Madden 25 Review: Tech Specs
Platforms:PC, PlayStation 5 (tested), Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Price: $69
Release date: August 16, 2024
Gender: Sport
Madden has been the king of football for decades, but the crown has slipped in recent years, can Madden 25 NFL reclaim the throne?
It's been 12 years since the Madden 25th Anniversary Edition released under the same name Madden NFL 25, and we're sure there's a sarcastic commentator waiting to claim that Madden hasn't gotten any better since then. I'd say Madden has improved tenfold over the past decade, but I also acknowledge that the franchise's monopoly on digital football hasn't necessarily been a good thing for players. However, with the release of the excellent College Football 25 Earlier this summer, Madden finally got some competition. College Football 25 is a joyful experience and has received a well-deserved enthusiastic reception from players. With this rival on the scene, it has never been more important for Madden to avoid mistakes.
For the past few years, the Madden series has been riddled with major bugs and frustrating quality-of-life choices. Unfortunately, EA hasn't really tried with Madden. This year, it feels like EA Orlando has finally listened to fans, delivering real improvements on the field and spending more time on the little details that make the game flow.
After years of disappointing performance, will Madden NFL 25 finally turn things around? Read my full Madden 25 review to find out how it stacks up.
Madden 25: The Basics
- What is this? Madden NFL 25 is the latest entry in EA's long-running NFL football franchise, not to be confused with the 25th Anniversary Edition released under the same name in 2013. The sports simulation game virtually recreates the action of professional football and lets you play as some of the best teams and players in the world.
- Who is it for? NFL American football fans of course, but also players of sports and football video games in general.
- What is the price? The standard edition of Madden 25 costs $69. There is also a Deluxe Edition for $99.99 and a $139.99 MVP Pack that includes College Football 25. Each edition comes with a selection of additional digital content, primarily for Ultimate Team.
- What other games has the developer created? EA Orlando, formerly Tiburon, is best known for creating the previous Madden games and more recently College Football 25. They also made EA's latest golf simulation, EA Sports PGA Tour.
- What games does this look like? It is a continuation of the long-running Madden franchise and now competes with College Football 25 and possibly Maximum Football.
On the ground
I quickly quit Madden NFL 24 due to some absolutely ridiculous bugs. I played a game where Justin Jefferson, known for this circus capturerefused to catch any ball thrown his way for all four quarters. It was THE a problem that ultimately broke my resolve to play.
Thankfully, Madden NFL 25 hasn't faced the same issues (so far). Instead, the gameplay has seen a huge improvement with changes to a number of systems that casual fans might not notice, but regular Madden players will love.
Player animations are smoother than ever. The exceptional animation work done in Madden NFL 25 and College Football 25 suggests that EA Orlando has finally figured out how the Frostbite engine works.
I still find Madden's pre-snap graphics to be a bit cartoonish, but the tweaks to systems like pass blocking assignments really open up the way you run the offense. The ability to assign pass protections like Half Slide Right or Left to the offensive line helps you spot blitzes and forces you to better diagnose defenses.
AI is finally catching up to how real-life football teams play the sport. So far, teams that run a lot are trying to use their running backs in both the passing and running game instead of trading random players down the depth chart for swing passes. It's worth noting that archetypes actually play by shape, where a scrambling QB is more likely to run first than a pocket passer who will just throw the ball if he doesn't find an open receiver, which wasn't always the case before.
A shiny new toy
Overall, Madden NFL 25 is a huge improvement in the overall presentation over last year's edition. The user interface is responsive and dare I say fun?
I found loading outside of the game to be atrocious. There were times when I would press a menu and it would take so long I thought the game had frozen.
There are two audio quality changes that make Madden NFL 25 light years ahead of recent releases. First, the soundtrack is probably the best it's been in a while, with no songs that I'd call distracting or irritating, like LG Malique's “Winning” in Madden 24. I've even added a few tracks from the game to my personal playlist.
Second, EA has refreshed the commentating duo of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis with two new teams. Headliners Mike Tirico and Greg “Third Leg” Olsen provide a fairly relaxed vibe while Kate Scott and Brock Huard provide a more intense commentary. Both of these additions are welcome, and I hope they return for Madden NFL 26.
Match day
Ultimate Team is here, with the same criticisms as usual. Want to spend more money on Madden? If so, MUT will encourage you to empty your pockets right from the start. That said, the new Challenge Mode is surprisingly fun and engaging and will keep you in the mode longer than you might expect, especially since you don't have to play against other people. Still, if you never liked MUT before, that won't keep you here.
Outside of Ultimate Team, Franchise mode is still disappointing. Playing as a manager or owner remains a separate option, which is convenient for players who want to focus solely on X's and O's. However, I like having the ability to set absurd prices for hot dogs, but I admit I'm a bit lost when it comes to contracts and other financial tasks.
Franchise mode still lacks functionality, as it doesn't allow you to just be the offensive or defensive coordinator. This is a stark contrast to College Football 25, where you can start your coaching career as a DC or OC. Honestly, this is a feature that Madden absolutely needs to add to Franchise mode, and it's a shame to see it omitted once again.
The new “storyline” feature, which is supposed to break up the action and add a personal touch to your football career, forced me to make choices so bizarre that I began to ignore it. For example, during a preseason training camp, I was asked if there would be a battle for the defensive end position between my 92nd overall-rated homegrown superstar and his 75th-rated backup. Of course not, there would never be a battle. I said “no,” and lost 10 team morale points for my team. And that wasn’t the only absurd question I was forced to answer. Even more frustratingly, Superstar mode has slowly been overrun by Ultimate Team’s microtransactions, with cosmetic uniforms and streetball options still available at an additional cost to your avatar.
Still, the pro career mode is still good, and the mini-game-filled scouting game is a delight. Better yet, the performance quests beyond just passing or running for a ton of yards are a joy to behold when the little green RPG-like numbers show up.
Madden 25 Verdict
EA Orlando made a good Madden game, and that's no small feat after two or three years of iterations that I'd describe as disappointing at best and downright bad at worst. Unfortunately, despite the improvements, I spent most of my time playing Madden NFL 25 wishing I was back in college.
If you’re primarily an NFL fan, you’ll be pleased with the on-field action compared to previous versions. However, if you’re a football fan, regardless of league, then Madden will disappoint. It lacks the glitz of College Football 25, making it feel more sterile. And surprisingly, even with a new commentary team, it doesn’t celebrate the NFL’s rich history, something College Football 25 does with great aplomb.
Still, Madden NFL 25 remains one of the franchise's best efforts in years, and I hope that having to face the prodigal son will finally inspire EA Orlando to significantly improve its flagship franchise in the years to come. For now, Madden NFL 25 is just a good football game, rather than a great game like its college sibling.