When a series hasn’t had any competition for well over a decade, stagnation is likely to occur as fresh ideas run dry and there’s little pressure to innovate. This has resulted in EA Tiburon’s Madden series going through the motions over the years (with moments of genuine inspiration like the Longshot story mode that has become a thing of the past), which is almost expected for a yearly sports series as it’s not like the studio can totally reinvent the game of American football. However, Madden NFL 23 features the most meaningful overhaul to gameplay in many years by altering the passing game in a way that is initially off-putting but also surprisingly rewarding.
Each yearly installment usually has a gimmick that always falls into one of three categories: shockingly successful and a new series staple (this is very rare), another option that slowly fades into the background next year and will eventually disappear (the most likely), or a misfire so bad that it’s reversed in the next installment and never spoken about again. This year’s big addition is called FieldSense, which is more of a wide-ranging gameplay overhaul rather than one specific element like target passing or superstar factors. This is introduced immediately as players are presented with a new passing system by default (although it’s easy to switch back to the classic passing that Madden players have grown accustomed to).
Changes to the passing system always come with a healthy layer of skepticism in Madden. For example, Madden NFL 06 introduced the Vision Cone, a feature that put quarterback accuracy at the forefront by having players use the right analog stick to determine where the passer was looking. It was a divisive feature, but one that worked well because of how it prioritized user skill over just the rating of the player. Regardless of its quality, it didn’t last long (it may have had a year as an alternate passing scheme after being the forefront of one game) and has since become a missing feature.
As a result of the series’ messy history with gimmicks and additions, I usually am hesitant to get too into the new features. The loss of the Vision Cone left me as a jilted virtual football lover, one that didn’t want to get hurt again. So, after going over the tutorial for the new passing system, which adds in a meter to determine the accuracy of the pass and allows for more freedom in ball placement, I promptly switched back to the old system. After playing a few games, however, I realized that I was throwing a shocking amount of interceptions. Part of that was likely the rust that builds up between installments, but it was the push I needed to give the new passing another try.
After redoing the tutorial again, I started a Face of the Franchise mode as a quarterback so I could focus solely on the new passing. While there is an option for slowdown to be turned on for solo play, I opted to just use the skill-based passing system at full speed. The actual passing doesn’t differ much from before, you still press a button that is assigned to a wide receiver, you just time when you let go of it as a meter goes up. If you let go during the sweet spot, then you’ll throw a powerful and accurate pass. However, there’s so much more minutia to be found, such as holding the left trigger and then aiming where the ball is placed during this throwing motion. If you want to throw it high so that your tall receiver can get the ball that the shorter cornerback can’t intercept, that’s totally doable with the level of nuance this feature adds.
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These types of awesome passing moments were always possible in past Madden games, but it was far more simplified with the cool moments feeling like more of a coin flip that came out in your favor rather than something that’s genuinely earned and chosen. However, now there’s a bit more skill and a lot more user input into the matter and that makes these moments so satisfying. While it remains to be seen how widespread this passing mode will be adopted by players, this deserves to become a series mainstay as an advanced control scheme (similar to how MLB the Show has multitudes of options on how to play). It’s a bit complicated, and will definitely require players to push through with it, but the new passing is more rewarding than before.
There are a few other gameplay tweaks and overhauls that fall under the FieldSense banner as well. The retooled defense controls are the second best addition of the bunch and theygives more reason to use the right analog stick to tackle again. Thousands of new tackle animations and situations have been added, most notably players can force their ways into gang tackles and jar the football loose. Additional features include 360-degree cuts while running, which allow for more diverse runs, and some additional depth for wide receiver and defensive backs. Even when not engaging in every FieldSense addition, it gives more freedom to the player in every facet of football, which can only be seen as a bonus.
For a series that has felt so similar for decades, it’s refreshing to enter a Madden and have a genuine learning curve to master. As a result of the wide-ranging FieldSense additions, particularly the enhanced passing, Madden NFL 23 is the most fun American football game in years. There’s no exciting new mode to opine about, but EA Tiburon put its focus on bettering the gameplay, which was much needed and the right call even if it doesn’t have the sexiest feature set.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
