Bringing the Wars here, EA vs Sega

[dafunkdoc]

Madden 2004 and ESPN football aka 2k4, the scores are out.

Since everyone seems to buy into gamerankings.com, I will use them

ESPN football Madden 2004

PS2 %86.5 PS2 %94.2

Xbox %86.3 XBox %92.1

EGM scores for Madden and ESPN NFL which are reflected in gameranking scores. The scores are reflective of all systems

Maddden 2004 9.5, 9.0, and 9.5. NFL2k4 8.0, 7.5, and 8.5

Madden clearly has the edge on both systems, but the gamers on video game review web site are dogging out Madden on both PS2 and Xbox with scores of 3.74 and 3.64.

We have to wait abit for the ESPN scores to show up on VGR.

[Tappy_Tibbons]

oddly enough, the pro reviews do NOT coincide with the consumer reviews on our mothersite here. It appears as though people aren't digging Madden quite like the pros assume they would have.

[stevedperkins]

I've always been a huge fan of Sega in general... ever since "Afterburner" came out in the arcade when I was a kid, and the Genesis was the first toy I bought with my own lawn-mowing money I'd saved up. I would love to see their sports games do well, if for no other reason than to keep EA honest.

However, EA really only has one competitor, and that's EA. Their problem is that they try to put a new version of all their games EVERY year, and there really isn't enough difference in the games from one year to the next for people to want to upgrade annually. Most people seem to be like me, they only buy a new Madden game when they move to the next generation of console.

Other games have their gimmicks... Sega's 1st-person-view looks interesting, and Microsoft has the whole XBox Live thing going for it. However, no one seems to challenge Madden on pure depth and playability... and I don't see that changing anytime during this console generation.

[folken001]

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However, EA really only has one competitor, and that's EA. Their problem is that they try to put a new version of all their games EVERY year, and there really isn't enough difference in the games from one year to the next for people to want to upgrade annually. Most people seem to be like me, they only buy a new Madden game when they move to the next generation of console.
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Doesn't this apply to all sport titles?

[dafunkdoc]

<div class=\"smallfont\">I've always been a huge fan of Sega in general... ever since "Afterburner" came out in the arcade when I was a kid, and the Genesis was the first toy I bought with my own lawn-mowing money I'd saved up. I would love to see their sports games do well, if for no other reason than to keep EA honest.

However, EA really only has one competitor, and that's EA. Their problem is that they try to put a new version of all their games EVERY year, and there really isn't enough difference in the games from one year to the next for people to want to upgrade annually. Most people seem to be like me, they only buy a new Madden game when they move to the next generation of console.

Other games have their gimmicks... Sega's 1st-person-view looks interesting, and Microsoft has the whole XBox Live thing going for it. However, no one seems to challenge Madden on pure depth and playability... and I don't see that changing anytime during this console generation.</div>


NBA Live when it came out for PS2 it a horrible basketball game in all areas. NBA 2k was the better game. EA revamped the gameplay alot with last NBA live game, its flows better and plays better than the Sega series. Now if they just worked on the franchise mode. As far as Madden goes how much improvement can you do with a great game.
Sports titles come out every year, and so much is expected of them each year. If people complain that a game is too easy, and the company makes it harder, then the people complain its too hard and cheap. Madden 2003 was great game, EA makes few improvements and now its considered a bad game. Most complants are based on too many ints, fumbles, points, and so on. All that can be fixed through change sliders and diffculties. The reviews from VGR are either very good or very bad. Maybe the bad reviews are the people who cant figure out the sliders.

[Tappy_Tibbons]

I, for one, will never understand why people go out and buy the latest update of sports games ever frikkin year. I like football as much as the next guy but I just don't get why people blow so much cash every year on basically the same game with new stats.

[mass]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Madden 2004 and ESPN football aka 2k4, the scores are out.

Since everyone seems to buy into gamerankings.com, I will use them

ESPN football Madden 2004

PS2 %86.5 PS2 %94.2

Xbox %86.3 XBox %92.1

EGM scores for Madden and ESPN NFL which are reflected in gameranking scores. The scores are reflective of all systems

Maddden 2004 9.5, 9.0, and 9.5. NFL2k4 8.0, 7.5, and 8.5

Madden clearly has the edge on both systems, but the gamers on video game review web site are dogging out Madden on both PS2 and Xbox with scores of 3.74 and 3.64.

We have to wait abit for the ESPN scores to show up on VGR.</div>

It's not just this site, that madden's getting dogged on, it's all of them and a lot of them are furious. Especially with the cpu cheating like crazy if you rack up a lead. I've rented it and can attest that a lot of screwy things happpen when you take the lead. Your players get very fumble-prone, and cpu starts breaking big plays, picks for tds, kickoff and punt returns for tds, etc. NCAA is a better game, the pro reviews aren't as good, but gamers are a lot happier with it, and it runs the madden engine. I know I am.

[Wheat, Bob]

I will always take Madden over Sega's Football anyday. Ever since NFL 2K, the game has felt a little too arcady for a sim fan such as myself. I rarely buy a Madden one year, and another Madden the next, I always rotate between Madden and NCAA football. The 2004 edition of Madden is the first time I got the series the day it was released, and I haven't been disappointed.

I always felt that Madden was for the Sports fan first-game fan second, and Sega's football game was for the game fan first-sports fan second.

[mass]

<div class=\"smallfont\">I will always take Madden over Sega's Football anyday. Ever since NFL 2K, the game has felt a little too arcady for a sim fan such as myself. I rarely buy a Madden one year, and another Madden the next, I always rotate between Madden and NCAA football. The 2004 edition of Madden is the first time I got the series the day it was released, and I haven't been disappointed.

I always felt that Madden was for the Sports fan first-game fan second, and Sega's football game was for the game fan first-sports fan second.</div>

You have to be kidding me, Bob. What kind of sports fan cares about the price of effin' hot dogs. VC sweats the details of game play and re-creating the esssence of football broadcast. Last year 2k3, had every play run from scrimmage in the previous season as part of its playbook. Madden couldn't even close to that.

This year's madden cheats like hell if you take a lead. You can stuff the running game all you want, the computer just eats you alive on the pass plays, especially third and long. Your pass blockers are useless even with the sliders cranked up, I'm constantly under fire in the pocket. On the reverse, the cpu picks off your blitzing linebackers at will. Having bought NCAA 2004 this year, that game stomps all over madden. My blitzes actually work. My dbs actually cover receivers.

I played the 2k4 demo, and the graphics and animation both pancake madden to the turf. It's not even a close call. A definite step up from last year. A much tougher game where you have to work for yardage on every play. Madden is all about the big play, lots of fumbles, interceptions, kickoff and punt returns for big yardage, the long ball, and of course the money play. Money play this year, is the hail mary pass and scramble for big yardage with vick. Madden is about features, mini-camp, madden 101, owners mode, madden cards, but, it's an aging football engine in desparate need for overhaul.

[Wheat, Bob]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\"></div>

You have to be kidding me, Bob. What kind of sports fan cares about the price of effin' hot dogs. VC sweats the details of game play and re-creating the esssence of football broadcast. Last year 2k3, had every play run from scrimmage in the previous season as part of its playbook. Madden couldn't even close to that.

This year's madden cheats like hell if you take a lead. You can stuff the running game all you want, the computer just eats you alive on the pass plays, especially third and long. Your pass blockers are useless even with the sliders cranked up, I'm constantly under fire in the pocket. On the reverse, the cpu picks off your blitzing linebackers at will. Having bought NCAA 2004 this year, that game stomps all over madden. My blitzes actually work. My dbs actually cover receivers.

I played the 2k4 demo, and the graphics and animation both pancake madden to the turf. It's not even a close call. A definite step up from last year. A much tougher game where you have to work for yardage on every play. Madden is all about the big play, lots of fumbles, interceptions, kickoff and punt returns for big yardage, the long ball, and of course the money play. Money play this year, is the hail mary pass and scramble for big yardage with vick. Madden is about features, mini-camp, madden 101, owners mode, madden cards, but, it's an aging football engine in desparate need for overhaul.</div>

Wait a minute. I know you are not talking about football engines that need an overhaul. Sega's football engine has been garbage ever since NFL 2k. That arcadey piece of crap is barely better than MS's NFL Fever. Sega can make the presentation of a game really well, but as soon as the coin is tossed, Madden blows it out of the water. And this is coming from a gamer who has played football games since the 3 on 3 "Football" on Atari.

And as far as Owner's mode on Madden, you can always turn the option off, so that's no big deal. So far, I haven't had a problem with the so called cheating, since I know how to play defense in the game.

[mass]

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Wait a minute. I know you are not talking about football engines that need an overhaul. Sega's football engine has been garbage ever since NFL 2k. That arcadey piece of crap is barely better than MS's NFL Fever. Sega can make the presentation of a game really well, but as soon as the coin is tossed, Madden blows it out of the water. And this is coming from a gamer who has played football games since the 3 on 3 &quot;Football&quot; on Atari.

And as far as Owner's mode on Madden, you can always turn the option off, so that's no big deal. So far, I haven't had a problem with the so called cheating, since I know how to play defense in the game.</div>

Bob, it's obvious to me you wouldn't know a football if one hit you in the head. And if you haven't noticed the cheating, you haven't been paying attention. There's not a whole lot I can do on defense, when my punt returner fumbles the ball all on his own, and the cpu picks the ball up and returns it for a touchdown.

And, BFD about your playing games since 3 on 3. Without a doubt one of the lamest standard responses from people wanting to back up their opinion. I've been playing blah, blah, blah, .... since you were an itch in your momma's crotch, blah, blah, blah. That's rich, sega's arcadey, what is maddden, realistic?! LOL!

[Wheat, Bob]

Is it cheating, or do you just suck in the game? You obviously don't know how to play the game, or you need to switch it to rookie level.


Your *****ing about Madden bores me. Take it back and reserve ESPN football for all I care.

[mass]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Is it cheating, or do you just suck in the game? You obviously don't know how to play the game, or you need to switch it to rookie level.


Your *****ing about Madden bores me. Take it back and reserve ESPN football for all I care.</div>

Your lame replies bore me even more than you can imagine. Rookie mode on madden is what I dub the score at will mode. I try it out to see how brutally I can destroy the computer. 111-7 was the score of my first game, and I went for an ill-advised dive tackle on a receiver or it would've been 111-0. I played mostly on pro and had no problem beating the cpu. The cpu cheats, it's just that simple when you start racking up a lead. Maybe you can't get ahead of the cpu, Bob, that's why you haven't noticed the cheating. :D

There are well over 100 reviews on the vgr review board when you combine ps2 and xbox reviews. This is the worst user reviewed version of madden out there, with people echoeing a series of similar complaints. Sorry to break it to you, but the emperor has no clothes.

I didn't buy the bloody game to begin with, I rented this year. I've owned madden games 2001, 2002, and 2003. I along with a host of other gamers are basically fed up with EA delivering the same game with a few additional bells and whistles.

Also, you big whiny-baby, this is an EA vs. Sega thread. If you don't want to debate the merits of the two games, then I suggest you tuck that tail of yours between your legs and run off home. I've offered specific reasons as to why I find madden lacking. You've offered absolutely nothing in return.

[jvilldog]

I agree with Mass. I could'nt have said it better. You basically took the words out of my mouth

[dafunkdoc]

So Mass, you are saying that EA's NCAA football is the best football game? How is it compared to NCAA 2k or NFL 2k series? Since not all of us play football games for the single player experience, how is Madden 2004 vs a buddy?

[olyeller01]

I won't lie, I've been a big fan of Madden for a long time now. That changed with this year's version. While it's still a good game, and def. worth purchasing if you don't have any of the previous iterations, ESPN tops it this year. For the hell of it, I bought 2K3 last year and had a good time with it. While Madden was still better, I was excited to see what improvements would be made with a year's worth of time, and I wasn't disappointed. Yeah, ESPN has its quirks, like having to tap the speed burst, players being able to stop and turn on a dime, and the goofy way the players run like they have to crap, but to me it's more fun. Since I bought it Madden 04 hasn't even been out of its box. The Crib, the tackles, the charge-up moves, the stadiums, sidelines, and players, even the bouncing boobs of the cheerleaders-ESPN comes out on top.

I, too, have noticed the cheating computer on Madden when you build a big lead. Receivers start dropping everything, you get sacked like crazy, your guys fumble easier, and the CPU goes into hyper-coverage mode for easy picks. I hate demolishing a team for three quarters only to have them start tearing me up in the fourth.

IMHO, NCAA is the best football game out there...though I wish I could see what Visual Concepts could do with a college game based on the 2K4 engine. ESPN NFL2K4 is the best pro football game out there. It remains to be seen if NBA 2K4 can stay on top of Live, which, if Live is still like it has been the past few years, shouldn't be too hard. I'm also interested to see what VC will do with ESPN NHL Hockey.