Madden NFL 25 review – A few yards from the end zone

Madden 25 faces the unnerving prospect of fixing its predecessor’s pitfalls while also delivering a product that can match the standards set by College Football 25. It’s an uphill task juxtaposed against the series’ declining state, which is why I carried little to no optimism when I first booted up the game. 

To my surprise, however, I was greeted with slicker presentation right off the bat. The customary EA Sports animation transitioned smoothly into a small showcase of all the teams and the NFL logo, followed by triumphant horns blaring straight into my eardrums.

This was enough to get me amped and excited. But how does the rest of the experience stack up? Find out in our Madden 25 review

Improved presentation across the board

For this year’s iteration of the NFL sim franchise, EA have touted a number of improvements to the game’s presentation. These changes are noticeable immediately, contributing heavily to the sense of freshness Madden 25 has going for it. 

It all starts with the opening screen, as instead of staring straight into digital Josh Allen’s lifeless eyes, you’re staring at a dynamic still of real-life Christian McCaffrey. The screen oozes quality and so do the menus. 

Gone is the horizontal layout with gameplay clips playing in the backdrop, instead we see an NFL montage with a stylish UI design. Menu lag is also gone, and players who spent hours with Madden 24 will know exactly how significant this is. 

Game-day authenticity has been improved as well to make it look more like actual NFL broadcasts. This includes a new scoreboard and two new commentary duos, although both sound patchy at best. The atmosphere around venues feels more dynamic thanks to ESPN Monday Night Football recordings being used for the first time. You’ll hear an array of boos if you’re underperforming in front of your loyal fans but they’ll break into team-specific chants if you engineer a comeback.

In terms of graphical upgrades, the lighting seems more vibrant which pairs well with the newly added 3D grass. However, player likenesses are hit or miss with some being excellent while other models look fairly generic.

The biggest improvement in terms of look and feel is the small pre-snap animations where players make defensive adjustments in a life-like manner. They move and gesture realistically, and you can almost guess the intent behind their actions. 

Gameplay is a noticeable step-up

Beyond presentation tweaks, there are new gameplay features here with BOOM Tech taking center stage. It’s a bold name given to a genuinely solid system that makes collisions feel more realistic.

One of the biggest complaints against Madden 24 was how pre-determined interactions felt. More often than not, runners would be pulled into tackle animations without having room to shed them or readjust after a collision. 

BOOM Tech addresses this issue by dynamically picking from a library of animations based on factors like momentum, speed, weight, and even the players’ body strength. The system injects real-world physics into every tackle which helps duels feel less scripted. 

You’ll notice this from the first snap as ball carriers will bounce off tackles and make split-second adjustments to evade defenders. The system is complemented by the revamped Hit Stick which is now timing-based. The game will give you instant feedback for the timing of your tackles, making the outcome of duels more authentic.

Speaking of authenticity, there are a bunch of new signature animations plucked straight from the NFL. Those that stood out to me the most were Isaiah Pacheco’s emphatic running style and Christian McCaffrey’s explosive darts through the smallest gaps.

For all the praise I’ve showered on the gameplay, there are some glaring issues. While the game succeeds in making things less predictable on the field, it isn’t able to shake off the jank prevalent in its predecessors. 

Animations clip over each other all the time and bug out far too frequently. My linebacker got a case of glitchy legs during a post-play cutscene and his lower limbs flailed around as if they had no weight. Another instance saw CeeDee Lamb levitate into the air with each step, a clever albeit unrealistic way to make the endzone.

Defensive coverage and AI logic are still lacking. The AI is stubborn when blocking assignments, as guards allow opposition players to breeze right past them simply because they’re on a slightly different route. This is a problem CFB25 managed to address for the most part, so it’s puzzling that Madden 25 didn’t follow suit. 

For all the gameplay improvements implemented, annoying legacy issues are still here. And I can’t help but feel that they’re holding the franchise back. 

Game modes justify the price, but offer nothing more 

Franchise has been a neglected mode for the past few years so it’s great to see it receive some attention in the newest Madden. The menus have been redone along with the introduction of a new hub labeled ‘Franchise Central.’ It offers useful options and information at a glance while being visually appealing – a much-needed change to say the least. 

Draft Night is the main attraction this year, and the game does a good job of recreating the event. It sells the mood through a brief reel with clips of real footage before transitioning to an in-game cutscene. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage, the draft board lights up, and the picks begin.

Your companion throughout Draft Night is the prospect board which gives you a list of options along with their key attributes. Once you make your decision, your pick will hold up the uniform on-stage or celebrate as they receive the call at home. 

Draft Night adds to the overall immersion and it’s rewarding to see your efforts culminate with your desired pick holding up the shirt. However, the recruitment system pales in comparison to its CFB25 counterpart, which offers a lot more depth. Another gripe I need to mention is the inability to view the picks I made in previous rounds. This seems like such an obvious feature yet it continues to be ignored every year. 

Team Builder spruces up the mode a little, opening the door for more customization. You can technically start an entirely custom save by importing 32 teams into Franchise, which should help players stay engaged. 

Outside of all this, the core experience remains unchanged. There are a bunch of new dynamic storylines but the promise/deliver mechanic gets old quickly, failing to have that pull a Career Mode in any sports game should have. The same can be said for Superstar, which bears the same new features. That said, the player builder has been improved and the ability to resume your Road to Glory save in the NFL is pretty awesome. 

As for the most-played game mode, Madden Ultimate Team, it’s more of the same. It still pushes packs and you’re only ever a few buttons away from a store ad. But there are definitely a few redeeming qualities.

The UI has been improved massively, eliminating the menu lag almost entirely. For players who prefer playing offline, MUT now features Solo Seasons, allowing them to go all the way to the Super Bowl while facing CPU opponents. Another neat new addition is Epic Challenges, where you’ll face impossible odds to collect stars and earn rewards. When you’re overturning a deficit or holding on to a slender lead, the AI pulls no punches and does enough to test your mettle.

Overall, the game has enough meat on the bones as a package to justify its price tag. However, its ability to retain long-term interest, outside of MUT, is questionable. 

Verdict – 3/5

Madden 25 brings crucial improvements to gameplay and presentation, making it the best entry in the franchise in the past five years. But familiar issues remain, and lackluster game modes don’t help either. 

Ultimately, the sole NFL sim on the market will remain in the shadow of College Football 25 this year. 

Before jumping into the competitive world of Ultimate Team, make sure to use the best offensive and defensive playbooks in the game.