Lo and behold, football has returned.  Not only have the NFL and its players gotten its gord and figured out another ten seasons of the sport, but EA Sports has managed to bring a new level of polish to Madden NFL 12.  That’s not to say everything is perfect about it, but fans of the sport will no doubt have a problem hiking with this ball.

What’s the most significant of changes?  You’ll probably feel them most in the gameplay.  EA Sports has made a few manageable tweaks so that it actually feels a slight bit more realistic this time around.  The tackling for example, is worth noting because players aren’t magnetized to one another.  Instead, hits look legitimate, and players crumple to the ground better than they have in previous efforts.  Passing still feels quite natural, though how quarterbacks perform still depends mainly on which one you choose.  (Peyton Manning, for instance, will easily outperform Tim Tebow.)  Running has also been touched up, so even on the lightest of difficulty, you won’t always get away with murder as you haul in the long ball going for a touchdown.  These defenders actually mean serious business this year – and we like that.

That said, not everything is perfect about the game.  There are times when our passes didn’t connect, questionably, even though our offensive guy was wide open.  At one point, it even bounced off a guy’s hands and into another offensive player’s, only to have him DROP THE DAMN BALL.  EA should patch this if they want to keep consistency being a big part of their game.  It’s hardly a deal breaker, but if it makes all the difference between you and a touchdown score, it might be a tad bothersome.

In addition to quick games and other set-ups (including a Super Bowl match-up – woot!), Franchise Mode also makes a return in Madden NFL 12.  This time around, you can actually feel the changes of coaching when it comes to signing and cutting players in order to meet the 53-player team demand.  It’s really a good question of finding out whether it’s worth signing the right guy or cutting the wrong one, and you actually see the repercussions in how your team plays.  You can also see “Weapons” assigned to your player, depending how they perform on the field.  Just keep in mind, though, that having someone labeled “Fumble Prone” will live up – or down – to his name.  Yikes.

And yes, online play is back.  We wouldn’t have it any other way.  The ability to take on friends in the living room, or hop online via Xbox Live or PlayStation Network, is awesome.  Playing against friends and seeing who fares better on the gridiron battlefield remains one of this series’ greatest joys, despite all the new fangled features that EA continues to throw into them,

About the Author

Robert Workman

Senior Writer/Editor

Robert has years of experience in the video game industry, writing for such sites as AOL GameDaily, PlanetXbox360 and Comic Book Resources.  He can also outdrink you any day of the week.  And twice on Sunday.  Follow him at www.twitter.com/thedcd.