Madden 07 represents the seventeenth edition of the Madden franchise as well as the second year that Electronic Arts has had exclusive rights to develop NFL games. Madden 07 also represents the second edition available for the Xbox 360 and EA has a lot to make up for the version that they released last year. For those of you with a short memory, Madden 06 for the Xbox 360 was the "decontented" version that EA rushed out the door to make the launch of the 360. In the rush to get the game out they shipped a version that lacked a may of the features that were present in the Xbox and PS2 of the game as well as including some of easiest set of Xbox Accomplishments of any game to date.
The two new features that make this year’s version of Madden more than a graphical and roster update are the lead blocker control and superstar modes. As the name implies the lead blocker control allows you to take full control of a lineman or full back and handle the blocking yourself. Before the ball is snapped players can switch through the available players by pressing the left bumper. After the player is chosen you simply direct your selected player to their assigned block and deliver a block with the right thumbstick. You have the choice of delivering a high impact block by pushing up or performing a cut block by pushing down. After the block has been made, you can switch over to controlling of the running back by pressing the B button. While the system is intriguing and there are certainly some people who will appreciate the ability to see what it takes to get a guard out to the corner on a counter-trey, the feature really doesn’t add a lot of value to the game as the computer controlled blockers usually do a good job on their own.
The Superstar mode allows gamers to create their own digital player and then take them through a career in the NFL. After selecting the parents, position, appearance, and an agent gamers take their future All-start through a set of mini-games that simulate the NFL combine. There’s even an intelligence test that will further helps determine grade our your player. After all the preparation your player is drafted by an NFL team and that’s where the seams in the mode start to appear. The problem is that the game doesn’t tell players where in the draft they go or how much their starting contract is. Players can also expect to do a lot of game watching as the game only allows you to participate in the plays that your player is involved in. This can be frustrating as you spend a lot of the time watching the game go by no matter what position you choose. ...