Madden NFL 07

Madden NFL 07 Description

Old Man Madden is now approaching instalment number 20 as far as the American Football games go, and the constantly evolving series is back in 2006 for another punt with the prophetically-titled Madden NFL 2007. That's about as 'future' as this game gets, however, with the gameplay pretty much left alone from last time (nothing wrong with that) and just a sprinkling of new features added to the modern Madden experience. Those new features alongside old favourites such as the Hall of Fame Mode, Authentic Defensive NFL Playbooks and the Franchise Mode, make this year's model a worthwhile purchase. The all-new lead blocker controls allow you, for the first time ever, to throw the perfect block to create a hole in the opposition defence, thus letting you gain a huge advantage should you get it right. 'Neat-o!' as they say. Player-specific running moves are featured too, allowing you to elude or knock down defenders with new jukes and power moves. So it's massive in America (well, duh!) but still - after all these years - something of an acquired taste over the pond in Europe, but bless EA and its little tube socks for making things simple for those not entirely au fait with the finer points of this sport. Rookies are directed toward the 'Ask Madden' button in-game. If the old fella can't advise you of the best play to make, no-one can. The controls can be a little overwhelming at first - there are many different jinks and moves to make - and all with just one controller. However, once into the swing of things, and the stop/start nature of the sport, NFL 07 gets under the skin. Its plethora of game modes signals great longevity, and the chance to 'be' an NFL superstar on and off the field is within your reach in Madden NFL 07. Americans still say things like 'Go for it!' don't they? To sum up, Madden NFL 07 is definitely the one to get if you're looking for an authentic, deep game of American Football. No other publisher gets near the detail and playability of these games, so do yourself a favour, stop faffing about, and take the plunge.

Lead Blocker Control - Throw the perfect block and create a running lane with all-new lead blocking control, and then take command of the tailback and rip off a big gain.

NFL Superstar: Hall of Fame Mode - Play your way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame by taking complete control of any position on the field. Your actions on and off the field determine your impact on the game.

Run Like the Players Run with the All-New Highlight Stick - Bust out player-specific running styles matching those of real NFL players (e.g., smaller backs slash to break tackles, while bigger runners bowl over defenders in the open field). All-new jukes, cutbacks, and power moves.

Additions to Franchise Mode - Scout collegiate prospects with the all-new NFL Draft Scouting System and the College All-Star Game, or watch players around the NFL impact their teams with the new Franchise Player Roles feature.

Team-Specific Defensive Playbooks - For the first time, use actual plays from your favorite team's defensive playbook to shut down the running game, pressure the quarterback, or force key turnovers.

Enhanced Control Scheme - All-new Touch Pad buttons allow you to navigate through the game with simple finger taps. You can also draw on-screen hot routes and use voice recognition to call audibles.

Unprecedented Gameplay Graphics - New visuals and higher resolution bring out every detail - sleek wide receivers and bulky lineman, realistic stadium day-night lighting, and game-altering weather effects.