Football games demand both, and early previews indicate Madden 08 may just deliver. Next-gen consoles are powerful enough to handle the complicated programming required to create complex in-game physics and realistic graphics. Madden 08 not only must be excellent for the sake of the franchise, but also represents an opportunity for Electronic Arts and their new developing arm, Tiburon, to set the bar even higher. Almost across the board, gamers and reviewers alike found Madden 07 to be unworthy of the next-gen consoles it was created for and, generally, a disappointment. (Insert snarky comment about instant replay here.) The truth is when someone, especially a young person of limited means, shells out 60 dollars for the latest next-gen game they expect a gaming experience like no other. The game was criticized for a variety of faults, ranging from unimpressive graphics to stop-and-start gameplay. That's why so many gamers were disappointed by the lackluster Madden 07. With its complex playmaking interface, in-game movement, and graphics always ahead of the curve, Madden is the last word in football video games.
The Madden series set and re-set the bar many times over the years, winning over hardcore sports fans, avid gamers, and dilettantes alike. If this sounds anything like you, then Madden is your game. You can make deft calculations for your fantasy football teams in the blink of an eye, and you are immovably planted in front of the TV on Sunday.
Your head is a virtual database of statistics, players, and the history of the game. If you live for football, you know how it can consume you.