BY RICK TITTLE

GameFlow.  Say it with me one time: GameFlow.  That is the solution to the conundrum that faced Electronic Arts in their struggle to come up with something new and improved for their Madden game for this season.  What it is, in a nutshell, is having the offensive and defensive coordinator in <a id="_GPLITA_2" title="Click to Continue &gt; by Vid-Saver" href="http://www.sportsbyline1.com/book-reviews/265-madden-nfl-2011-game-review.html#">your</a> ear (like real life), and virtually calling the plays for you.

When I first heard of this, I figured it was a dumbed-down way of having amateurs call their plays.  I assumed that I would be calling my own plays, thank you very much.  But in reality, I like it!  The cool thing is that you can use or lose it on a whim – you’re not locked in either way.  When I spoke with Phil Frasier, the Lead Producer at EA, on my radio show and he told me that presently over 70% of all plays being called online are being called by the GameFlow system.  So we can say that’s a success.

A new and more upbeat play-by-play guy was brought in, and that’s Gus Johnson who does a good job.  But Cris Collinsworth is still hanging around, and he is atrocious.  The whole rednecky wisdom and inane quips are completely lost on me.  In fact, the fool makes me downright angry.  Why <a id="_GPLITA_0" title="Click to Continue &gt; by Vid-Saver" href="http://www.sportsbyline1.com/book-reviews/265-madden-nfl-2011-game-review.html#">John Madden</a>, who used to be more directly involved can’t do the color, I don’t understand.  Moving on…

The Black Hole signs still exist on both sides of the Oakland Coliseum, which is boneheaded.  The Black Hole is really only on the south side, in the end zone which says RAIDERS, so it’s boneheaded coming from a Bay Area company like EA that they still can’t get that right.  The graphics are also a little goofy, as each player looks like an alien with arms dangling down at their knees.  The mini-games, which consist mostly of training camp routines are back again, if that’s you’re cup of tea.  The highlight show at the end of each week is pretty cool, though.

Whenever a perpetual title like MADDEN NFL comes out, I ask myself if it’s worth it to splash out more hard-earned cash to obtain it.  After last year’s disaster, when I emphatically warned gamers not to buy the game, I can happily return to the land of the supporters by saying this year’s title is much better.  Check it out.  I give it a 7 out of 10.

Rick Tittle can be reached at <a href="mailto:rick@ricktittle.com">rick@ricktittle.com</a> .