"Madden NFL 18," has been released and reviews of Electronic Arts' newest football-themed video game have been mixed. However, the title is able to shine with a new mode that allows players to have an immersive experience of the hardships of the sport.
It is the first time for any of EA's "Madden" games to feature a story mode. It is possible that EA realized that they couldn't get players and fans to purchase their games consistently, compared to other sports titles such as the highly popular "FIFA" and "NBA 2K" series so they had to find a way to do just that.
The story mode is called "Longshot" where players get to be in the shoes of a fictional Devin Wade, a neophyte football player. His backstory is that of a promising high school prospect who had to give up playing football due to difficult life circumstances. Eventually, he finds himself in the National Football Association (NFL) where he tries to make his own way doing what he loves best.
This story is a classic American football story that has been made into movies and even incorporated into teen drama series. It may be considered a cliché by some, but the new mode has received some positive feedback, as well as negative ones.
Discourse in GQ is that "Longshot" is too simplistic in its style and does not represent the true nature of the sport. However, PlayStation Lifestyle stated that the narrative of the new game mode is one of the best ones that the publication has encountered this year. The two sides may have their merits since the negative feedback alludes to the video game aspect, while the positive reviews have pertained to the quality of the story.
This could potentially allow EA to explore the whole concept further — improving gameplay mechanics and delivering the same standard of story-telling for future "Madden" games.
"Madden NFL 18" is available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
