HIGH It’s a tried-and-true formula.

LOW Only diehards are going to spot the improvements in gameplay.

WTF We need a change in digital soccer.

Every year, sports fans brace themselves for another round of promises from annual game updates. Tighter gameplay, smarter AI, deeper modes, all wrapped in another sleek package that does just enough to justify the price of admission. Most years, the actual results fall somewhere between ‘incremental’ and ‘wow.’ Unfortunately, EA Sports FC 26 lands squarely on the lower end of that spectrum this season, bringing users a competent entry that shows a modicum of improvement on top of a core experience that still feels frustratingly inconsistent.

When I first loaded FC 26, I expected more of the same — refined controls, another minor Career mode adjustment, and a handful of Ultimate Team tweaks. As it turns out, that’s essentially what I got, though not in ways that reliably improves the experience.

The biggest change is the addition of two distinct gameplay presets — Competitive and Authentic.

Competitive mode caters to the online crowd, and is designed for the fast, responsive pace of FUT and Clubs. I found more enjoyment using Authentic mode, which slows the tempo, adding more weight and realism to each movement. In this setting, defenders more accurately hold their positions, midfielders fight for spacing, and goals feel earned, rather than expected. It’s a split that acknowledges how different the FC audience can be, but it also feels like EA is hedging its bets, rather than committing to a cohesive vision.

Player control remains an odd juxtaposition of schemes. Dribbling has been reworked, but often feels sticky and predetermined. In turn, players move with better agility in the open field, but the responsiveness isn’t always there when needed in tight quarters, typically around the goal. Plus, input delay creeps in during crucial moments, making skill moves feel more like happy accidents than strategic maneuvers.

I should also mention that there’s an odd rhythm to FC 26. While I enjoyed moments of fluid, effortless movement, there were more than a few where it seemed like the ball only went where the game wanted it to. By this, I mean opposing teams often anticipated passes prematurely, with passing accuracy seemingly random. When I lost possession of the ball, it was often hard to tell if it was my fault or the AI.

Speaking of which, the AI has improved in some areas — most notably in defensive positioning — but it still makes baffling decisions that lead to easy opportunities, completely breaking immersion. Likewise, the goalkeepers have improved for the most part, tracking shots and parrying realistically, though they still have bursts of inexplicable foresight. As discussed, scoring can feel earned, but it just as often feels as if the game had a different narrative in mind at certain junctures.

Happily, Career mode gets some overdue attention. Manager Live Challenges offer dynamic objectives, like steering a mid-table team into Europe or rescuing a struggling squad from relegation. (Fans of FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” will appreciate these additions, for sure.) The new manager market evolves as seasons progress, with clubs hiring and firing AI managers who change tactics, formations, and even player roles.

There are also random events sprinkled throughout a season, adding unpredictability to a mode that needed it. By and large, it still feels somewhat mechanical and lacks the depth other sports games have achieved, but progress should be commended here, even if it’s difficult to get excited about features that should have been implemented years earlier.

Moving on, the Archetype system adds a layer of identity to Player Career and Clubs. Building a player as a creative midfielder or commanding center back now carries more meaning, with perks that accentuate a preferred style. It deepens immersion somewhat, though the grinding required to unlock meaningful progression remains tedious.

Ultimate Team and Clubs remain familiar. The interface feels more intuitive, matchmaking is less punishing in theory, and onboarding for new players is easier thanks to structured objectives before unlocking the transfer market. The Live Events and new knockout tournaments create reasons to return each week beyond simple pack grinding. That said, since it’s become a point of contention in all my EA reviews, I should mention that the mode’s monetization structure remains intact and as pushy as ever.

Finally, online play was solid, reliable, and enjoyable overall. The lobbies seemed oddly sparse during my time online, but navigating the menus and finding matches was seamless and lag-free. Unlike the more vibrant experiences in Madden and NBA 2K, the FIFA/FC crowd is always a little different, so user mileage may vary.

If my tone sounds a little flat in this review, it’s probably because it reflects how this game impacted me. Ultimately, FC 26 is a solid, if unspectacular, soccer title that makes incremental progress in some areas while stagnating in others. It’s competent enough to deliver moments of enjoyment, but the inconsistent controls and gameplay hold it back from providing the same thrills as the company’s American football titles this season.

Real talk, this entry won’t convert anyone tiring of EA’s approach to the world’s favorite sport, and longtime fans will likely feel the same frustrations they’ve felt for years. However, for anyone who still finds joy in a well-timed through ball or a diving header in extra time, it can deliver a good experience. It captures enough of football’s rhythm to be a good purchase for dedicated fans, but the execution just isn’t as sharp as I expected at this point.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Vancouver. It is available on XBO/X/S, PC, SW2, and PS4/5. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 17 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 3 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of professional soccer. Some animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: FC 26 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post EA Sports FC 26 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Franchise is once again the centerpiece of the Madden banquet table.

LOW The load times are unbearable for this console generation.

WTF Even digitally, the NY Giants seem lost and confused.

Please allow me to pull back the curtain on how things run at GameCritics headquarters. For years, our esteemed editor has questioned higher scores when a corresponding review indicated otherwise, and for years, I pushed back, arguing that the whole often exceeded the sum of its parts. While I stand behind every review I’ve ever published, from now on, I plan to approach scoring a little differently.

Madden NFL 26 is the reason why.

Last year, I awarded Madden 25 an 8 out of 10, citing steady, if minor improvements — and by and large, it was a good, solid football sim. After playing Madden NFL 26, I no longer want to see incremental upgrades. Nor do I want to review more ‘solid’ games. I want to see more of this.

Madden NFL 26 is the revelation football enthusiasts have wanted, breaking the cycle of minor fixes to deliver a monumental leap in immersion, atmosphere, and controls, and the largest refinement came where it was needed most — the criminally-overlooked Franchise Mode. After years of wondering if EA was pushing all users toward the microtransaction-focused Ultimate Team, it’s clear the developers listened to fan feedback, because Franchise feels like the heart of Madden once more.

For starters, the updated week-to-week tactical approach lets gamers design strategies on the fly, tailored to each opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. In turn, a new XP-based progression system personalizes the player development process, and the “Wear & Tear” mechanic (borrowed lovingly from College Football) forces users to make tough decisions about how to rest stars and manage rosters across a long season.

Another key development was the introduction of coaching archetypes, which allows players to choose whether to lead their team as an Offensive Guru, Defensive Genius, or Development Wizard. Each path provides unique skill trees and gameplay benefits, deepening the strategic investment. Combine this with enhanced scouting, revamped menus, and a more robust broadcast package, and Franchise has become a destination rather than an afterthought. Gamers asked for it, and EA delivered in a big way.

This realism is matched by the gameplay, which is both quicker and more realistic than before. Madden NFL 26 strikes a delicate balance between accuracy and responsiveness, creating a pace that is fast enough to excite without delving into arcade territory. The much-hyped “QB DNA” system brings more personality to quarterbacks and receivers by amplifying pocket passing/scrambling tendencies, receiver route discipline, and overall situational awareness, so the results better reflect what fans see on Sundays.

Defensive play has also improved, albeit not by the same leaps and bounds. Still, Madden’s AI shows more intelligent formation reads and more realistic animations for blocking and tackling. A lot of this will be missed by the casual player, but there’s a sense of fluidity and realism that enhances the immersion in each session.

One thing sports fans always seem to do is compare the current Madden series with the beloved NFL 2K titles, especially when it comes to broadcast quality, Well, Madden NFL 26 feels like a true primetime production with unique looks for Thursday night, Sunday afternoon, and Monday night football, right down to lighting that shifts with the time of year. Maybe the commentary isn’t quite as memorable as the first time we heard Dan Stevens on our Dreamcasts, but there’s little repetition or inaccuracy.

In turn, entertaining cutaways and postgame coverage match the old TV spirit of NFL 2K, delivering trivia, highlights, and halftime visuals for authenticity and immersion. It’s been a long time, but this year’s Madden finally captures the gravitas and flair of the NFL’s expanded weekly product.

Even Madden Ultimate Team (MUT), long criticized for its money-hungry grind, benefits from smarter (if subtle) quality-of-life updates. Yes, the annoying pay-to-win structure remains, so MUT is still best suited for those comfortable with its monetization design. However, it’s also more welcoming to those who want to dabble before opening the wallet, which is a step in the right direction.

Superstar Mode has made a significant move forward by revisiting basic RPG-like elements. Maybe this isn’t exactly “Sunday Stadium Skyrim,” but this notably revamped mode now features career chapters, evolving player relationships and ongoing customization, showing an honest attempt to make the journey feel more personal. Though it still doesn’t quite reach the depth of Franchise, nor does it dabble in melodrama like the NBA 2K series, EA’s attempts at storytelling no longer feel half-baked, and I’m already looking forward to next year’s efforts.

Also, it should be noted that graduating seniors from the College Football series can be imported and drafted in Madden 26. This is handled well, and it’s enjoyable to watch a dominant college player adapt to the improved talent facing him in the pro ranks. It’s also a nice way to enhance the value of owning both titles, since there is no limit to how many created superstars can find their way into the hallowed halls of Madden NFL.

Even though readers probably know I’m about to laud this title with a stellar score, I do need to call out one odd, unexpected complaint — loading times. Both offline and online, I found myself staring at loading screens for far longer than I should with my Xbox Series X. Online, I’m willing to forgive these delays in the short term, as servers were understandably packed at the time of review. That said, jumping from mode to mode shouldn’t be timed by an hourglass. EA will hopefully patch this soon, if they haven’t already.

So, to bring this discussion full circle, Madden NFL 26 is a shining example of why it’s important to read full reviews, not just scores. Why? Even when discussing two games in a series made one year apart, there’s a world of difference between last year’s 8 and this year’s 9.5. Those waiting for Madden to finally make true forward progress can exhale, because the moment has come.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Orlando. It is available on XBO/X/S, PC, SW2, and PS4/5. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 13 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 4.5 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of full-contact professional football. Some tackling animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Madden NFL 26 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. (See examples above) The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Madden NFL 26 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH There has never been more immersive atmosphere in sports gaming.

LOW Ultimate Team remains either expensive, a grind, or both.

WTF Running up the score with a large fourth quarter lead, CPU? For shame.

A few years back, I reconnected with an old college buddy. We agreed to meet up for a couple of beers and spend a few hours traversing memory lane. The first hour was wonderful and emotional. The second hour was enjoyable, but a little strained. By the time the third round of drinks ran dry, we both started checking our phones — and once that regrettable fourth beer was gone, we exhaustedly agreed that it was great to see one another, and that we should try to stay in touch, knowing full well it was probably our final farewell.

That ‘we’re done here‘ feeling was what I had with EA Sports College Football 25. It was great times back then and the nostalgia was high, but after a few dozen hours on memory lane, flaws, gaps and cracks started to appear — and before long, the same old things began to wear on my patience. Still, it was a fine return by EA Sports, and I stand behind my 9 out of 10 review.

Readers who skip to the end are going to notice this year’s entry scored the same as its predecessor, but to be clear, College Football 26 is a significant upgrade from ’25 and a true return to form. To be honest, it might be the finest football game the venerable publisher has produced. Everything that made fans happy back then has now been amplified, optimized, and improved across the board.

In fact, let me lead with some hyperbole — College Football 26 might offer the most immersive sports gaming environments to date.

(Something tells me readers are going to want me to back that up.)

The atmosphere is one area in which College Football 26 truly shines. From stadium flyovers to note-perfect fight songs, to lifelike mascot and fan behavior, there’s little EA left on the drawing board here. A bonafide electricity comes from hearing (and even feeling) a packed stadium in a rivalry game. In fact, I took some rough phone videos and sent them to my non-gaming friends. They were transported to the coughcoughmid-1990scough the same way I was.

Of course, window dressing hardly matters if the gameplay doesn’t measure up. College Football 26 takes the rock solid foundation of its predecessor and gives it 100% more soul. Where last year’s iteration sometimes felt mechanical, 26 flows with the more realistic, unpredictable energy of the real thing.

Yes, I just wrote that College Football feels like, well, college football. But in reality, these players aren’t supposed to be perfect athletes. They’re college kids prone to physical lapses, and mental and emotional mistakes. This year’s version captures that in ways a cutscene never could.

Running backs don’t magically find holes in defenses in the first quarter. Instead, they work and learn over the course of the game, and try to expose weaknesses after being coached. Quarterbacks being chased by 750 pounds of linebackers don’t stay poised, they react with panic when their blocking collapses. Perhaps a professional can maintain composure under these circumstances, but these players shouldn’t be confused for NFL veterans.

Another major upgrade this season is the vastly improved fatigue system, which eliminates arbitrary stamina bars in favor of real performance dips. For example, if a running back carries 4-6 times every possession, he’ll definitely lose explosiveness by the fourth quarter, perhaps when the player needs him the most. 

Perhaps most important of all, the gameplay simply feels better. The best sports sims feature controls that respond instantly, almost like an extension of the player. College Football 26 features far fewer canned animations and ‘magical’ plays. Instead, I found myself discovering defensive gaps and exploiting them like a real player would. Option plays, which were hit or miss in 25, feel much more natural. It’s altogether more intuitive and responsive, and as a result, more enjoyable throughout.

My reviews always have to mention a few flaws, and this one is going to sound familiar, but I wish I could be enthusiastic about College Ultimate Team. Despite some improvements that make the card drops seem less random, this mode still feels like it belongs in a mobile game, not my $100 title on my $500 console. The menus are clunky, loading times are long, and the whole experience still prioritizes spending money over delivering a good time. It has its merits, but if there was a mode that needed some revisiting, it’s this one.

Getting back to the positives, Dynasty Mode has evolved considerably, bringing a good amount of strategy along with it. In last year’s edition, hiring and scouting felt like unavoidable homework between games. Now, these decisions have more impact on and off the field. I chose disciplinarian types for my staff and was rewarded with a hard-working squad of well-behaved kids. However, at season’s end, I noticed a number of my star players entering the transfer portal, likely as a result of the relentless training and coaching. These decisions matter now, and they matter for the future of a user’s legacy.

The Road to Glory story mode tries valiantly to capture the personal journey from high school superstar to campus legend, and there are some good moments, to be sure. However, the high school portion drags with oddly finicky missions to conquer, and more school selection drama than a teenager probably should endure. It can drag, but once chosen by a dream school, the Friday Night Lights moments are easily forgiven.

Online, the game performed well for roughly 80% of my time there near launch, and has been flawless in recent weeks thanks to a series of patches that have eliminated online animation glitches and matchmaking discrepancies that I experienced at launch. Today, the online portion is solid, enjoyable, and balanced.

This isn’t a title to nitpick, so, let’s break this down to the important things. College Football 26 is an absolute blast to play, and is a massive step forward for the reborn franchise, thanks to the type of year-over-year improvements that will please even the most cynical gamers. A title this deep and layered will never be perfect, but seeing last year’s foundation turn into this year’s celebration has been wonderful. I’m not likely to put this down any time soon.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is available on XBX/S and PS5. This game copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 21 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of full-contact college football, and some tackling animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: College Football 26 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. (See examples in the pictures posted.) The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post EA Sports College Football 26 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Addicting, fast-paced gameplay.

LOW Egoistic teammates.

WTF Bicycle kicks for days!!!

From French developers Sloclap, Rematch delivers an arcadey, action packed spin on the beautiful game. Differing from the beat em up genre of Sifu, Rematch doesn’t include any fighting, unless fighting with the controls count. The multiplayer soccer (or football) simulator focuses on teamwork and skill to create stunning goals fit only for the largest stage. Rematch executes this idea very well, but a few glaring issues sometimes lets the game trip over its own feet.

Rematch offers 3v3, 4v4, and 5v5 casual modes, and ranked 5v5. The player cycles between positions with multiple outfield ones and a goalkeeper, controlling a character in a third person point of view. Rematch doesn’t focus on realism, but instead gamifies soccer to make it less about actual tactics and more about the action – running, jumping, and diving. The arcade feel comes from everything being sped up. The pitch is similar to the one in Rocket League, with borders that the ball can ricochet off of. The actual playable area is small, and paired with rapid sprinting, aggressive slide tackles, and acrobatic kicks, the ball seems to never stop bouncing. Dribbling and fancy skills let the player live out their professional player dreams with adrenaline pumping plays that further make Rematch more of an action game than a soccer one.

Rematch uses the classic W,A,S,D controls to move, with a few special keys implemented. E for tackling, Q for jumping, and the mouse buttons for passing. Sprinting and slide tackling use the shift key and keys like F can change the type of pass. The mechanics of Rematch are easy enough to understand, but incredibly difficult to master. As the player advances divisions, people only get smarter. Learning how to properly use each key takes time, but the satisfaction of moving past opponents and scoring majestic goals makes the time commitment more than worth it. Even if the player isn’t into soccer in real life, the competitive gameplay still makes the game addicting.

In terms of graphics, Rematch uses bright colors and stylized art to further add to the arcade feel. Each game takes place in a unique stadium like a jungle, a desert, or even outer space. The settings are inspired by an environmentally friendly utopia, and the stadiums combined with nature highlight that. The colors are beautifully integrated, and sometimes I found myself stopping just to look at the background. Player customization is also diverse, with a large variety of attributes and colors to choose from.

While Rematch has a lot going for it, it does have some big negatives that need to be addressed. The most frustrating issue is passing, particularly on PC. Passing is done with the left mouse, but the sensitivity is turned up a lot. Just a tiny change in the mouse direction will cause the pass to go to a wildly different place. I frequently found my passes to go accidentally behind me, which really hindered goal scoring opportunities. Most other functions work well, but since passing is a huge part of Rematch, the unoptimized controls make it hard to deal with.

In my games, I also encountered bugs. These weren’t frequent, but when they happened it literally made the game unplayable. In one of my matches, I couldn’t touch the ball. It would go straight through me, which turned a fair match into a 5v4. When these bugs get patched, I expect the game to run much smoother.

My last complaint isn’t specific to Rematch, in fact it extends to all multiplayer games, but I still feel like it should be brought up. No one is Messi, and trying to dribble the enemy team while playing goalkeeper is not a viable strategy. Some teammates in Rematch let their egos take over, making selfish decisions and costing the team crucial goals. This happens way too often, and especially in ranked, feels enraging. Hopefully Sloclap will introduce a report button to help with this.

Rematch is a great example of when developers take a popular topic and put their own spin on it. Some might describe it as a “Rocket League without cars”, but it is so much more than that. The creativity Rematch encourages creates an engaging team-based game that incorporates every player. With easy to learn controls and flashy skills, fans and non-watchers alike are bound to enjoy this chaotic adaptation of soccer.

Rating: 8 out of 10

— Eddie Guo

Disclosures: This game is developed by Sloclap and published by Kepler Interactive. It is currently available on XBX/S/PS5/PC.This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 38 hours of play was devoted to the multiplayer mode. There is no set completion mark. There are no single-player modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. There is nothing explicit and Rematch is safe for all ages.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game has player dialogue that does not affect gameplay. Voice chat exists but visual cues allow communication without talking (in fact, I turned voice chat off to stop toxicity). Informational text is communicated through text boxes that cannot be altered/resized.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls.

The post Rematch Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH A unique collection of classic sports games. 

LOW A lack of bonus content and some dated mechanics.

WTF EA should find a way to drop remastered versions of their old arcade sports titles.

As a sports fan, I love playing realistic simulation titles that replicate the feeling of shooting a three-point shot in the Miami Heat’s Kaseya Center or hitting a home run in the New York Mets’ Citi Field. There’s nothing quite like living out that athletic fantasy, though it’s also enjoyable to go back in time and enjoy something a little more old-school. That’s where Accolade Sports Collection comes in, collecting five ’90s sports titles from Accolade — Summer Challenge, Winter Challenge, Hardball, Hardball II, and Hoops: Shut Up and Jam. 

This collection features three main sports and events — baseball, basketball, and the Olympics, both summer and winter. The one I spent most of my time in was Hardball II, a 16-bit baseball game that combines snappy play with some simulation-based elements. Here, players select a baseball team and play through an exhibition using fictional teams based in real cities, like New York or Baltimore. It’s a great hybrid of arcade and simulation baseball gameplay. 

Hardball II took some getting used to, as swinging the bat took a bit longer thanks to some weird animations, especially compared to much simpler baseball sims from the era. Before playing Hardball, I was getting acquainted with the likes of R.B.I. Baseball or even the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Baseball and enjoyed the more arcadey approach to the sport. Hardball II feels like a 16-bit simulator, and while I wasn’t immediately a pro, I grew to enjoy my time through nine innings. Having to strategize who starts while also deciding whether it was worth bunting or trying my hand at a home run was an enjoyable challenge, and one that made the baseball season even more enjoyable.

On the other side of things, Hoops: Shut Up and Jam is a straightforward arcade basketball title, in the style of NBA Jam. Players select a team of two players for 2-on-2 streetball. Originally released as Barkley Shut Up and Jam! (complete with full endorsements from NBA legend Charles Barkley) this isn’t the best arcade basketball experience, thanks to some slow movement and controls that don’t feel intuitive.

Players have access to all titles from the start, as well as modern features and accessibility elements, such as a rewind function. They can also select different filters and screen size options, allowing anyone to relive the days of playing these games on their old-school consoles. 

The package is a decent blast from the past, and as someone who laments the fact that licensing prevents most old releases from ever being remastered or rereleased, the Accolade Sports Collection is such a cool concept. Unfortunately, being limited to five games is kind of a bummer, as it would have been great to see the original Test Drive or even the Jack Nicklaus golf series included. There also isn’t much in the way of collectibles or any cool historical aspects included. Seeing that Hardball II was designed by Don Mattrick, who famously (or infamously) became a major face for Xbox, was something I found out during my outside research. I would have loved to see videos or behind-the-scenes pictures of what it took to make these games.

Overall, Accolade Sports Collection is an exciting, if understuffed, curiosity. As a fan of both retro games and sports, I’m always excited to play something from yesteryear, but I’ve been spoiled by other compilations, and this feels barebones. Regardless, those who have fond memories of playing these games on the original hardware might rejoice in the chance to play them on newer consoles — just don’t expect much in the way of extra content.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Buy Accolade Sports Collection — PC — PS — XB — Switch

Disclosures: This game is published by QuByte Interactive and developed by Accolade. It is available on PC, PS4/5, XBO/X/S and Switch. This copy was obtained via the publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately four hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed. There are multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E for Mild Fantasy Violence. This is a collection of retro sports games with no objectionable content. At most, some players may roughly bump each other but other than that, it’s perfectly okay for younger children. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are subtitles and visual cues such as different indicators for when a ball is thrown or small textboxes explaining certain aspects. Text cannot be resized or adjusted. This game is fully accessible.  

Remappable Controls: The controls can be remapped. 

The post Accolade Sports Collection Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Racking up a massive combo by narrowly missing trees while sailing down a hill.

LOW Seeing that combo disappear after one mistake.

WTF Why does running over a rabbit net me a new parka?

SNØ Ultimate Freeriding is an infinite runner (skier?) with an emphasis on organic movement.  Controlled from a third-person perspective, players steer a lone skier down a procedurally generated mountain with the sole objective of gaining the highest score possible. 

Watercolor trees, glowing sunsets and purple nighttime skies compose a vivid world that is immediately appealing. The painterly flora contrasts wonderfully with the crisp snow and, despite my many runs, I never tired of simply observing the environment. A failed run almost became a treat in the sense that they were opportunities to see what vistas the next incarnation might hold.

Building on this artistic styling is the diegetic soundscape — with the exception of a wooden clap that signifies a scoring combo, all sound emerges from the world itself.  The soft brush of the skis is only interrupted by the hushed winds as a skier launches from a drift, adding musicality and rhythm to the play.

These naturalistic aural elements marry nicely to the core mechanics.  Controlling the skier is a flexible, almost imprecise process of leaning and carving through rocks and valleys.  Players can crouch to gain speed, release to propel off a ramp and, once airborne, deploy a parachute to sail over rocky areas and tricky obstacles.  Each movement is heavily influenced by momentum, and learning when to come out of a lean to thread a cluster of trees is a necessary skill for success.

There are two primary methods of gaining points — performing tricks in mid-air, and closely skirting obstacles.  The more tricks and close shaves, the higher the point and combo multiplier.  The real challenge is locking that score in, as several solid seconds must pass after the last scoring maneuver for the points to count.  A single wipe-out ends a run, and this tension between building the biggest combo possible or being satisfied with a safer, smaller total forms the backbone of competitive play.  There were many times I flew too close to the sun (or tree) only to see 50,000 points go down the drain.

Despite the score chase, finding the rhythm is the real joy of SNØ Ultimate Freeriding, and as the mechanics finally clicked I found myself more entranced by the grace of my skier spinning through the air than by the points I might earn.  These moments of beauty became my motivation and, coincidentally, I began climbing the leaderboards.  When I tried thinking tactically, planning my movements in advance, scraping by every tree I could to boost my score, I was rarely successful.   Freeing myself from that drive allowed instinct to guide my slalom, and suddenly navigation became more natural, and the time between restarts got longer and longer.  The developers clearly intended this, as an appropriately titled “Zen Mode” fully foregrounds the aesthetic play by eschewing the score chase altogether.

Unfortunately, my journey towards alpine enlightenment was ultimately cut short by a lack of content.  SNØ Ultimate Freeriding bills itself as a minimalist experience, although this was a bit too literal for my taste.  Evidenced most prominently in the courses themselves, there are only a handful of templates — rocky, forested and spacious.  While this limited palette is leavened by the beautiful visuals, after a handful of runs I felt as though I had seen all that SNØ Ultimate Freeriding had to offer.

Though I was left wishing for more, this hardly condemns SNØ Ultimate Freeriding.  The tactile control feels unique, and I found real joy in learning the subtleties of a successful descent.  The moments where I could get on its level — wind whistling as my skier weaves around rocks and trees I was barely aware of — were singular, and this harmony between aesthetics and mechanics was more than enough to justify my time.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

— Ryan Nalley

Buy SNØ: Ultimate Freeriding on Steam

Disclosures: This game is developed and published by Gauntlet Games.  It is currently available on PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode. This game does not have an end state, but all modes were played. Outside of leaderboards, there are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: At the time of this review, this game has not been rated by the ESRB. The gameplay consists entirely of steering a skier through downhill, mountain courses.  There is no violence, although every run ends when the skier crashes.  When crashing the skier may spin or flop around in a ragdoll fashion, but there is no blood or gore.  The visuals are highly stylized and not particularly realistic. Beyond the crashes, there is no other content that might be considered objectionable.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game has no dialogue and does not offer subtitles. All audio cues have an accompanying visual component.  The majority of my time was played without sound, and I experienced no issues during these sessions. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Certain functions are remappable.  This game offers two primary control schemes, but the buttons are not independently remappable.

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HIGH Fast-paced gameplay and nice visuals.

LOW Lack of content.

WTF Anyone wanna draft a fantasy football team made up old cartoon characters with me?

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports is an oddity of sorts, because there aren’t a lot of modern, mid-budget sports or party games based on licensed cartoon characters these days. As someone who’s covered everything from licensed platformers to racers based on classic cartoons, I feel as if I’m kind of an expert on this tiny niche. I’m also a huge sports fan, so any dev that manages to mix these elements into something is going to pique my interest — and for the most part, I’m satisfied with what’s offered here.

In Wacky World, players control one of nine Looney Tunes characters and take part of four different sporting events — basketball, tennis, golf and soccer. Each one has a different set of goals, control schemes and tutorials that teach both the basics, and the more intricate aspects of each sport. Gameplay is arcade-like, with plenty of over-the-top moves and offensive items like ACME-branded weapons to use during matches.

Gameplay is generally fast-paced, though oddly sluggish at times as characters seem to slow down at the weirdest moments, as well as a few noticeable framerate dips when busy moments happen. 

Looking at the sports themselves, Basketball is my favorite (both in real life and in games) and this is the one I spent the most time in. Running down the court on offense and shooting is satisfying, as is dunking in the most cartoonified, exaggerated fashion — something I appreciated. The aforementioned ACME-weapons include giant anvils and rockets that can be used to disrupt the opponents. I wasn’t a huge fan of these items, though, as they never felt satisfying to use since they slowed down some already sluggish gameplay and rarely landed when I tried to use them. 

The other sports feel solid enough, with soccer and tennis offering quick pick-up-and-play featuring enjoyable back-and-forth between offense and defense. Golf is the longest and most invoved of the offerings. It’s also the one I spent the least amount of time with, as I preferred the quicker modes. 

Wacky World‘s modes include a tournament, where players can set  a number of rounds and spin a wheel to determine which sport is played in gauntlet-style fashion. This can be played or with up to four friends locally, which is the only way to engage in multiplayer.

….And that’s about it for Wacky World. There’s a solid foundation here with snappy arcade play, but after putting in about an hour, I pretty much saw everything it had to offer. I would have liked a bit more, like a story mode or perhaps a few more sports. Perhaps American football or baseball, as those two sports are much more complex than what’s presented.  

Lack of variety aside, the presentation is solid. I love the cel-shaded visuals and the voice acting is a nice touch. If there’s one thing I appreciate in gaes, it’s when talkative cartoon characters are accurately represented, which it is here. The pre and post-game banter also adds a lot of personality.

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports won’t replace my daily Madden NFL or NBA2K sessions, but they were a nice distraction and offered enjoyable arcade vibes throwing it back to an era that focused on simpler gameplay and colorful aesthetics. While I appreciate the final product, it’s ultimately hampered by a lack of variety, so if the developers follow this up, I’d love to see an expanded version. 

Rating: 5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by GameMill Entertainment and developed by Bamtang Games. It is available on PC, PS4/5, Switch, XBO/X/S. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed. There is multiplayer, but it was not played for this review

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E for Mild Fantasy Violence. According to the site: This is a sports simulation game in which players select Looney Tunes characters to engage in cartoony versions of soccer, golf, basketball, and tennis. Players can occasionally use power-up items to slow down opponents (e.g., falling anvils, cartoony bombs, sticks of dynamite). Damage effects are cartoony and over-the-top: brief explosions that leave behind charred figures; dizzy stars appearing when characters are stunned.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are subtitles, but they cannot be resized or altered. There plenty of visual cues as well as constant UI elements that can guide the player. There are no audio cues needed for gameplay. This title is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped but there are control diagrams.

The post Looney Tunes: Wacky World Of Sports Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Sliding into a delivery with one second left on the clock.

LOW Trying to turn around in a dead end.

WTF Mr. Wiener.

When I think of compelling mechanics, braking isn’t typically the first that comes to mind.  Nonetheless, the developers at Billy Goat Entertainment have worked some kind of magic in translating the universal experience of riding a bicycle over to a controller, and the surprisingly nuanced process of bringing my bike courier to a skidding halt in the streets of Parcel Corps will go down as one of my favorite moments of 2024.

Parcel Corps is played from a third person perspective. The left and right triggers control the front and rear brakes respectively, and there is a subtlety in learning how to use the two in concert.  On the approach to a destination, I’d hit the right trigger to throw my cyclist into a skid, turning ever so slightly as I slid into the delivery. Hitting the left trigger at just the right moment brings me to a halt.  Doing this in such a way that I was perfectly positioned to pull out toward my next destination became a meta-challenge unto itself.

Beyond the joys of deceleration, I was equally impressed with Parcel Corps’ approach to speed and momentum.  Mashing the X button to gain speed, I crest a hill.  Holding down the right shoulder button leans my courier forward, increasing velocity as I come down the other side.  I hold down the X button to maintain my momentum as the road levels before me.  There is an ebb and flow to this process that perfectly mirrors riding a bike in real life. The intentionality of these design decisions shines through perfectly, and speaks to the developer’s attention to detail.

Unfortunately, this clarity of vision and execution does not extend to the remainder of Parcel Corps.

Beyond my infatuation with bringing my bike to a stylish halt, the majority of Parcel Corps revolves around gaining the business of local pizza joints, hospitals, furniture stores and more through successful deliveries in the fictional city of New Island.  Sign up enough, and the player can participate in a Delivery Rush.  These rush events involve making as many deliveries as possible in a two-minute span — each successful delivery netting additional time on the clock.  Completing enough of these unlocks the next area of the city.

There is a thrill in the speed of these rushes, and a feeling of tension as I whip around corners, dodging traffic and courier-hating police attempting to beat the clock.  Unfortunately, this exact same process repeats in identical fashion throughout each of the city’s boroughs with little sense of evolution or progress.  No amount of precision braking and acceleration were enough to alleviate the repetition of making the same deliveries from the same restaurants, to the same characters. While the varied cityscapes do offer some antidote to this monotony, their design is rife with its own issues.

Each area functions as a small open-world with players being explicitly encouraged to blaze their own trail.  The streets and sidewalks are often the least efficient paths and typically a haven for the over-zealous police force.  Alternate routes are suggested via yellow paint and graffiti that highlights rails and architecture the player can grind or wall-ride on to reach new heights. 

The level design starts off well enough with wide, spacious early areas.  In these initial stages, navigation was a joy as I bounded over hills and made split-second decisions to take a jump over the lake, or bound off of a tent as a shortcut.  This flexibility lends itself to the time-based delivery challenges, and melds well with the expressive mechanics as I lock in delivery after delivery.

The traversal, however, becomes far more complicated in later stages as the player moves into congested and vertically-oriented areas of the city.  While this shift certainly adds challenge, an unintended side effect of this structure is limitation of player agency.

Suddenly the yellow-laden pathways felt less like opportunities, and more like bounding boxes.  Trying to cut through a construction site to deliver some noodles becomes a sisyphean task as I miss the jump onto a suspended girder for the third time, only to wheel around and try again.  Compounding my frustration, there is no instant restart for deliveries, and with tight deadlines I spent much of my time waiting out the clock on a hopeless assignment, only to begin the cycle anew.

Parcel Corps is ostensibly a satirical tale of capitalism gone awry, with its antagonist, Rich Villaine (get it?) hell bent on ruining the environment through corporate greed.  However, beyond the interstitial newsreels that play between stages, this narrative almost never informs the actual play in Parcel Corps.  Apropos of nothing, in its final moments, Parcel Corps suddenly shifts into a completely different experience as I’m suddenly battling an attack helicopter on the roof of the oil company’s sky-scraper headquarters, all while pedaling furiously atop my trusty two-wheeler.

These segments play out as a linear, precision platformer, and are absolutely the best moments of Parcel Corps.  Requiring a keen understanding of the mechanics, I was surprised and delighted by the implementation of the core abilities in Parcel Corps’ climax.  Sliding under helicopter blades and bunny hopping into a wall ride to avoid rocket fire from a gunship is infinitely more engaging than delivering pizza to the denizens of New Island.  This disparity is even highlighted in a fourth-wall breaking cutscene where the developers lament a restrictive budget and unrealistic timeline!

There’s an apparent tension in what Parcel Corps wants to be and what it actually is.  The moments where it shines — the early, flexible stages and the later, hyper focused boss battles — are tactile, engaging and nearly worth the price of entry alone.  Unfortunately, the current version hosting repetitive and frustrating design, never lives up to that potential.  While it’s clear that Billy Goat Entertainment weren’t able to fully execute their vision of Parcel Corps, based on the parts that do work, I sincerely hope that someday they get to.

Rating: 5 out of 10

— Ryan Nalley

Disclosures: This game is developed by Billy Goat Entertainment Ltd and published by Secret Mode. It is currently available on PC, PS5 and XBS/X. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS5. Approximately 16 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed.  0 hours of play were spent in multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T and contains Drug Reference, Mild Violence, and Use of Tobacco. There is mild violence as the police across the various stages will attempt to shoot at and tackle the player as they ride through the city.  This violence is highly stylized, there is no blood or gore, and the player is never killed — only temporarily arrested or sent to the hospital. A character is seen smoking a cigar in several scenes. There is a character named Mr. Wiener (a hotdog mascot for a food company) who speaks in innuendo, and while his dialogue is never sexually explicit there are lines with suggestive meaning such as, “Oh, well hello there little person!  Your friend Mr. Wiener has a deliciously saucy treat he’d sure love to place inside your lunchbox. Te he he.”

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles cannot be altered and/or resized. All audio cues are represented through on-screen indicators.  This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Parcel Corps Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH AI is here, and it truly adapts to player input.

LOW Franchise mode updates feel incremental and obligatory.

WTF Seriously, can someone explain what “Chel” is?

After the launch of the first Playstation in 1995, SCEA launched NHL Faceoff, the first true competitor to EA’s dominance of digital ice hockey. Thinking back, I can practically taste the Clearly Canadian water and Gushers candy. While that series experienced a wide range of experimental iterations before fading away, that inaugural, sprite-based edition presented an enjoyable, unique alternative to the largely stagnant NHL series.

In 2024, nearly three decades later, I’m still waiting for another “NHL Faceoff moment” bringing a truly unique feel to digital hockey. This is because last year NHL 24 offered reliable, predictable gameplay but lacked new features and brought an overabundance of microtransactions — I found myself writing a review too similar to the one I had the year before. This time around it’s evident that EA Sports has taken that feedback to heart — at least to some extent.

While the ’24-25 edition doesn’t completely overhaul everything, it refines the experience further to provide a smoother, more measured, and ultimately more authentic feel that resonates with the essence of the sport.

Right out of the gate, NHL 25 is visually impressive. From the moment the puck drops, the reflective ice, realistic player movements, and improved crowd animations are hard to ignore. Improved lighting effects bring the arena vibe to life, adding depth and detail to both the players and their environment. Whether it’s Chris Kreider weaving through defenders or an intense 1-0 goaltending duel, the game appears more realistic than ever. And it’s not just about the visuals–the real-time ice degradation is more realistic, introducing a surprising level of immersion that fans should appreciate.

In NHL 25, new technology (codenamed ICE-Q, for those who enjoy branding) enhances gameplay through a more logic-driven animation system. This consists of several main components, starting with Next-Gen Vision Control. Building on the well-received pressure system from NHL 24, this enhancement is particularly noticeable when facing the puck carrier in the scoring zone, greatly improving responsiveness and scoring chances once mastered.

With Next-Gen Vision Control offering better reads of the attacking zone, the introduction of Skill-Based One-Timers acts as a welcome new feature. I’ll admit to being worried when hearing about enhanced one-timers since these shots were largely spammable and unstoppable in older renditions, but it requires much more skill than luck this time around. When playing from the wing positions, players must set up and ensure a teammate is ready to receive a one-timer. Passing the puck and pushing up on the right stick will activate this move when a barely-there gray indicator appears under the player. While the indicator could be more noticeable, it enhances offensive maneuvers and keeps defenders alert, adding strategic depth to the gameplay.

The other components of ICE-Q technology focus on generative artificial intelligence through Empowered AI and Reactive Actions. AI is all the rage these days, and sure enough, EA has completely revamped its own AI, resulting in a smoother and more natural gameplay flow.

The details of how it’s implemented are too detailed to list here but in short, non-controlled players no longer skate aimlessly around the rink on invisible rubber bands, waiting for the user to establish a position. Instead, they fill lanes naturally, check away from the puck, and don’t allow games to become a series of strategy-free breakaways. It’s not perfect, but my time with NHL 25 felt more realistic, and I have to believe we’re inching closer to that true hockey feel. 

What is more notable about NHL 25 is its play recognition. This year, AI isn’t just a buzzword — it accurately learns the tendencies of both human and CPU players, legitimately adapting as the game progresses. Users who choose to skate down center ice and launch slapshots in each possession will quickly learn why they shouldn’t. The AI will catch on and counter, encouraging players to adjust their strategies before the score gets out of hand. Greater realism has been needed in this series for a while, and this closes that gap just a bit more.

The expanding World of Chel (a name that still confuses me) makes its annual appearance, emphasizing player upgrades and customization options. An updated structure and schedule for Live Events are now in place, along with a new playlist structure and competitive tournaments. However, both this and Be A Pro don’t introduce many significant changes. Players can also practice, engage in versus mode both online and offline, and enjoy the arcadey NHL Threes mode. It’s not essential, but no one can say EA skimped on content this year.

Despite these advancements, NHL 25 has more than a few scratches on its facemask. Franchise mode, an annual go-to for long-time enthusiasts, again sees only minor changes. New training options and some detailed management tools are introduced, but it just feels like EA Sports could have done more. These updates keep the mode functional, but they’re almost window-dressing, rather than necessary upgrades. Considering how deep franchise modes are in other sports titles, this remains a mild disappointment. 

More disappointing is how Be a Pro mode only made slight strides in storytelling, through some nuanced choices and a greater focus on off-ice activities. However, it still doesn’t match the narrative depth a story mode should contain in this console generation. Conversations are less robotic, and the branching storylines provide a slightly more meaningful progression, but this mode is teetering ever closer to irrelevance. Truthfully, I’d be okay if the attention put on Be a Pro was reallocated to other features.

Likewise, Hockey Ultimate Team makes its return, as well, featuring an updated reward system that relies (slightly) less on microtransactions. While this is a small win for fans who were frustrated by the pay-to-win mechanics of previous years, real progress will only come through a true alternative for those who want to build their simulated teams organically without diving deeper into their very real wallets. 

Online play remains strong — arguably better than most sports titles — with highly competitive, accurate matchups. With improved matchmaking and strong server performance, diving into ranked matches or casual games feels smooth and non-intimidating for newcomers. Though my initial forays online were a little touch-and-go, once things calmed down, the gameplay experience was mostly free of lag.

As readers have probably guessed by now, NHL 25 isn’t a “must-purchase” title, except for users that have taken several years away. That doesn’t make it less enjoyable — just less necessary. Updates to game modes could have been more notable and microtransactions continue to be a drawback, but there’s still plenty here to make this a worthwhile return to the rink. Ultimately, we may never experience another “NHL Faceoff moment,” but EA’s focus on more adaptive AI and improved player control raises the bar (slightly) in the right direction.

Score: 7 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Vancouver. It is available on XBX/S, PS5, and PC. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 11 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 4 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10+. It features realistic depictions of hockey gameplay and minimal on-ice violence. Parents should be aware that online interactions may include user-generated content not rated by the ESRB.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Accessibility menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: NHL 25 features subtitles and numerous tactile feedback features within the controller, in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The game offers several pre-set control schemes but does not support full remapping.

The post NHL 25 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH This is the smoothest, most visually appealing Madden to date.

LOW Not enough changes to modes and features.

WTF Is the physics model really called “BOOM Tech”?

“Maybe next year.”

Fans of gaming’s most venerable sports series have said these words each September for the better part
of a decade. I should know, I’m one of them.

This year, the Madden NFL series takes another incremental step forward. Improvements are there.
Enhancements are there. And Madden NFL 25 is often stunning visually. But will that be enough for
jaded players?

First, I need to address the $69 elephant in the room — many football gamers just invested in EA
Sports College Football 25 and from what I can gather, they’re enjoying the immersion, pageantry, and
true-to-life detail the title offers. After a few weeks of enjoying the pomp and circumstance of the
college game, a new NFL title might feel a little flat and faceless, even though Madden is arguably better
than ever.

I’ll start with the most important factors — Madden NFL 25 is gorgeous. Player models inch ever closer to
leaving the uncanny valley, with noticeable improvements in animations, both when controlling a player and on NPCs throughout the field. Unlike previous editions, the juke moves and leaps aren’t overly exaggerated to excite players. Rather, they’re more accurate to a player’s real-life abilities and playstyle. For a change, I didn’t find myself trying to have stocky RBs attempt to leap for circus catches — that isn’t their game, and EA Sports brings reality to life once more.

In turn, Madden NFL 25 just feels… intuitive. In past editions, the complicated thumb gymnastics often
made it difficult for casual fans to make the most of the title. Some would call it “arcade-like” but as an
increasingly middle-aged person, I never felt overwhelmed by the streamlined control scheme. I even
took my skills online more than a few times. Now, I didn’t even come close to winning these matchups,
but I felt more competitive — an accomplishment in itself.

The audio offering is a bit of a mixed bag. While I enjoyed having multiple commentary teams joining
stalwarts Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis, the new pairings pale in comparison to the veterans. The
new voices have far fewer original comments and seem to repeat themselves more than usual.

One of the big knocks against Madden NFL 25 so far has been its notable lack of new modes and features. In my opinion, this is great news. So many prior Madden titles were buried in marketing lingo and fabricated buzzwords. This year, it seems like the developers chose to fine-tune the existing game and make good on past promises. I applaud this level of commitment — by and large, it works. And in the
case of Franchise Mode, it far exceeds its predecessors.

I have long lamented the decreased attention given to Franchise Mode, but this year the mode is
arguably the biggest highlight. From the moment players dive in, they enjoy a refined (but in-depth)
management experience, allowing them to control as much or as little of the team as they want. While
some people might want to keep their focus on the field, those who dig deeper will be rewarded with
expanded scouting, detailed coaching mechanics, elaborate player and team builder, and even a “Coach
Carousel” feature that lets users modify coaching staffs for better results. As a result, team morale and
player development become more active parts of the experience.

Superstar, the story-driven narrative mode, largely succeeds by taking a “less is more” approach. For starters, EA delivers new rewards, themed programs, and the ability to transfer an avatar’s style and skills across Ultimate Team Franchise and live game modes. In an even nicer touch, a successful graduate from College Football 25 can find their way to Madden’s NFL Draft Night, creating a tremendous feeling of continuity and reward.

Despite all of the above, the mode’s story and interaction have been (mercifully) pared back to basic
interactions, press conferences, and text conversations. It’s hardly the most immersive storyline, but it
far surpasses maudlin, overdone underdog stories. For that, I’m thankful.

Ultimate Team is… well… Ultimate Team. But, to be fair, EA has expanded the offering to include
updated H2H rankings, AI-driven solo seasons, and other new ways to put your best 11 to work. It’s still
a microtransaction bonanza, but kudos to the developers for trying to inject a wealth of new content
into a previously tired mode.

Other than these leaps forward, most of the other advancements live under the hood. Improved FieldSense controls on both offense and defense, more impactful hits from the BOOM Tech stick controls, more powerful Momentum Meters, and a litany of tweaks to menus and presentation. Again, those who believe the hype on the game box might not be impressed, but I was.

Also, longtime readers of Gamecritics know we take accessibility very seriously. EA Sports has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing accessible controls into its titles, but Madden NFL 25 is the best example yet. Customization options include the ability to adjust icon size, text size, colorblind modes, and several control schemes designed to accommodate individual needs.

On a broader scale, the game also includes more detailed tutorials and guides to help new players learn
the ins and outs of various gameplay mechanics. This ensures that even those unfamiliar with the
Madden series can jump in and enjoy the experience. Kudos across the board, to all involved with
making this happen.

Online, Madden NFL 25 performed admirably. Last year’s laggy menus are a thing of the past, replaced
by snappy lobbies, short wait times, and virtually no latency on decent broadband connections. Oh sure,
the rage quitters and play spammers are still out in force, but at least they won’t be whining about lag
and balance issues this time around.

At this point in the review, most fans are likely wondering one thing — is Madden NFL 25 worth the money this year? The answer is undoubtedly “yes” as long as you didn’t also just purchase College Football 25. Even with the vast improvements Madden NFL 25 has on display, it’s fundamentally very similar to its undergraduate counterpart, and its professional atmosphere isn’t always as enjoyable as a collegiate gameday.

For those who’ve spent a month immersed in the pageantry of the college game, it might be hard to
get excited for a less unique version of that same title. But for those who have waited a few years for an improved, upgraded football experience, the new Madden will be a revelation.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Orlando. It is available on XBO/X/S, PC and PS4/5. This game copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX.
Approximately 11 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not
completed. Approximately 4 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of full-contact
professional football. Some tackling animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Madden NFL 25 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous
tactile feedback features in all modes. (See examples above) The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Madden NFL 25 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.