Football, long-shots, and more!

Football, long-shots, and more!

Luke Locascio, Scribe Reporter

Football, ​a ​game ​loved ​by ​many. ​(Though ​Soccer ​fans ​aren’t ​too ​keen ​on ​its ​name.) ​Many ​a person ​has ​tried ​to ​join ​the ​very exclusive ​club ​of ​the ​NFL, ​but ​not ​many ​make ​it. ​There ​are the ​people ​that ​don’t ​want ​their ​dreams ​crushed ​as ​they ​aren’t  one ​of ​the ​254 ​selected ​in the ​NFL ​draft, ​or ​they’re ​overlooked ​and ​can’t ​be ​one ​of ​the ​3,500 ​successful ​candidates ​to the draft ​pool ​during ​the ​NFL ​combine. ​Then ​there ​are ​those ​that ​enjoy ​watching ​the ​game, perhaps ​even ​joining ​in ​a ​pickup game, ​but ​would ​laugh ​if ​somebody ​told ​them ​they ​would have ​a ​chance ​in ​the ​NFL. ​So, ​what ​do ​they ​do ​instead? ​(Along ​with  the ​people ​that ​enjoy sports ​and ​video ​games) ​

Well, ​they ​buy ​a ​copy ​of ​Madden, ​the ​annual ​installment, ​Über successful sports ​video ​game ​juggernaut! ​But, ​is ​it ​worth ​it? ​Well ​grab ​some ​merch ​from your ​favorite ​team, ​and ​grab ​some ​popcorn, (No ​matter ​how ​overpriced ​it ​is, ​but ​I’m ​not ​an economics ​columnist, ​I’m ​a ​video ​game ​columnist, ​so ​talk ​to ​somebody ​else about ​that.) because ​I’m ​about ​to ​tell ​you ​if ​it’s ​worth ​$59.99, ​if ​it’s ​actually ​good, ​and ​why ​or ​why ​not ​it’s good. ​(no ​spoilers.

Is ​it ​worth ​sixty ​bucks? In ​this ​humble ​writer’s ​opinion, ​AB. ​SO. ​LUTELY. ​The ​game ​is ​jam-packed ​with ​content ​for any ​kind of ​gamer. ​Those ​who ​would ​want ​more ​of ​an ​RPG ​element ​to ​the ​game ​would ​be all ​over ​Madden ​Ultimate ​Team, ​a ​mode ​in which ​you ​are ​constantly ​upgrading ​a ​team ​of currently ​playing ​players, ​legends ​of ​the ​game, ​coaches, ​stadiums, ​play ​books, and ​jerseys! This ​mode ​is ​great ​because ​within ​this ​mode ​there ​are ​even ​more ​modes! ​There’s ​a solo challenge, ​a ​series ​of ​quick ​plays ​or ​small ​fragments ​of ​a ​game ​in ​which ​you ​have ​to complete ​1 ​or ​more ​challenges ​against ​a ​computer ​in ​order ​to ​gain rewards ​such ​as ​the aforementioned ​players ​or ​coins, ​which ​are ​used ​to ​purchase ​card ​packs ​that ​contain ​the rewards ​I mentioned ​earlier. ​(I ​forgot ​to ​mention ​that ​everything ​is ​a ​trading ​card, ​until ​you start ​playing.) ​There’s ​MUT ​draft ​in ​which you ​can ​draft ​an ​amazing ​team ​of ​high ​overall rating ​characters. ​(Don’t ​get ​too ​excited, ​you ​don’t ​get ​to ​keep ​these ​players, though ​you ​do get ​some ​pretty ​sweet ​rewards ​if ​you ​finish ​the ​mode.) ​Then, ​there’s ​season ​mode, ​in ​which you ​put ​your ​team to ​the ​test ​against ​other ​players’ ​teams ​around ​the ​world. ​There’s ​also MUT ​Squad, ​in ​which ​you ​team ​up ​with ​2 ​other ​people to ​take ​on ​an ​opposing ​group ​of ​3.

But ​that’s ​not ​all, ​there’s ​Franchise ​Mode ​in ​which ​you ​can ​play ​as ​a ​player, ​in ​which ​you control ​one ​player ​that ​you ​can create ​or ​choose ​from ​players ​already ​in ​the ​NFL ​from game ​to ​game, ​you ​can ​play ​as ​a ​coach, ​in ​which ​you ​control ​an ​entire team ​and ​make decisions ​about ​signing ​players. ​And ​then ​you ​can ​play ​as ​an ​owner ​in ​which ​not ​only ​do you ​have ​the responsibilities ​of ​a ​coach, ​but ​you ​also ​have ​to ​maintain ​the ​stadium, ​prices of ​food, ​tickets, ​and ​memorabilia, ​and ​make sure ​the ​fans ​are ​happy.

If ​you ​just ​like ​playing ​a ​quick ​game ​of ​football ​whether ​it’s ​online ​or ​offline, ​then ​Play ​Now Live ​is just ​the ​mode ​for ​you! ​You ​can ​choose ​either ​to ​match ​up ​two ​teams ​to ​play ​against a ​computer, ​up ​to ​3 ​other ​friends, ​or somebody ​else ​online, ​or ​you ​can ​choose ​a preselected ​matchup ​that ​reflects ​the ​games ​in ​the ​NFL ​for ​that ​week, ​and ​see ​if your ​play through ​reflects ​the ​game ​that ​week.(DISCLAIMER: ​There’s ​no ​system ​in ​the ​game ​that ​does this, ​what ​I ​meant ​by this ​is ​that ​if ​you ​keep ​the ​final ​score ​in ​mind ​of ​your ​game, ​you ​can compare ​that ​to ​how ​the ​game ​that ​week ​turned ​out.

Then ​finally, ​for ​those ​that ​want ​a ​Telltale ​Games ​or ​Mass ​Effect ​experience, ​they ​should ​try out ​Long-shot, ​which ​tells ​the story ​of ​Devin ​Wade, ​who ​was ​a ​star ​QB ​during ​high ​school, but ​failed ​to ​maintain ​that ​status ​during ​college, ​as ​he ​grappled with ​his ​father’s ​(Cutter Wade) ​death ​after ​a ​car ​accident. ​Now ​it’s ​your ​turn ​to ​control ​Devin’s ​actions ​as ​he ​works his ​way through ​the ​NFL ​Combine ​and ​beyond. ​(Note: ​This ​first ​part ​of ​the ​story ​has ​an interesting ​way ​to ​continue ​the ​narrative after ​the ​combine.) ​I’d ​recommend ​finishing ​the story, ​as ​you ​get ​some ​amazing ​Madden ​Ultimate ​Team ​rewards ​for finishing ​it.

Is​ ​it​ ​good? 2 Y ​to ​the ​E ​to ​the ​S ​YES! ​Everything ​is ​done ​phenomenally, ​from ​the ​way ​you ​build ​and ​play with your ​team ​in ​MUT, ​to ​the ​slight ​but ​significant ​variations ​to ​each ​way ​you ​can ​play ​in Franchise ​Mode, ​to ​the ​speedy ​and nearly ​flawless ​online ​modes, ​to ​the ​weekly ​roster ​and commentary ​updates, ​to ​the ​funny, ​touching, ​and ​decent ​voice ​acting of ​Long-shot, ​this game ​is ​an ​incredible ​experience ​I’d ​recommend ​to ​any ​type ​of ​gamer, ​it ​is ​perfect ​for anybody.

Though there ​are ​a ​few ​issues, ​even ​though ​you ​can ​download ​custom ​rosters, ​there’s ​no way ​to ​add ​them ​into ​Franchise ​Mode, ​alone with ​the ​fact ​that, ​while ​this ​isn’t ​completely true, ​MUT ​has ​a ​certain ​Pay ​to ​Win ​feel ​to ​it, ​there ​are ​also ​a ​few ​clichés ​in Long-shot.

But, ​overall, ​the ​game ​is ​an ​excellent ​experience. ​This ​game ​I ​highly ​recommend, ​and ​it’s great ​for ​any ​kind ​of gamer, ​young, ​old, ​long ​session, ​quick ​little ​session, ​noob, ​pro, ​it’s ​got a ​little ​bit ​of ​something ​for ​everybody. FINAL ​RATING: ​4.5/5 3

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