EA over a neglected franchise and face of the franchise mode to complaining about unrealistic gameplay and player ratings. Let alone the pay-to-win mechanics behind Madden Ultimate Team. It’s fair to say that the popular sports series has been under heavy scrutiny for some time now, but can the same be said for Madden 23?

Madden 23 Review Biggest Takeaways

Immersion appears to be the key focus throughout the game.
Franchise mode has taken a monumental leap forward.
Face of the Franchise is closer to the heralded MyCareer in NBA 2K and Road to the Show in MLB The Show but still has work to be done.
Simplified MUT ensures competitive gameplay.
Final Score: 8/10

John Madden Legacy Game

As you likely know by now, the late great John Madden (whom the game was named after) passed away just under a year ago. To honor the legendary football player, coach, and commentator, EA opted to make him the cover athlete for Madden 23. Although, they also took it a step further by adding a John Madden Legacy Game mode in Madden 23. Which gives you the opportunity to compete with previous All-Madden teams, and some of John’s favorite players, in the original Oakland Coliseum.

In the game, players can play as some of the true legends of football. Including superstars like Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Ray Lewis, Deion Sanders, and more. If you look closely enough, you can even catch John Madden himself coaching it up along the sidelines, while wearing his iconic pinstripe and tie ensemble. It’s one of the first game modes you’re met with when you load up Madden 23 and a perfect reminder of how much he meant to the game. It’s also a great nostalgia piece for all those football historians out there.

Realistic Experience Managing an NFL Franchise

It becomes pretty obvious almost as soon as you load up Madden 23 that the game has received a massive overhaul. However, you’re probably going to spend most of your time with the new and improved franchise mode. On a basic level, franchise mode is still very much the same as in years past. You can take control of any franchise in the NFL as a player, coach, or owner with the overall goal being to create a dynasty and win multiple Super Bowls. Though this is where the similarities end.

Madden 23’s franchise mode features a variety of new menu options and ways to control a team. Although, the biggest difference can be felt once free agency rolls around. Thanks to the addition of player motivations and player tags, obtaining the players you want feels more like the real-life struggle NFL GMs are constantly battling with. If you’re in a state with zero income tax and nice weather (like Florida or Texas), then signing high-level free agents should be a breeze. As it often is with teams like the Cowboys, Dolphins, and Buccaneers in real life.

In previous iterations, it generally only paid off being the owner or coach of a team with a lot of cap space (or your favorite team). Now, there feels to be more of an even playing field in a sense because of all the different factors that can impact a free agent’s decision to sign with a particular team. Even if you’re located in a cold weather city and have state income tax, you could still have an elite QB or coach that makes your team an enticing destination for free agents. Perhaps even a more attractive role than other teams can offer said player. This also helps to create a more realistic experience since the entire offseason comes down to more than which franchise has the most money.

Another incredibly realistic aspect that’s drastically improved the entire franchise mode experience is advanced trade logic. Gone are the days of getting a first-round pick for your third-string cornerback or a franchise offensive lineman because of how devalued the position is. Now, coming up with an adequate trade package requires a lot more effort, and even still you probably won’t get exactly what you want. Which adds quite the challenge to those looking for a more authentic experience managing an NFL franchise.

More Control in Face of the Franchise

Another game mode that’s received a ginormous improvement is Face of the Franchise. Taking on a slightly different approach, Madden 23 places us in the shoes of a fifth-year free agent looking for a new franchise to reinvent themselves. In years past, players would either get to play through college and high school before getting drafted immediately to the NFL. Or pick and choose where they want to play straight from the get-go, but they’re always a rookie. Now, we have to work through a whole new web of challenges as experienced professionals still trying to find their place within the league.

At this point in your NFL career, you’ve mostly been a backup struggling for playing time. Now, you get to make a new home for yourself with a franchise of your choice. As many veteran NFL players do later on in their football careers. As a result, the team you choose to play for will have a much bigger impact in Madden 23, since you’re technically on a “prove it” deal to keep your job. Once you’ve made it past the initial cutscenes and chosen your team, the game looks and feels a lot more like NBA 2K’s MyCareer or FIFA’s Career Mode.

It begins with your created player arriving in the city of your choice before moving on to meet all of the side characters in the story. As you walk through the halls of your favorite NFL team, you will come face to face with everybody from PR to coaching. Having conversations with them and your agent that you’d generally only see in movies. All in all creating a fresh new feel to a game mode that’s been a bit stale for quite some time.

Not only has the story completely changed in Madden 23’s Face of the Franchise mode, but so has a variety of other features. Including the available positions, now that you can also take over as a cornerback on top of the original five positions from years past. As well as the 3D backgrounds and unique side activities that vary from week to week. Both of which help to create a more immersive experience as you work your way up to that elusive 99 OVR.

Madden 23 Ultimate Team and Gameplay Competitive as Ever

The new FieldSENSE logic has gotten a lot of attention and for good reason. On the one hand, it certainly takes a lot to get used to if you’re new to the game. The new skill-based passing mechanics have once again improved how creative players can get with their passes and moving the ball down the field. Although, it’s also a rather challenging learning curve if it’s your first time. That being said, my personal favorite feature that’s been added to Madden 23 is all of the new player animations and 360 cuts.

The new animations that have been added to the game certainly make it feel closer to what you would actually see on an NFL Sunday. However, the new 360 cut and tackle animations are perhaps the most revolutionary development in the entire game. Previously, when you would go to make a cut passed a defender as an offensive player, the mechanics felt somewhat choppy. Either leaving too wide of a gap to the point where it’s unrealistic or not enough of one to where no space is being created. Now, players have far more control when it comes to juking, spinning, and cutting around defenders. This alone has made running the ball far more enjoyable, in my opinion.

Next up we’ve got Madden 23 Ultimate Team, which I personally don’t play a lot of but it certainly deserves some praise. The game mode begins with a build your team tutorial, which is incredibly easy and provides you with some good base cards to build off. Once you get to the main MUT screen, it’s officially time to get back on the grind of buying and selling players. While the game mode hasn’t changed too much from Madden 22, the new Field Pass system does offer a clearer path to progression. While H2H Seasons and Solo Battles have been altered to create a more competitive experience.

All things considered, if Madden 23 is the first football game you’ve ever played and you’re comparing it to other sports titles like NBA 2K, FIFA, or MLB The Show, then you might be slightly underwhelmed. The Career Modes (Franchise and Face of the Franchise) feel relatively bare in comparison and the graphics aren’t going to blow you away either. That being said, I think it’s fair to say that any experienced Madden player worth their weight knows how much this franchise has improved. When breaking down just about every game mode, it’s hard to argue that EA hasn’t listened to the criticism and put effort into creating a more immersive, realistic, and challenging all-around experience. It’s undoubtedly a step in the right direction in my books.

Madden 23 is now available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. If you’re interested in more Madden content, be sure to check out our guides section here at Gamer Journalist. Where you can find information like how to get a 99 OVR in Madden 23 Face of the Franchise or how to stiff arm in Madden 23.