In Madden NFL 23, developer EA Tiburon focused on the basics: authentic 11v11 football and cleaning up many bugs that plagued previous Madden iterations. The result is a small step forward for the franchise and a strong foundation on which to build.
The most important changes in Madden NFL 23 lie beneath the surface. EA’s team is calling it FieldSense, a shift towards more physics-based interactions on the field. In practice, it is a mostly positive change. Running the ball between bodies is chaotic and violent, true to the real game. There are occasional problems; Would-be tacklers tend to slip off whoever runs the ball like they’re coated in Teflon, for example. The way defense wraps up opponents and ball carriers fight for extra yards feels authentic, but the high frequency of fumbling on these plays needs adjustment. It’s imperfect, but a solid first implementation of a system that should improve in future iterations.
The overall presentation is a noticeable improvement. From the start, everything is awash with the legacy of the late John Madden – a fitting tribute to the man behind the name. Updated scans of gear and players look superb, and the game day presentation features more vivid graphic overlays and cinematic camera work that feels more like an NFL broadcast. The authenticity is appealing; I skipped fewer transitions during games to enjoy the presentation.
The much-vaunted Skill-Based Passing adds an interesting (and optional) crease to throwing the football. H aving an aiming area and crosshair takes some getting used to, but the added control over ball position makes a difference, especially for dodging defenders while they’re throwing across the middle of the field. It quickly became second nature, and I sorely missed the fine aiming controls when I came back to play a game in Madden 22. The pass meter, on the other hand, is not a factor. In general, my muscle memory for how long to hold down a pass button with perfect passes and toggle the feature on or off didn’t have a noticeable impact on the pitch.
Connected Franchise has evolved in Madden 22 with an updated scouting system and a revamped user interface. This year it’s more of a refinement. The addition of motivations and tags gives players a nice sense of humanity in the league. Motivations include a desire to play with a franchise quarterback or in a fair-weather stadium. If you have what a free agent is looking for, you might be able to attract them with a team-friendly deal. Otherwise, you may have to overpay to land your man. I’m concerned how this will play out in competitive leagues; It’s not clear if a significant imbalance will happen immediately, but the potential is there.
Tags are rarer and reflect a player’s role and how they affect the dynamics of the team as a whole. A player with a mentor tag may not be the best on the field, but they are accelerating the development of younger players in their position. It’s the kind of off-the-field factor that NFL GMs consider, and I enjoyed the added element as I assembled my team. When designing a star security, I was immediately motivated to find a veteran to learn from in a fun RPG that the connected franchise often lacks.
Face of the Franchise remains a mixed result. Playing exclusively as a quarterback, running back, or linebacker can be fun because you’re involved in every play. This year, Corner, a new position for Face of the Franchise, is a worse experience. I did entire rides without affecting the game and it was frustrating to miss goals for tackles or stop rides for things that were out of my control.
The Madden NFL series has long had a solid gameplay foundation that’s been maintained through small improvements year after year. Madden NFL 23 is the first iteration in a long time to build on that foundation, and that’s the biggest achievement of the year. Aside from some slippery collisions, the more physics-based action is a nice change of pace, and the control over ball placement from Skill-Based Passing is a welcome addition. This comes at the cost of only minor updates to core game modes, but it was ultimately the right decision and Madden is a better game for it.
