Madden NFL 25 review: Here comes the BOOM

Madden NFL 25 is all about hitting, or getting hit, hard. That might sound like an obvious statement for a video game based on a sport that revolves around players the size of large refrigerators running into each other at speed, but there's a great emphasis on contact this time around.

In the last few weeks of playing, that's led to an obvious visual improvement over prior titles, and Franchise Mode is finally getting a little love, but I'm left feeling it's crescendoing up to an even bigger hit next year.

Hits hard

In many ways, this year's Madden feels like a grab-bag of fan requests over the last few years. New commentary teams like Kate Scott and Brock Huard break up the soundscape we've come to expect over the last few years, and that goes hand-in-hand with updated broadcast packages.

Signature animations add a little personality on the field, too, but while yard gains will undoubtedly have the fans singing your name, it’s big tackles that are front and centre this year.

EA is debuting a new BOOM physics model (yes, it's really called BOOM), and it makes a huge difference to the way tackles and subsequent animations play out. At the most basic level, it involves more realistic tackles, including before-and-after moments like players bracing for impact and getting up afterwards.

In practice, EA says it takes into account a huge number of factors to provide more true-to-life contact. I've seen leaner players simply nudged off the ball mid-run, players tripping over their teammates to cause a fumble and much more.

It removes the "safe" feeling of leaning on the same tried and true passing plays (RIP, my reliance on deep post plays) and injects a bit of chaos without ever feeling like you're never able to predict if you'll make the catch or not.

In fact, it raises the skill ceiling, with players now needing to be more careful about the next juke or spin. In one game, I had an opponent's ball carrier barge into me at the last second, nudging my player, preparing for a tackle, ever so slightly off balance, allowing for a gain of an extra few yards.

These kinds of things were possible in prior Madden games, but now they feel more deliberate, like harnessing unpredictability.

Human Chess

Speaking of unpredictability, you can now disguise coverage options. This can catch the opposition off guard, but it can also lead to confusion in your own backline. More than once, while testing the feature, I inadvertently left space for an opponent to wriggle through.

More features have been pinched from College Football 25, too. The new kicking meter, new catch types, and the chance to shift your runner's paths on the fly before the snap are all brought in from Madden's sister title.

That might be a lot to take in, but thankfully, you'll have plenty of time to tweak your settings throughout Franchise Mode, which finally feels like it's been given some big updates this time.

Female coaches join the creation suite, albeit with fewer options, and you can import your College Football 25 player into Superstar mode which is a nice touch. New minigames have been added for training your players, too.

Draft Night now includes a board that updates in real-time, and there’s a greater focus on showcasing your player getting "the call", while players will now more realistically improve their stats - and decay over time. Player scouting is drastically improved, too, so drafting feels less like a gamble.

I'm eager to play more, with in-game storylines ensuring you keep your players happy and on the right development track. It's thrilling to see EA Sports put more time into the mode, as well as the Career Mode in EA FC 25 this year after what’s felt like relatively small upgrades in recent years. Still, I'd say it's behind the likes of NBA 2K right now, which does a better job of folding in so many additional facets to player growth.

I will say, though, as much as Franchise Mode is a big step up from last year, it feels like we should've got these features a while ago.

Ultimate Teamwork

In fact, Ultimate Team is the one in the shade this year but the Solo Seasons have definitely caught my interest. These play out by putting your Ultimate Team in a full season against AI opponents, looking to earn the Super Bowl at the end, and offering ranked divisions, too.

It feels a little akin to Squad Battles from EA FC, and I really like that I could kick back and relax in an evening without needing to feel like every match was going to be a sweat-fest that would take all of my attention.

If you've spent any time with Ultimate Team in the past, though, you'll know what to expect, and your willpower will, as always, be tested if you want to play without shelling out.

The Verdict

Madden NFL 25's relatively subtle improvements are like rain in a drought after a few quieter years, but this sleeping giant isn't quite awake just yet.

Like the Patriots, times have been tough in recent years, but there’s enough on display to suggest a comeback could be on. And, just like the Patriots, that could still be a way off.

3.5/5

Reviewed on PlayStation 5. Review code provided by the publisher.