Review: Madden 21 (Next-Gen)

A fair amount of recent releases are getting patches that optimize them for the next-gen consoles. These patches range from upscaling assets to 4K, improving performance, and adding new features such as ray-tracing. The most extreme difference thus far has been 2K’s NBA 2K21, which feels like a completely different game from its last-gen counterpart. With EA making a big deal about Madden’s update taking advantage of the new hardware, is it fair to expect the same? 

Visuals: The next-gen version of Madden 21 does look better than previous versions, but it’s not the significant difference that most were hoping for. Unlike NBA 2K21’s next-gen release, Madden isn’t going to bring the “wow” factor when it comes to the upgrades of stadiums, overall presentation, and players. Instead, this optimized version of Madden shines brightest when mother nature is in play. The detail in the raindrops hitting player’s helmets and the reflection of the snow-covered field glaring off those same helmets is impressive. It makes playing in the elements appealing for the first time in a long time. The lighting system in general just adds so much polish to the game. The way the late-afternoon sun bounces off the San Francisco 49ers helmet or that the shadows of Hard Rock Stadium add an extra layer of difficulty, it’s the real star of the show here. 

Sideline Activity: Oddly enough, one of the more exciting advertised features of this next-gen patch was that it was going to bring an accurate, lively sideline to Madden 21. It sounds like a minor detail but it’s always been a bit disappointing when you run out of bounds or downfield and see a sideline full of random NPC’s. Madden 21 Next-Gen delivers on this…kind of. While you’re going to notice your teammates in-game now, there’s still a lot of randomness at play. While on offense, you will notice your defensive counterparts on the sideline. Their jersey numbers are accurate, and some even have their captain patches, but the majority of them still look pretty rough. You may find yourself running out of bounds and being startled by some of them. “Who is that, is that Slender Man?” No, don’t worry, that’s just Mike Glennon. 

Animations: In keeping with the sideline theme, Madden 21 will cut away to animations a lot. You may get 2-3 after every play. It might be fans reacting to the home team’s performance, it may the head coach stalking the sidelines, and it may be your teammates reacting to plays on the sideline. This is all really neat, but there’s still an element of randomness at play that sours it a bit. Regardless of the weather, the fans are not dressed for the element, and they come off as lifeless androids. The players hyping up their teammates on the sideline are cool, but why is your outside linebacker hyping up the offensive line? 

All that said, I am seeing more and more new animations during my time with Madden 21 that I haven’t seen before, and most of them add to the presentation. During a blowout, there was an animation of my quarterback standing on the bench trying to get the fans to get louder. There’s a new touchdown celebration that allows you to choose to celebrate by jumping into the stands–even if you’re the away team, and it’s awesome. 

Next-Gen Stats: The one new feature that I’m already sick of and wish that I could turn off is Madden 21’s Next Gen Stats. Using on-field sports science, EA says that the next-gen version of the game is keeping track of dozens of new real-time stats. In theory, sure, but I’m not a fan of how it’s executed. After a long run, the Next Gen Stats will pop up and tell you how fast the player was running during it. Hit a long pass downfield and it will tell you how many yards the ball traveled to its target. It’s repetitive and wears out its welcome quickly.

Gameplay: At the end of the day, the success or failure of Madden is always going to come down to how it feels and plays. In that respect, Madden has never felt better than it does with this update. Everything feels balanced and slowed down. Players are moving like actual NFL players, and those hilarious animation glitches post-tackle happen less and less. Playing as Dalvin Cook and waiting patiently as your blockers open up the edge is poetry in motion. Putting just the right amount of touch on a pass to hit Tyler Boyd over the middle for the first down invokes a warmness in your tumtum. While the pandemic and the fact that Zack Taylor is coaching my favorite team has killed nearly all interest in the real 2021 NFL season for me, this Madden update gives me a much-needed alternative to hold me over.

This is a step in the right direction for Madden. The gameplay feels right for the first time in a long time, and the advances in the presentation are a big help–they just need to be cleaned up. As trendy as it is to shit on EA and their efforts, they actually have something to build on here. I’m finding myself excited for the future of the Madden franchise for the first time in a very long time.