I play quite a lot of Madden yearly, gang. Like, loads loads. I’m in a 32-man league, after which I’ve my very own Franchise mode going, and none of that features all of the work that goes into writing a overview for IGN, which is… substantial. However regardless of how a lot I play, I’ll all the time uncover one thing new after that overview is finished – be it an obnoxious bug or only a higher understanding of a system below the hood. I really feel like I perceive much more about Madden NFL 25 now that I’m about to place down the controller for the ultimate time, however after spending a bit time with Madden NFL 26, effectively… all that stuff’s out the window. Madden 26 adjustments quite a lot of what got here earlier than, and whereas I nonetheless have extra to play earlier than my last overview, I’m liking what I see to date. I’m liking it loads, in truth.
Let’s begin with one of many greatest adjustments: the Expertise Coach. Madden’s previous Expertise Coach was a great way to study the fundamentals, however it’s been fully overhauled this 12 months, and I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed. There are considerably extra drills and the tutorials explaining them are a lot, rather more detailed, to the purpose the place I’m already studying stuff I didn’t know. For example, if you happen to’re kicking a subject purpose or an additional level, you shouldn’t hit the pink zone of the kick energy a part of the meter, as that’s what is named an overkick, which reduces your distance. I assumed it simply meant “Hey, right here’s the sting of the meter.” Nope! I requested considered one of my associates who additionally frequently performs if he knew that; he didn’t. However we each do now. Madden has all the time been uncomfortable with explaining itself, largely opting to depart the detailed stuff to YouTubers. Now, much more of that element is in the sport. The Expertise Coach will even mark drills as “Newbie,” or “New to Madden,” so you’ll find the stuff you want extra simply. It’s an enormous enchancment and one thing I’ve personally been asking for for years, so I’m ecstatic with this addition.
Other than that, I’ve additionally been enjoying round in Franchise, which is to say I’ve largely been enjoying with Coach Creation and menus. Madden could attempt to persuade you that it’s parkour, reader, however this can be a lie. It’s menus all the best way down. Coach Creation is completely revamped now, with a ton of recent heads that (largely) look higher than final 12 months’s choices and several other that seem like they had been made out of Play-Doh or the “Bizarre and Ugly” part of the Darkish Souls character creator. However hey, I recognize the hassle.
When you’ve made your customized coach, you’ve received the selection of considered one of three archetypes constructed round participant growth, offense, and protection. The talent timber of previous? Gone. Now you spend Talent Factors to unlock and improve skills that you just equip on gameday for bonuses. Some, typically participant skills, final a number of weeks; others, like those that mean you can rent higher scouts, final all season. It’s completely different and I haven’t had sufficient time to see the place all of it goes but, however I’m intrigued because it appears extra attention-grabbing than “this place will get +2 Pace, the Most Essential Stat in the Recreation,” which was how quite a lot of the talent tree appeared final time.
On the sector, issues are sooner, discovering a steadiness between the zippy arcade really feel of School Soccer and the Maddens of yesteryear. The Put on and Tear damage system additionally makes its Madden debut, although I’m involved about it in this context; I acknowledge it’s extra lifelike, however I don’t essentially prefer it in School Soccer, and I notably don’t like the best way the on-field UI has modified to accommodate it. However we’ll see.
With Put on and Tear, although, comes some very welcome adjustments to participant growth. Now you can select follow depth for every participant, not only for starters and backups at every place, which is a godsend. I’m respectable at Madden on the sector, however what makes me good in a Franchise league is that I’m nice at drafting and participant growth. For somebody like me, this further management is a big deal. There’s additionally some good QoL adjustments right here, like having the ability to see participant fatigue as a quantity and never only a meter on the well being part of their participant card. Like, sure! Lastly! I don’t know if that is stuff most gamers will discover, however if you happen to’re a sicko like me, it actually does make a giant distinction.
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It’s not all sunshine and roses in Menuland, although. Participant playing cards now take greater than 5 seconds to load, which is each considerably worse than in Madden 25 and completely infuriating if you actually wish to dig into your workforce’s stats. We’re pre-release, and to its credit score, EA did repair menu and loading points in earlier Maddens – however man, 5 seconds to do one thing so simple as open a participant card, which was snappy in Madden 25, when there are 53 gamers on a workforce? Please shoot me.
Talking of adjustments EA has made to anger me personally, Madden has as soon as once more reworked the identify of its QB throwing motions, and launched a number of new ones. That is, by my depend, the second time that this has occurred in the final two years, and it’s maddening (get it?) every time. Throwing movement is massively essential to how QBs play, and now I’ve to determine what my favourite throwing motions are, and what draft notes correspond to these motions, over again. I’m glad that the brand new names make a bit extra sense, however I’m begging EA to depart these alone for a scorching second. Please.
General, although, I’m fairly impressed by the adjustments to this 12 months’s recreation to date. I’ve loads to do earlier than I can render a verdict – I have to play Celebrity, dig deeper into Franchise, get extra of a really feel for the on-field motion, and (sigh) spend a while with Final Staff. However I’m actually liking what I’ve seen of Madden 26 to date. Now I simply have to put extra time into it and see if that feeling holds up.