Introduction

Ah, the eternal struggle between couch coaching and actual coaching. Enter Madden NFL 20, a game that allows you to live out your unrealistic football fantasies while remembering that the closest you'll ever come to a touchdown is when you accidentally knock your snack bowl off the table during a particularly intense moment. This is the 31st installment in the legendary Madden series, featuring Patrick Mahomes on the cover, who defied the Madden Curse-something we should all aspire to, really. Release date was August 2, 2019, which means if you haven't played it yet...well, you've had plenty of time to get your act together.

Gameplay

The gameplay takes a swing at both new and nostalgic features. The 'QB 1' mode lets players experience the rollercoaster ride of a college quarterback. If you love college football and yearn for past glory, this mode is for you. With ten licensed college teams from various conferences, it's like a high school reunion but with better jerseys and more athleticism. You'll start in the College Football Playoff and end up getting drafted by an NFL team, assuming you're not sabotaged by your own gameplay skills. Careful now; one wrong move and you might end up on the wrong end of a meme. Then you've also got the Superstar KO mode, which is one part tactical genius and two parts frenetic chaos. Imagine a head coach like DJ Khaled yelling motivational quotes while you desperately scramble to win a series of increasingly ridiculous 3v3 matches. Winning these matches is both a test of your skills and a test of how many times you can successfully convince your buddies to cheer you on without rolling their eyes. A surprisingly accessible feature is EA's menu narration, bringing a new layer of inclusivity to the game. This is especially useful when you're trying to navigate the overwhelming sea of options without entering a full existential crisis over whether to draft that sixth-string left tackle. Honestly, it feels like their engineers consulted an oracle for the right balance between complexity and usability-and they deserve a medal for that. Unfortunately, the franchise mode could use a little love because it feels a bit like you're stuck at the family reunion with your aunt who insists on telling the same story for the fifth time. Franchises this year face some of the same hurdles as last year: lots of menu options but little depth. It's still a reasonable way to sink many hours into managing teams, but if you enter with dreams of franchise glory, make sure you land those expectations in the realm of reality.

Graphics

Visually, Madden NFL 20 is as slick as an oil-slicked lineman running through a buffet. The Frostbite engine continues to do its job, creating lifelike players that can actually express emotion-unlike most of us when the game introduces a particularly brutal glitch that leaves you staring at the players doing a weird, frozen dance. Still, the environments look detailed, and the animation is notably smoother. Watching players tackle is almost poetic-if poetry consisted of grunting, crashing pads, and millions of pixelated 3D characters pretending to chat amid the ruckus. When Madden does it right, the game creates an impressive audiovisual experience that can immerse you into the gridiron like a meat-obsessed superhero, swooping in to save the day. Unfortunately, occasional frame rate drops can make you question whether you're watching a football game or an early-2000s music video when everyone tried the slow-mo effect. But come on, we've all seen worse graphics in video games. Besides, we're all here for the sweat and the turf burns-who cares about smooth animations when the stakes are virtual pride?

Conclusion

Madden NFL 20 manages to hit quite a few nice notes, but it still struggles to completely set the world on fire. The new QB 1 mode adds an engaging story element, which is flanked by the chaos of Superstar KO. Yet, like that one guy at a party who keeps trying to bring taxidermy into the conversation-franchise mode-reminds you that some features still desperately need a makeover. The graphics are appealing, and the accessibility options are a significant step forward, meaning players can enjoy the gridiron without having to navigate a maze designed by someone who revels in chaos. Overall, if you loved previous Madden games and can tolerate the quirks and faults, Madden NFL 20 is a solid pick. Just be prepared for the same old jitters (and perhaps excitement) you get from your fantasy football league while remembering that some things are simply not meant to be perfect. 7.5 out of 10 - because, just like an incomplete pass, you keep trying until it sticks.

See Latest Prices for Madden NFL 20 on Xbox One on Amazon