Madden NFL '99
Reviewed by Greatest One
John Madden and football go hand in hand. Therefore, it is
no surprise that the Madden series is the most successful
NFL video game series available. But even then, the games
had something missing, that is until Madden 99 came along.
Madden 99 has it all. Realistic looking players, a realistic
season mode, a killer franchise mode, and a slew of new moves.
The players look like real football players, with shoulder
pads and helmets. You can even make out their shin guards,
through their pants. They are armed with a bunch of moves to
evade defenders, such as the turbo, spin move, stiff arms,
hurdle and a great juke move. The defence is no slouch
either as they come after you with a variety of different
formations, which can even be adjusted on the field.
The season mode is wonderful, with stats being tracked
realistically in a lot of different categories. Weekly as
well as year-end awards make it that much better. Before
games, you can see head to head comparisons between teams to
decide who has the upper hand.
The addition of a franchise mode makes this game great. You
can now play multiple seasons, which have the grat season
mode feel. But the thing that makes this mode so special, is
the requirement of being a good GM. Player retire at the end
of seasons and some file for free agency. You have to manage
the salary cap and draft and sign good players to keep your
team among the league's elite. If you aren't doing a good
job, you may be fired from your position as head coach. This
mode makes the game a must-buy.
John Madden and Pat Summerall return to do the play-by-play.
The MAN is back with a whole bunch of new 'maddenisms,'
which are quite hilarious. One of the funniest ones is when
he talks about Steve Young and his bus during a 49ers game.
Overall, this game sets the bar very high for virtual
football games.
Graphics: 9.
The graphics are awesome. Realistic looking players and
detailed stadiums. It also has an annoying refree who
sometimes gets in your way. You can even see him throw flags
on the field signaling a penalty.
Sound: 7.
The weak point in the game. The crowd noise is generic.
Their isn't enough commentary in the game, as you can find
long breaks between comments. Also Summerall's vocabulary
isn't too great.
Gameplay: 8.
Its fun to play, but the gameplay seems a bit unbalanced.
The offense is too powerful, and once you get the hang of
things, you can score on will. I have managed to score 100+
points quite often against the computer.
Replay Value: 9.
The season and career mode make you play for ever. Even when
you get really good, its fun to try and get your players
near the league lead in their respective statistical
categories. Multiplayer is awesome as I think this is the
premier multiplayer, sports game in the market today.
Overall: 9 out of 10
There aren't too many shortcomings in this game. The sound
could have been better, but other than that, this game has it all.
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