Video: Madden 08 versus Madden 09 visuals
by Dustin Burg 
{ May 23rd 2008 at 3:30PM }
On a mission to prove that Madden NFL 09 is a ginormous step forward in the Madden franchise, EA released a new visual comparison video that pits the graphics of Madden 08 versus Madden 09. And, as you can see above, Madden 09 does actually look better, especially when it comes to weather effects and lighting. The bigger, more pressing question is whether or not we should praise EA for adding such improvements that are normally commonplace among game sequels. It's a step in the right direction, but we have a feeling Madden fans are demanding a lot more.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Arno @ May 23rd 2008 3:43PM
I don't get it... they look the same!
x silence x @ May 23rd 2008 3:55PM
If you watched it in SD then you won't notice much.
I'm not sure what people expect with games that have 1 year development cycles. If they decided not to release Madden 09' I'm sure people would be even more pissed.
Bottom line...
Madden will still sell TONS of copies.
Arno @ May 23rd 2008 4:13PM
Agreed, it'll sell buttloads. I watched the HD and couldn't tell the difference which led me to wonder why they put this video out to begin with. Why point out how *little* has actually changed from one year to the next?
Toysrme @ May 24th 2008 2:06PM
At this point who gives rats ass? EA Sports teams are the worst current production people on the second only to 3drealms. ALL of their games are buggy as hell, NEVER get fixed, grossly imbalanced pieces of shit.
Madden 09 / NCAA 09??? Give me a break it's the same god damned bullshit game engine as last year; ony with better textures sets with slightly tweaked lighting and bump mapping???
Yet the game will still be a fucking bug fest. Hey, how about fixing your CURRENT problems before starting the new round of bullshit. If you never fixed the problems of the CURRENT game, and you're using the same god damned game engine. Why would anyone buy a busted fucked game???
EA Sports breaks the laws of physics. They suck and blow at the same god damnd time.
The Beta Max @ May 23rd 2008 3:54PM
The one thing that's definitely better is the presentation. Madden is FINALLY starting to capture the glory that was NFL 2k's presentation. I love all that TV-style stuff...
Big Filth @ May 23rd 2008 4:11PM
ok, EA, GTFOH
I will buy this either way, but that video was almost laughable.
They did manage to make the helmets look shinier though!
bravo!
and they added more snow! that should definitely make the game better. :)
Jcarpio @ May 23rd 2008 4:24PM
I think we're all in agreement here.. sure it looks nice, but will it play like a champ?
For example:
There's snow, how will it affect a game? Will a pass heavy AI controlled team change their tactics because of it? If so, that will impress me more than how the snow looks.
Hopefully they'll also take out the Prince of Persia rewind and focus more on core football gameplay.
Apeezee @ May 23rd 2008 4:35PM
Are we supposed to care? Madden games are a dying line of games, if you ask me. There is only so many changes you can make. That do-over function is retarded, i thought they were supposed to make it more real each year, that is a step in the wrong direction. Whatev, EA sucks.
bigd7387 @ May 23rd 2008 4:49PM
Ok guys answer me this!!!! EA is still going on about their realistic grass right?
Where are the active on the field Refs that are actually part of the game? Last generation we had refs on the field but now because of Grass processing and what the new gen systems can't handle the data for the Ref's.
Playing Madden and not having the Ref's on the field is like playing backyard football and I will again skip another year of football if EA can't understand how to put them on the field. In 2K football I always used the Center Judge as a screen for the reciever going across the middle but apparently EA feels that grass resoultion is more important. Hell the MS Football made game for the orginal Xbox had better grass textures and that's what 5 years old.
Wow I think EA is finally using play by play this year and it still will not be as good as 2k play by play.
Doug @ May 23rd 2008 5:12PM
The stadiums are hazy now... trying to recreate the diffuse light in a stadium that adds to realistic depth perception.
I'm reaching... I know...
Troy @ May 23rd 2008 6:33PM
looks better to me...but i agree with everyone else's statements minus the ref...i could care less about a stupid ref that would be used to set picks...
uhoh polio @ May 28th 2008 12:41AM
it does look better but not 60$ better
rockeranimefreak @ May 24th 2008 1:06AM
Who the heck buys this game yearly? honesty? =/
If I had a dollar for every Madden game released I'd be 20 bucks or so richer...
Drachen77 @ May 24th 2008 10:07AM
It is frustrating to buy this game every year and not see huge improvements but to think it's dying is crazy. Madden will sell millions again and will continue to do so because it's the only one around. There is no other NFL football game. Football has become America's game and Madden is the only way to experience it on a video game console.
The video doesn't really impress me that much, but I'm sure Madden 09 will end up on my shelf eventually.
ZeroCorpse @ May 25th 2008 12:41PM
I refuse to buy a Madden game.
I'll probably be grabbing TECMO BOWL some day, though. Of course, I don't watch football, and couldn't really care less WHO is on the roster.
DBoyFlex @ May 24th 2008 10:43AM
Would people be all that mad if they actually skipped a year and put more work into making the game better? I don't play many sport games on consoles, and think they are all overpriced and have no sell-back to them cause the price drops to dollars within a year. Point is: stop flooding the market with mediocre games and take some time to make it descent with a slightly longer lasting appeal than 1 year. Sporting games used to be better IMO.
Oh, and the differences were so minute it is quite pathetic they are using them as a selling point. Only games like Gears or Halo of CoD should use the graphics as a selling point, in a game where they actually matter.
Icehawk @ May 24th 2008 11:44AM
The only way the games will get any good is if the NFL made 2K and EA alternate years that they made the game. Not only would that give EA competition to an extent again, but it would give both teams longer developement periods. Unfortunately that will probably never happen.
360pwns @ May 24th 2008 12:24PM
There's definitely no need to resale this game every year , especially when the "improvements" are so minute they could be DLC for '08. Like others already mentioned make one every 2-3 years and just offer us DLC until the next installment comes out.
ZeroCorpse @ May 25th 2008 12:38PM
What? And only make $15 on DLC when they could make $60 on a whole new game?
EA doesn't work that way. They're greedy pigs who hate their customer base. Didn't you know that?
ZeroCorpse @ May 25th 2008 12:37PM
New for Madden 2010: "We improved the texture of the jerseys, and updated the roster!"
New for Madden 2011: "We made the grass 1/8" taller, and updated most of the roster!"
New for Madden 2012: "We included our patented 'Buttonpressthrowfootball' feature, and updated the roster!"
New for Madden 2013: "We abandoned the much-hated 'Buttonpressthrowfootball' feature, and updated the roster!"
New for Madden 2014: "We added facial moles and EA REALSPIT™ Technology, and updated the roster!"
New for Madden 2015: "We removed the facial moles, added randomized hotdog vendor faces, and updated half of the roster."
New for Madden 2016: "We give up. It's just a frickin' football game! There's nothing else we can do to make it better, different, or new. Update your own damned roster!"
Junior @ Aug 2nd 2008 12:22PM
Any football fan can appreciate a new Madden game! I don't care what any of you guys say This is the top selling sports game in history and will continue to be that. Sure the changes each year are minor, but for some of us who have been playing the game since it came out years ago enjoy those changes. I saw changes in from NCAA football 08 to 09 &the game is better. It has more realistic tackles and injuries, it calls facemask penalties, there are different endzone celebrations for each team, the graphics are amazing, the controls are a lot better, and it isn't always a cakewalk when playing the computer. I'm sure Madden 09 will have the same changes and more. I'm stoked to have this one and I will buy it every year it comes out for sure.