Madden '98

Madden ‘98

SONY Playstation 1

Click HERE for screenshots. 

Following the debacle that was Madden ’97 on the PS1, Madden ’98 is a marked improvement all around.  Everything is polished and runs smoother- from the menus all the way through game play on the field.  The graphics might be lousy by today’s standards, but at least the game WORKS. 

Getting right to the action, the first thing I noticed upon launching into my divisional playoff matchup (vs. the Bengals in New England) was how much more consistent and smooth the frame rate was.  The player models are largely the same from Madden ’97 (2-d bitmaps on a 3d-ish field), but they have been tweaked a bit (player numbers are back on the jerseys, but they look garbled and terrible).  In spite of these minor graphical improvements, the game mechanics seem much improved and, unlike Madden ’97, Madden ’98 plays like a GAME.

The presentation has also been enhanced.  The additions of a “keys to victory” screen that provides little team-specific anecdotes harkens back to Madden ’91 and the addition of in-game instant replay appropriately surfaces after a big play.  I was also very happy to see that drive summaries were back in the game- why did they ever take these away after Madden ‘93?  At the half of my first game against the Bengals, the Pats were up 14-7.  My notes reflect a well balanced game that did not feel too easy, but was far from impossible.  I ended up with a 21-7 win, and while the running game still had some issues (though not quite as egregious as in ’97), on the whole the mechanics made sense and the game was fun. 

The AFC Championship was the Broncos at Patriots.  In reality, the Denver Broncos annually smoked the Pats in this era.  Even when the Pats had a great team, they always struggled against the Broncos.  In a game with 40 MPH winds, the CPU surprised me by coming out passing.  The Broncos of this era had a Hall of Fame QB in John Elway, but what made them 2x Super Bowl Champs (’97 and ’98) was their strong running game with Terrell Davis.  Nevertheless, the CPU went almost exclusively with the pass and was shut out in the first half.  The Denver defense was excellent and I only managed 2 field goals for a 6-0 halftime lead.  While I was killing them statistically, I was weary of my tenuous lead on the scoreboard. 

It turns out, I was right to be concerned.  In the second half, the CPU switched gears and turned to the running game.  This change caught me off guard and they marched to the goal line on the back of Davis.  After stuffing them twice at the 1 yard line, the CPU called a play action pass, which completely fooled me, and they scored the go ahead TD, putting them up 7-6 in the early 4^th quarter.  It was at about this point that one of my players got injured and a motorized cart had to come onto the field to take them away.  This was the first time I had seen anything like this since the homicidal ambulance of Madden ’92! 

In any case, I couldn’t convert in the fourth quarter and with just over a minute to go and no time outs, I opted to let them score rather than run out the clock.  Down 14-6, my hopes for a heroic comeback were dashed when they picked off a pass and ran it in as the clock expired, leaving me with an embarrassing 21-6 loss.  Just as in real life, the Broncos seemed to own the Patriots in Madden ’98.

In my replay of the game a few days later, I was once again struck by how realistic and tough the gameplay felt.  Against the Broncos, an excellent team in that era, I felt like I really had to fight for every yard.  One big defensive mistake cost me when Davis broke a 45 yard TD run to put the Broncos up 10-0 just before halftime.  I pulled out all the stops on the ensuing drive and managed to connect on a long field goal as time expired to make the score 10-3 at halftime. 

Early in the third quarter, from deep in my own territory, I boldly decided to go for it on 4^th and short.  The play worked and sparked a four minute, 76 yard TD drive, tying the game at the end of the 3^rd quarter.  Broncos QB John Elway was a legendary 4^th quarter comeback player, so I braced myself for the passing onslaught. 

As expected, Elway came out on fire and the Broncos marched down into field goal range without much of a problem.  However, I sent a blitz on a key third down that hurried Elway and forced him to through an interception to Ty Law with less than two minutes left in the game.  I then marched the ball downfield 44 yards from the spot of the pick to set up a long field goal to win it with just seconds remaining in the game.  As in real life, Adam Vinitieri came through when it mattered most and booted the 50 yarder through as the clock expired.  The 13-10 win felt like the most realistic yet – every yard was earned and the game came down to a couple of big plays- the 4^th down conversion, the late interception, and the long field goal. 

The Super Bowl XXXII matchup was against the Panthers (the real-life opponent of the Pats in Super Bowl XXXVIII).  While this game was not quite as prophetic as the Patriots vs. Eagles game I played back in Madden ’95, it was still a great game that was tight throughout.  Once again, Madden ’98 added some special touches for the big game- the Super Bowl Logo placed on the 50 yard line, the team logos in each endzone.  After an initial defensive struggle, Kerry Collins unleashed an 82 yard TD bomb to Rocket Ishmael, putting the Panthers up 7-0.  After a drive stalled for me (and Bledsoe threw yet another incompletion), I mixed things up with a fake punt on 4^th and long.  My chicanery worked out beautifully and the unlikely combination of a Tom Tupa pass to Lovett Purnell resulted a TD and my first points in the big game. 

Later in the half, I drove all the way to the Carolina 1 yard line.  After being stuffed three straight times, I once again decided to go for it on a 4^th down play.  This time, things did not work out so well and I got STUFFED, which resulted in a tie score at the half- 7-7, with the stats dead even. 

I came out firing in the second half, and Bledsoe managed to hit Terry Glenn on a 58 yard TD bomb to open the 3^rd quarter.  The Panthers responded with a good drive of their own and drove to my goal line.  After I stuffed them on three plays, they lined up for the field goal to cut my lead to 14-10… but STUNNED me by FAKING the FG and throwing for a TD, which was BROKEN UP at the last second and I managed to hold onto my 14-7 lead.  Whew!

After three plays, backed up deep into my own end of the field, I couldn’t advance the ball a single yard.  On 4^th down, with just under three minutes to go and a 7 point lead, I made a risky call.  Rather than punt the ball to them (and give them great field position with a very good chance to score 7), I opted for an intentional SAFETY, guaranteeing them 2 points, put giving me the chance to pin them deep on the ensuing kickoff.  I ran the ball out of the back of my endzone, resulting in an awkward 14-9 lead as the two minute warning approached. 

Fortunately, my gamble worked out.  I stopped their ensuing drive and managed a late field goal with :14 seconds left (after I failed to run out the clock) to put the score at 17-9.  Collins threw up a pair of deep bombs as the clock wound down to :00, but failed to convert.  Chalk up another trophy and another Madden game crossed off the list.  8 down, 13 to go. 

Madden ’98 is the best of the first 8 games (probably by a wide margin).  It is basically a fixed and improved version of ’97 – it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have to in order to deliver fun and realistic gameplay.

Madden '97

Madden ‘97

SONY Playstation 1

Click HERE for screenshots.

My initial reaction upon starting up Madden ’97 and watching the intro video was simple- “WOAH!  FULL MOTION VIDEO AND FANCY GRAPHICS!  SUPER BOWL XXXI!  NEW ORLEANS!  AWESOME!” 

This is what happens when you first make the jump from playing Madden on the Genesis to seeing Madden for the first time on a Playstation 1.  I never had a Playstation growing up, and I actually sat out from playing Madden ’97 (as I was still busy playing Madden ’96 on SEGA every day after school).  Madden ’97 jumps out from the start by showing off the “full motion video” capabilities of the Playstation (utilizing CD-ROMs rather than cartridges).  Rendered images of Bourbon street (Super Bowl XXXI was in New Orleans) followed by “high-tech” rendered images of 3-d players in the opening video create a sense that the game is going to be a major breakthrough in the series – the new technology should mean new life, right?

Well, the answer is a bit more muddled.  There are certainly a ton more options out of the gate regarding rosters, trades, team management, etc.  Figuring out the option screen (not to mention the comparatively more sophisticated PS1 controller- a jump from 3 buttons to 6) – took a little bit of getting used to. 

After simulating through most of the regular season, the Pats were teetering on the bring of elimination at 9-6 coming into Week 17, so I decided to play through that final game of the regular season (vs. the Giants) to help lock things up. 

Before the game began, I was treated to a “Pregame Show” featuring FOX commentator James Brown, who said a few generic sentences (something like: “It’s week 17 and the regular season is winding down.  Who will win?  Let’s go to the field with John and Pat.”)  Then there is another FMV sequence with John Madden and Pat Summerall offering even more generic “analysis”.

Pat:  So John, what can we expect to see on the field today?

John:  Well, in order to win, the home team will have to make some plays and put points on the board.

Pat:  Thanks John!  Let’s go to the coin-toss. 

(LOADING SCREEN)

*

Right then- so FINALLY, I am ready to get on the field.  Seeing the “in-game” engine for the first time is a bit jarring because to this point all you have seen is full motion video.  Put simply, everything suddenly looks a bit crap.  Does it look better than the Genesis?  Well… I guess. 

The newest feature seems to be a 3d-ish field.  For the first time, a player can actually rotate the screen around 360 degrees (in replays and things).  The field also seems BIGGER and the players seem scaled differently.  The camera is also zoomed in a bit closer to the field, bringing you “closer to the action”.  The player models seem to be 2d bitmaps, giving the game a surreal feel.  Put simply, imagine a 3d-ish field and 2-d paper men running around on it.  This was the Madden franchise entering the awkward tween years of its existence - past the 2-d arcade play of the Genesis, but not yet quite grown into full 3-d. 

The gameplay and pace of the on-field action was strange to me.  Plays take longer to develop- especially in the running game.  At first, I thought that this was more realistic, but pretty soon, it got ridiculous.  Unless I ran a QB sneak from the goal line formation, the defense would come crashing down on my runner just as the ball was handed off by the QB (usually resulting in a loss of yards from scrimmage). 

With the running game seemingly useless, I had to rely on the passing game.  Again, this strange mix of 2-d players with a 3-d field made it difficult for me to properly judge where the (2-d) football was in the passing attack.  After the QB throws a pass, the ball simply disappears off the top of the screen and then reappears just before it hits the ground.  You can see the ball’s shadow on the field, but this is awkward and makes it a guessing game as to where the ball is going.  Adding to the surreal nature of the passing attack is that it is difficult to determine if a pass was completed or not.  A selected receiver who just made a catch looks pretty identical to one who just dropped the ball (the possession indicator at the player’s feet is hard to read). 

All of these complaints added up to a lot of frustration for me- receivers would drop (or just miss) wide open passes time and time again.  When I tried to manually control the receiver and catch the ball, it would go through his hands. 

Anyway, my Week 17 game vs. the Giants was loaded with these sorts of incomplete passes and backward runs.  I fell behind 10-7 at the half, struggling to figure out how to work the game and how to handle the pacing.  There were times when the speed of the game would slow down and speed up within a single play.  I assume that this was a hardware issue, but I blame it on bad programming. 

It is also worth noting that there are rather detailed motion captured TD celebrations.  These actually look pretty good.  What is weird about them though, is how the high frame-rate for these celebrations contrasts with the choppy on-field player animations during gameplay. 

Going into the 4^th quarter, I was losing 13-7 to the Giants.  I still had not found a rhythm and did not think I had much hope.  It started to rain in the game and the wind picked up.  I thought it was over, but completed a “hail mary” on 4^th down and long to Terry Glenn for a 68 yard score with :38 seconds to go.  Tied at 13, I lined up for the XP.  The ball was snapped and I put it through (in spite of the intense wind), but there was a holding penalty, so I had to re-kick.  Backed up 10 yards further, I lined up and kicked it through once again.  But wait- ANOTHER holding penalty.  Suddenly my XP attempt had become a 34 yard field goal attempt into the swirling rains.  I just barely put it through for a third time, putting me up 14-13 for the win.  Phew. 

The wildcard matchup was against the Oilers.  Remember the Oilers?  Anyway, I felt like this game was more of the same, but this time with even more wacky penalties.  I also noticed that the player models all had the same ugly smudged jersey number (something that looked like an 81 or 31).  WHY COULD THE GENESIS SHOW JERSEY NUMBERS BUT NOT THE PLAYSTATION??

Penalty after penalty against me.  Random calls I had no control over- holding on the offensive line, personal foul.  1^st down and 30.  Second and 45.  What the hell was going on?  Was this game broken? 

After a defensive pass interference call against me, the Oilers managed to tie the score 3-3 at the half.  Why did the field feel so huge?  It felt like it was miles wide and even more miles long.  After the super fast players on the comparatively tiny fields of Madden ’95 and ’96, this game felt radically different.  Why did my receivers ALWAYS DROP THE BALL? 

Deep into the 3^rd quarter, the Oilers threw up a lame duck pass into triple coverage.  I watched in disbelief as the ball went THROUGH THE CHESTS OF 2 OF MY DEFENDERS and they went on to score on the 81 yard pass.  At this point I noted that the game would have been better titled BULLSHIT ’97. 

The only talented player I seemed to have was my punt returner (David Meggett).  I could usually make the first person miss and gobble up a lot of return yards.  After one of these returns, I finally found an offensive play that would work for me.  QB Sneak, up the middle, Drew Bledsoe.  It would guarantee 2-4 yards every time.  Not saying much, but better than the rest of my offense.  Based on the strength of lumbering Drew’s running, I managed a score at the end of the 3^rd to tie the game at 10. 

Why does every play take so long to develop?  Why does the game feel like it is a half finished product?  Why is there one tackle animation that looks like a grenade explosion- sending the player straight up into the air doing back-flips? 

As I pondered these questions, I managed to get the ball back with 3 minutes left in the game.  I got some semblance of a passing game going and scored the go-ahead TD before getting a pick-six to win the game 24-10.  It was ugly, but a win nonetheless. 

The divisional playoff game was against the Raiders in Oakland.  My frustrations with the game continued- I couldn’t complete anything and running plays took far too long to develop.  Somehow, I managed to take a 7-3 lead into halftime.  My running game continued to struggle in the second half (negative yards on the day), but I was able to overcome an inexplicable Curtis Martin fumble late in the 4^th to hold on 10-6.

The championship game was at Pittsburgh against the Steelers.  Once again, I quickly gave up on the running attack (except for QB sneaks!), focusing on my aerial assault.  The tables were finally turning however, as I got a sense of the rhythm of how passing works in Madden ’97.  The key is not to run TO where the ball is projected to land, but slightly in front of that spot.  It is weird, but once I figured this out, the game was a route- 41-8 domination.

Super Bowl XXXI was vs. the Cowboys.  The Super Bowl logo was featured at mid-field and each endzone featured the AFC and NFC champ, respectively.  Dallas was an elite team throughout the early to mid 90’s, so I was anticipating a dogfight.  This never materialized.  I raced to a 20-7 halftime lead.  Coming out of the half, I delivered a monster 81 yard, 5 minute TD drive.  This was a knockout blow from which the Cowboys had no hope of recovery.  Pats win, 27-7. 

After years of lamenting the Patriots real-life loss in Super Bowl XXXI to the Packers, I had finally seen my team win bring home the 1996 championship.  While this was gratifying, I was even happier to know that I was done playing the erratic and seemingly unfinished product that is Madden ’97 on the PS1.