It's Madden season. Signal reviewers Simon Bishop and Hayden Meikle engage in a two-minute drill to discuss the latest release in the long-running NFL series.
For: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
From: EA Sports
Meikle: Wait, Madden 15? Last year was Madden 25, so this feels a little weird.
Bishop: I know. It sets my OCD into overdrive.
Meikle: The dude on the cover - that's the master trash talker, right?
Bishop: The one and the same. The difference with Richard Sherman is that he can back it up!
Meikle: Right, enough of the small talk. Let's have a look under the hood of this game. The first thing I want to say is that the skills trainer tutorial is magnificent. I dipped in and out of it over two days and had loads of fun completing all the challenges. Did a Madden veteran such as yourself bother?
Bishop: Never looked at the tutorials, Hayden. Playing Madden religiously for a decade has me set. Playing defence has always been my favourite part, and this year it's better than ever. There's nothing more satisfying than holding an opponent scoreless online. How are you finding it?
Bishop: Yeah, I hear you on the pass defence. If you can't get pressure on to the other team's quarterback, you get slaughtered. On offence, it's not easy to pick apart people's defences, although occasionally they have no problem picking apart mine. At least in this game you can actually run the football effectively.
Meikle: Hmm, the offence. I honestly feel it has got a lot tougher this year - even on the lower difficulty levels, where I like to play. I have not been peeling off any 50-yard runs, and my long passes are constantly getting tipped or intercepted. Wait, I don't actually have to READ the defence this year, do I?
Bishop: You do. How unrealistic! I have always favoured a slow and steady approach and it works well. Gain bit by bit and eventually you get there. My biggest problem with the game lies with the ludicrously overpowered AI. Even on the low difficulties, they're very difficult to stop when they have the ball. Otherwise, I feel this game is a step forward. Also, how good do the players look? Massive, huge, step up on the detail on the players. Absolutely lifelike.
Meikle: Yes indeed. The game looks absolutely stunning. Crisp and lifelike and just beautiful. It's so hard to imagine the NFL being presented any better than this in a game. What mode are you playing? Ultimate Team?
Bishop: Yeah, Ultimate Team as always for me. Once again, it's very strongly aimed at those willing to fork out hundreds of dollars to boost their teams. Clever from a business standpoint for EA but immensely frustrating for those that don't want to spend the money. Beating those teams is oh-so satisfying, though. I see this year they've put a lot of effort into the Connected Career (pretty much franchise) mode. No real interest from me, though, to be honest.
Meikle: I am in two minds about Ultimate Team. It's fun, but after a while I just feel it gets a little shallow. I like the look of the Connected Career setup and look forward to quarterbacking my beloved St Louis Rams to much Super Bowl glory.
Bishop: Madden might be the only place the Rams win a game this season.
Meikle: How are the Saints doing? Overall, it's very hard to complain about Madden 15. They keep churning it out and they keep doing a great job. Maybe EA could run the whole NFL in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal?
Bishop: It's a step up this year, for sure. Not the perfect football game yet, though. Is it worth buying this year? I'd lean towards yes.
Meikle: You're probably right. At least it's something to play until Fifa 15 lands.
