Madden NFL 07 [PS2]

The key element of Superstar is that you'll be required to play your position, and play it well through season after season. Where Madden has traditionally been a Quarterback simulator, here you can take on any position in the game, including the lowly kicker. Playing a safety or halfback exclusively turns Madden into a more challenging and specific game. When your player isn't on the field, the action will rush by in double-time, though there's also the option to step into the QB's shoes and play as normal until your superstar's number comes up again.

Further depth is theoretically added to the mode with the addition of roles, which are position-specific behaviors that can give a leadership edge, intimidate opponents or juice your own stats. You'll earn new roles by performing well on and off the field, and can be activated at the start of a drive to take advantage of attribute bonuses. It's a good idea, but roles make Madden's delicate AI balance easy to break.

The question, then, is how much does the new feature set change the game? Depending on how you play it, the answer is probably "not very much." Playing solo against the CPU feels just as it always has; it's Madden, with the AI foibles and big passing plays that implies. Those willing to really dig into Superstar mode will find themselves rewarded by a more complete understanding of the game. But the mode doesn't invite that sort of dedication, and it's all too easy to simply default to playing a QB or wide receiver to get the most action.

Furthermore, while aspects of the blocking system are definitely useful, EA continues to push development of Madden in directions that make it more difficult to play instead of more approachable. The range of in-game options is impressive, but when each one pulls up its own set of dense overlays and submenus, it's hard to see why anyone but the most determined would want to bother. Every Madden release has a few more features that most people will never learn to use.

EA's challenge is not to simplify their simulation or stop adding detail, but to integrate those features so well that players can simply marvel at how advanced the game has become. The Superstar revisions are a step in the right direction, since they allow players to focus on the entire game one player at a time, but otherwise that's just not the case. As it is, Madden NFL 07 represents ... well, the only pro football game in town these days, which is one way of making sure your market comes back again next year.