It’s time again for touchdowns, interceptions, fumbles, sacks, just in time for the pre-season, EA released the new Madden 20 in early August. Fittingly, you will learn all worth knowing, changes and innovations of the new football simulation here in our test.
What has changed in Madden 20?
In this year’s Madden 20, a lot has changed to its predecessor. There’s a new game mode, new superstar abilities, X-Factor abilities for the superstars’ elite, and a jumpsuit to make the better players stand out from the average. But do not worry, the classics like Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) and Franchise Mode are back on board.
The gameplay feels a lot different with the new “real player motion 2.0” than it does in Madden 19. In the game, the broad distribution of OVR scores is noticeable and the AI is now making better decisions. As always, you can choose between the different game difficulties and choose modes.
The new engine, the players act their real role models much more similar. For example, Odell Beckham Jr holds the ball as if in real hands, or the skill moves of the stars look deceptively similar to those on TV. The running game is now directly usable to the star of the game, not as in the previous Madden.
Which also benefits you, because like in real life, not every pass of your quarterback fits and sometimes you have the feeling that this player made it into the NFL when he passes a completely free receiver or throws it directly to the defender. What also feels very different is the pass rush, so the pressure of the defense on the quarterback.
This works much more powerful, where you have to read faster through the defense, so you are not constantly on the ground. This is where supportive skills of the elite players are added. The playbooks have also changed, now there are RPO’s, so run pass options, where you decide if it’s a run or a pass. Also new in Madden 20 are trick games like the Philly Special from the Superbowl 52. In Madden 20 it is now also possible to play the Pro Bowl, in which the best players of the AFC and NFC compete.
EA is using the new football season with Madden NFL 20, the new part of the well-known football simulation comes on 02.08 in the trade. This year, the most valuable player of the NFL season 2018 is in the game, Patrick Mahomes is even a fan of the game series and graces the cover of the new part. At this point we collect all information, news and trailers about the game.
The most important facts about “Madden NFL 20”:
Release date: 02.11.19
Genre: Sports simulation
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Scenario: With Madden NFL you can expect a realistic football simulation with many current NFL superstars. Create a junior quarterback and fight your way through the college league to the National Championship or set up your Ultimate Team and more!
Developer: EA Tiburon
Publisher: EA
Madden 20: Game variants and other gameplay features
In Face of the Franchise, you have to become the figurehead of an NFL franchise. In the beginning you have to talk about yourself in college and later call your attention to the scouts in the NFL Combine. So you try to secure a place in the NFL Draft to later become an NFL superstar yourself. This new personalized career mode deals with your career alone. There will also be individual events, dynamic challenges and playable scenarios.
Another game variant is franchise , here you simulate an NFL career with all stages. You can write football history as a coach, player or owner, in online single-player leagues or multiplayer leagues. Of course, all 32 teams will be there and there will be seasonal awards as you complete the year with the Pro Bowl.
In addition, there is the exhibition game variant , here plays her husband against man, single or multiplayer mode. You can play in online and offline matches against other players or against the CPU.
The game options can be customized at Exhibition, which includes game time, rules, stadiums and even uniforms. However, those who prefer to set up their ultimate dream team can do so in Ultimate Team . Create your ultimate NFL lineup with current NFL superstars and many NFL history legends.
Besides career modes and Ultimate Team, there are other game features that have been improved or enhanced. For example, Superstars have “customized moves” to help them instantly enter the game. The new “pump-fake mechanism” allows targeted deception maneuvers, so your receiver can outsmart the defense, by throw-cancel by double-clicking and “Run-pass options” are now also available in play-calling. These are just a few enhancements to the new Madden NFL 20, there is more to explore for you.
With the worldwide release of EA SPORTSMadden NFL 20 also for Xbox One by Electronic Arts unofficially begins the football season. This year, every Superstar X-Factors football fan can become a superstar and experience the special abilities of the finest NFL players. In the new career campaign Face of the Franchise: QB1, players can make the leap from college QB to NFL star.
But that’s not all, as Madden NFL 20 also includes new Run Pass Option (RPO) moves, new Signature animations, Playbooks, and more. Madden Ultimate Team fans can secure items and bonuses for even more powerful squads in new missions.
Fans of the tough competition can look forward to the Madden NFL 20 Championship Series , where eSports players around the world battle for NFL gaming fame. The Madden NFL 20 Championship Series presents a reworked format that brings the game even closer to the real NFL season. All four Madden NFL 20 Major tournaments take place at crucial NFL times.
Even the mobile version of the game, Madden NFL Mobile , has started its new season. Here players can become a football legend at any time and take advantage of a variety of new features, including dynamic NFL seasons, competitive gameplay, and new offensive strategies and team building capabilities. Madden NFL Mobile is now available for download from the AppStore and Google Play .
Madden 20 Mobile Review
Madden NFL 20 is developed by EA Tiburon of Orlando, Florida and is also available worldwide for Xbox One .
Under the NFL Draft in 2019, Electronic Arts today officially unveiled Patrick Mahomes , quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs and most valuable player of the 2018 NFL season, as cover star of all editions of Madden NFL 20 and Madden Mobile. In addition, first details about the game will be announced.
Mahomes delivered a record-breaking first season as a starter and goes down in history as the only quarterback to record more than 5,000 thrown yards in a season in both the college league and the NFL. He is also the third quarterback to score at least 50 touchdowns in a single season.
In addition to his appearance on the cover, Mahomes also served as a source of inspiration for the development of Face of the Franchise: QB1, a brand new and personalized career mode in Madden NFL 20 that allows fans to create their own junior quarterback and break away from college football, to fight through the NFL Combine and the NFL Draft to face the franchise in the NFL. The new scenario structure in this mode generates unique playable scenarios.
In Superstar X-Factor , another novelty of this year’s offshoot, the stars of the NFL demonstrate their unique abilities and show the world why they are among the best of the best. “The team wanted to ensure this year that the NFL superstars feel and play in all aspects of Madden, just as they do on the field every Sunday – we wanted to make sure the stars really feel like stars,” said Seann Graddy, Executive Producer of Madden NFL 20. In addition, fans can look forward to new player celebrations, sprint and passport options (RPO) and unique playbooks.
Pre-Ordering the Madden NFL 20
Superstar Edition kicks off today and offers fans many benefits, including 12 Gold Team Fantasy Packs, 1 of 32 basic elite players from their favorite NFL team, a small Quick Sell training pack in Madden Ultimate Team and a unique one Legends Superstar ability of their choice for the created player in the new game mode Face of the Franchise: QB1.
In Face of the Franchise: QB1, fans of the college football can brace themselves for more than 10 new NCAA colleges, including Mahomes’ Alma Mater Texas Tech, as well as other top teams such as Clemson, Oklahoma and LSU.
Madden NFL 20 could be seen as Brett Favre of the series. A player who is certainly one of the best quarterbacks in history, but also a famous “Gunslinger”, where many litters were not sitting. That’s how Madden NFL 20 looks like. The game makes some things right, but unfortunately, every opportunity is not taken advantage of.
What makes Madden NFL 20 the mark this time round is the gameplay. The new “real player motion 2.0” makes a real difference and is better than its predecessor. The movements, including artificial intelligence (AI), make far more sense. Above all, the broad distribution of ratings is noticeable. It is not a drastic change, but one that is quite noticeable. The very good players of the league, are very similar to their real life pedan. This is reflected in the “signature animations” again. For example, in the spin-move of Melvin Gordon or in the juke of Alvin Kamara.
Addictive gameplay
However, the biggest and most significant change is the new X-Factor abilities. 50 league players have special abilities. You have to unlock them in the game by certain achievements, so that the players get into the zone. However, once these players are in the zone, they can be taken out again. They are not scores or modifiers, instead they are a particular behavior or character trait. These are situational events that can make a real difference.
Example: After several runs of 10+ yards, Saquon Barkley enters the zone and receives the X-Factor ability “First One Free”. This ability improves his spin, juke, and hurdle move and makes it difficult to bring him down through the first Defender.
However, once Saquon Barkley is stopped for a loss of space, he leaves the zone again. It is always important to know where the respective X-Factor player is in the field. Both in our own and in the opposing team. However, some abilities are a bit overwhelming at the launch of the game, but not so strong they would break the game.
The gameplay is not perfect, but it’s great fun
In addition, other changes also bring new improvements. The “pocket” of the quarterback breaks down faster , which brings more realism. The Qarterback can no longer stand six seconds in the pocket, but rather two to three seconds. Which really benefits the realism. The trajectory of the ball and the jump height of the linebacker have also been adjusted .
Also Read: EA launched EA SPORTS Madden NFL 20 worldwide on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Origin for PC
The middle linebacker is no longer able to jump six feet into the air to catch the ball. As a quarterback you can better “leaden” your receiver and throw the ball into tighter windows of coverage. Although the AI is not perfect, but a little better than before. Of course, it still happens that an O-liner is in the middle of the way, because he has nothing to block. But far less common than veterans of the series are used to.
It would be nice to finally see that the AI finally finally emulates the real team. Unfortunately, Madden NFL 20 is not ready yet. So the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are not nearly as common as in real life. The Giants turn their backs on Saquon Barkley and sometimes give him almost no runs, also do not use the New Orleans Saints Alvin Kamara as usual.
This is certainly a wish for the future. But the playbooks are much more extensive. In addition to new run pass options (RPOs), the playbooks have been thoroughly redesigned and give the play-calling more depth. The gameplay is certainly not perfect, but it’s much more fun than its predecessor.
Easy entry into Madden Ultimate Team
Fortunately, there are positive changes in the Madden Ultimate team. The new “Missions” make the tasks more visible and also introduce new players of the mode intuitively. Ultimate Challenges replace the former solo challenges and can now even be played co-op. The “red chems” will be replaced this year by the new X-Factor abilities. Everyone who had fun with MUT before will not be disappointed this time either.
For smaller changes, which mainly affect the immersions, everyone has to decide for themselves whether it is to be interpreted positively or negatively. The commentators, Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis, are doing a good job with their transmission method, unfortunately the phrases are repeated too often and are often the same as in the predecessor. Also, the referees were taken off the field, this does not bother me personally, but it’s still worth mentioning. The huddle will not be broken any more and after the turn you will stand directly at the line-of-scrimmage.
My conclusion about Madden NFL 20
The gameplay, the new animations and above all the new X-Factor abilities enrich the game immensely. More realism thanks to a faster pass-rush and the opportunity to successfully complete running games at the launch of the game are welcome changes.
But unfortunately, I never lose the feeling that EA has put some resources into the wrong aspects of the game. The developer seems to have put a lot of emphasis on the Pro Bowl – in my opinion too much. Yes, it’s nice to play the Pro Bowl for a few games, but the resources would have been far more useful in other modes, especially in franchise mode. Actually, it is a nuisance that the Pro Bowl is held as a big “new” feature, since he was earlier in the game. Unfortunately, franchise players are also watching this time.
Overall, Madden NFL 20 is a good football game. Unfortunately, like Brett Favre, not every litter is sitting. For some throws, the player even asks, why did you do that, EA? Nonetheless, most litters arrive. It’s a good, but fun, game this year. Unfortunately, no reinvention, but a refinement!
Will the fallen if, gameplay is about everything.
If you do not like it, you hope that the franchise mode and “Face of the Franchise: QB1” can contribute a lot to the game.
