Madden NFL 2006 [PS2]

Exclusive license in hand, Madden is back. But let's face it, not much has really changed in the past few years. EA's signature franchise has played with new controls and slightly improved the defensive AI, but fundamentally, the series has been static. This year, however, some real changes are taking place. With an all-new play mode focused on superstar players, a revamped passing system, and new moves on both sides of the line of scrimmage, Madden NFL 06 is definitely bigger than ever. But is it better?

Recent releases have seen plenty of tweaks, but they merely nudged the gameplay. This year's implementation of a quarterback's cone of vision really changes things by rethinking the foundations of passing the ball. After the snap, most of the screen will be slightly grayed out, with a clear cone of vision representing what the quarterback is able to see. Better players will have a wider field of view, while rookies may only have a very narrow cone.

Firing a bullet downfield is easy enough if the receiver is in that cone of vision. But toss to someone in the gray area, and there's little chance of completion. The QB can turn his head, of course, and players can also set the cone to follow a specific receiver. Madden vets will need some time to acclimate to the system, but once players are used to the cone of vision, they should find that it works spectacularly well. And since the underlying pass control hasn't changed (in which players tap the face button corresponding to a receiver) the learning curve isn't too steep.

There's more, though. New controls also offer a measure of precision when placing a pass. If a receiver is being shadowed as he runs from left to right across the field, just nudge the left stick to the right to lead the pass slightly. This is a little trickier, especially when trying to outmaneuver a blitz. Really working the system requires very quick thinking or an impenetrable line. D-pad control also works to target throws, but who's got that many thumbs?

That question, ultimately, is the one which will define the new Madden experience for many people. After all, new controls also have been added to diversify hot route options, and new audibles added for quick play alterations at the line of scrimmage. If the defense seems to be stacked to one side, it's now easy to shift the line one way or the other to compensate. Similar coverage options are on hand for defense.

Individually, the new moves all work brilliantly. In particular, the option to simply send a chosen receiver right to the first down line is tactical gold and could change games all on its own.

Taken all together, the proliferation of commands is supremely daunting. Changing a hot route, reacting to the defensive line, and selecting a receiver to follow with the cone of vision can be a matter of a dozen button presses, all before the snap. New players -- or anyone not truly dedicated to the game -- may become completely lost with all the options.

If nothing else, mastering the ever more complex interface will allow experienced players to dominate the AI, which is still only routine. The CPU just isn't as adept as you'd expect, especially when facing a strong passing offense. That's where the online play comes in, however, and EA's offering this year, though we weren't able to test it fully, seems stronger than ever. In keeping with past years, however, online will quickly become a venue where players not totally versed in the controls will be utterly dominated.

The other large addition to the franchise is superstar mode, which is a create-a-player offering with more detail than most players will really need. The idea is to create one player, with detail right down to parental (and thus genetic) traits, then lead him through deals with agents and endorsements, interviews and workouts to become an NFL star. If the franchise mode offered too much sweeping detail, this is a good way to get a more personal take on the game.

Give EA points for trying to come up with some new stuff to do, especially in one of the most complex games available. All too often, though, it was tough to figure out how winding through a bunch of multiple choice menus, which is how interviews, negotiations and mentor interaction occurs, was really supposed to make Madden a better game. Sure, you can sim all of it, but then there's the feeling that your superstar might suffer for a random CPU action. Why not just make it more fun? One great detail, however, is that anyone with a created player from NFL Street 2 or NCAA Football 06 can import their character.

We've been somewhat spoiled already by teasers of Madden 06 on the Xbox 360, but even on the current Xbox, this release looks and sounds fantastic. It's silky smooth, with a more detailed on-field presence than before. While the cutscenes look great, they really don't matter much from game to game, but the animations are as good as what EA pumped out for MVP this year, and that's saying something. In particular, it's beautiful to see a player reaching out or behind to grab a pass that's lobbed just off-target. Our only real complaint is with the increasingly irritating music ladled onto menus. Most of the tunes are generic, grating, and purely unnecessary.

For the past couple years, we've been tempted to tell Madden fans to save their cash in favor of ESPN's release. But even without an improved and scalable AI, Madden NFL 06 is now a definitive upgrade. Until the next generation arrives, EA has the current hardware covered.