EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 26

very fun, but audio glitches sometimes

EA made this game, it's Madden, worth about 9 dollars if you can stomach the glitches. Edit: The game now has refused to even open for a week now.

After 4 months and 100+ hours I can conclude that this "game" is just cinema. No amount of slider adjustment nor practice time will change the fact that this "simulation" does not reflect YOUR actions with the controller. Case in point: • your receivers will stop running their routes on a whim. Just plain as day stop (most of the time behind a defender) especially on slant routes. IRL this can happen, receiver runs a bad route, but a 90+ player on each and every slant play? Really? • adjusting the speed threshold does nothing. A 99 speed receiver will not drop a 85 speed defender even with adjustments. • playing defense - I prefer playing on the left edge, ALWAYS. Except in this game. Can't do it. No locked player so as I am attempting to battle out of the blocks, the game magically changes me to a random (and I mean random) defender down field. ALWAYS WAY OUT OF POSITION TO MAKE THE PLAY. How convenient. They say there is a menu option for it, not there. Only thing I can see is double tapping the left stick which locks the player, but has be playing inverted. So then I have to adjust the camera before snap. Of course the snap happens before I can change the camera. Again, how convenient. • Best players will be injured every game for at least a quarter (or worse) unless you turn off injuries or bring it so low on the slider you might as well turn them off. • If you turn CPU blocking down to 5, (YES 5!!!) they still will hold back a good to very good pass rush. Tried it myself. • CPU receivers will catch 1 handed multiple times per game while in the air. It's like we are playing in 0 gravity - but only the CPU gets this advantage. Your 90+ receiver will drop the ball upon being breathed upon. • Enjoyed creating my own Team Builder teams. Plus there. But can only utilize for online franchise. Servers are down quite a bit. I have limited time in a week to play the insult to John Madden of a game and I expect it to at least be available when I sit down to get myself into a bad mood. • Buy many spare controllers. You will require them because you will be throwing them . Might want to have a spare TV/monitor as well. • Heaven help you if you have a less than 10 point lead in the 4th. The garbage goes up 5 notches. • Your 85+ defenders will not no how to tackle. I have seen 3 defenders fight to bring a ball carrier down. This does happen in real life, but not 5 or 6 plays in a row. PS - They were not tired. • Your 90+ breaktackle running back will be dropped by Steve Urkel if he is on the CPU defense. Even if he barely touches you. • Right after the snap if you attempt to move your player (before you lose control of him) say left as opposed to the designed play, it will still have you move right for a second before he actually goes your desired direction. No excuse for this lag on my system with a very good controller. And this small amount of time WILL lead to a big play for the CPU. • Really wanted to enjoy this game. Last played Madden 20 and before that all the Maddens from 2002-2008. Even 20 which most dislike plays like a dream compared to this. Also bought Madden 2025 as a combo, not as bad as this edition. It cheats you a bit here and there like 20, but this is on another level of trashy coding. • Team builder teams have rosters with fake names. Fine. But why not randomize the surname and given name pool so every team brought in has the same roster? Are you serious? If you have the time to mix up names, "Haywood J Bl**me" anyone? • Looking for a good roster is nearly imposible for lack of a SORT BY option. Going by DL number is the best way to find the most recent updated roster. • Time consuming options like equipment editing takes longer because the equipment selections pool takes a few seconds to load and the "Equip on both arms, feet, etc" option simply doesn't work for many placements. Great quality control. I have played a lot of Madden 20, won the Super Bowl numerous times on "ALL-Madden", I can play the game fairly well, even with less than desirable teams (AKA 2020 Bears) . I want a challenge, but this is a charade of competent competitiveness. The program decides when plays will be successful no matter how well timed, nor how skilled you are at calling the right play for the moment. It's cinema. As stated, Madden 2025 isn't as bad but they have no more Team Builder for that edition. You can DL but not create. Typical cheap move EA. And this game will continue down this road until you addicted players just stop buying trash. Seriously, where have the decent coders of the past gone? 2K? Are they coding for the next SimFarm? No idea, but they are not working on this game anymore. A few good items before closing : graphics are nice. Especially on those pre drawn up animation plays. • Shading is also very good. • Sound is fine but no comments on commentary - I don't listen to it. • Team builder is pretty decent, more options would be appreciated but why bother putting in EXTRA effort? Right EA? I thought Microsoft was lazy... • Being able to move teams at the start of franchise is very handy, but a hassle if you play online franchise. Why can I not take control of multiple teams in online franchise that I play on my own so I can easily correct a roster move? Why should I have to delete my coach to change teams and make corrections? Makes no sense. Having it like offline franchise for these situations would be nice. So bring on the comments saying "you just suck". Never said I was great, but I used to be able to play this game rather well. No it's just a lottery. I don't play lottery. I want an honest challenge. Nothing more. PS - to EA's paid PR crew, have at it. Dissect what I wrote. Real players know what I mean. Just look at your reviews. PSS - Yes, I did write this after a rage quit. This was my last time playing this edition and the last time I purchase another Madden. I will stick to the 2025 I bought as a combo deal with this trash. PSSS - For fun, do a webpage word search on this Madden 26 game for the "trash"!