Oh, EA Sports . . . how do you do it?  Each year you make us pro football fans excited about the next Madden NFL game and each year we gladly surrender to its hype because we know we won’t be disappointed.  This year Madden NFL 2005 is going up against its biggest competitor, Sega’s ESPN NFL 2005 for a battle to win over fans of the video gridiron.  As a sport gamer obsessed with both games, it’s time to see which of the two really stands out as the very best. 

Past Madden games have shown improvements in practically every aspect of the game and this year’s game is no exception, although much of the additions hardly change Madden NFL’s near perfect design.  Many of the game’s past weaknesses have been considerably tweaked and its strengths, 2004’s Playmaker function is back, remain just as good.  Madden 2005 looks like last year’s game but looks, as you’ll quickly see for yourself, looks can be deceiving.  For starters, your opponents respond to the situation at hand thanks to surprisingly intelligent AI and the emphasis on strong defensive football.  Fear the D, the back of the box says.  You better believe it.

One of Madden 2005’s biggest highlights is the Hit Stick, which changes the momentum of the game with the simple movement of the right analog stick.  You’ll be trying to use it a lot because it makes forcing a turnover, keeping track of the ball carrier to lower the boom on him seem easier.  I say trying because if the angle is off and your timing is poor, you’re in for a big disappointment.  Still, with lots of practice you’ll come to appreciate the Hit Stick.  Another thing you’ll come to appreciate is the Playmaker function and the ability to change plays on the fly before the snap.  Hot routes allow you to quickly move players around and point them to specific areas you want covered.  The combination of both gives you full control over how you want to strategize each play.  It’s also so wonderfully effective because it’s done right.

And speaking of defense, thanks to the wonderfully intelligent opponent AI you’ll find that they can play up the defense enough that you’ll constantly have to stay sharp.  In fact, you’ll be keeping a close eye on actual key league players while going up against the opposing team.  That Jamal Lewis is a running back powerhouse in real life and much so in the game as well so it would be wise to keep a close eye on him out on the field.  So, as you can see, long gone are the days of computer-controlled players that can’t put together a decent rushing attack against your defense if their life depended on it.

As for the game modes, all the favorites are back but it’s the additions in Franchise mode that add more depth this year.   You’ll find tournament mode and you’ll find a mode called Mini-Camp filled to the brim with various fun mini-games used to strengthen your weaknesses. There’s Two Minute Drill, a game mode that will place you in a very intense situation.  You’ll even have a blast creating your own team, stadium, uniforms and even your own fans.  Still it’s Franchise mode that sees interesting new changes and additions.  While ESPN NFL 2K5 really hit gold with their in-depth management features, Madden 2005 adds the little things that make the franchise so much more personalized.  For example, the new Storyline Central features a national and local newspapers highlighting moments from your favorite team’s season as well as give you the latest on free agents you might be interested in drafting.  You’ll also be dealing with your players morale so say you’re playing as the Oakland Raiders and Curry is upset with the way the entire team is performing, you’re likely to find him very interested in the Dallas Cowboys. 

Luckily for us, EA Sports has come to an agreement with Microsoft to support the Xbox Live service in this year’s long list of EA’s sports titles.   This makes Madden 2005 the first EA Sports game with an online multiplayer mode and boy-oh-boy it doesn’t get any better than this.  Not only does it include online leagues but also it offers tournaments and a perfectly smooth online play free from lag.  There are plenty of quick modes to play and you can even keep track of your friends via the neat EA Sports Ticker (that also offers scores of real games).  EA Sports is also debuting their Premium Pass that will basically separate the casual player from the more serious and dedicated armchair quarterback that won’t attempt to cheat or drop out of the game without a moments notice if, say, a girl from Southern California (we’ll call her Angelina) is winning the game by 32 points.  This is everything we’ve ever asked for in an online multiplayer mode.

Graphically speaking, Madden 2005 doesn’t change much in terms of bringing us an attractive game with good-looking player models and nicely detailed stadiums filled with hundreds of fans going wild.  Yet, at risk of sounding nitpicky when it comes to eye-candy, this isn’t enough.  The ESPN game adds more personality to players and everything from their uniforms to faces look a lot more detailed.  Even without the ESPN broadcasting feel, Madden could have been just as dazzling but it still is decent enough for a game that no longer has any of the awful clipping issues of past Madden games. 

As for the sound, the game features a nice mixture of hip-hop (Z-Trip) and alternative rock bands (Hoobastank and Green Day to name a few) that comes up in the new EA Sports Radio station.  Yes, there’s a radio station complete with its own talk show hosted by sports aficionado Tony Bruno that’s sometimes hilarious (some of the callers are downright wacky) and often insightful (aside from some great trivia tidbits, Bruno comments on current situations).  This feature is definitely going to be well liked by fans, although many will wish the talk show would be a bit more personalized and geared towards the team you just happen to be playing.  Still, hopefully something like that could be found next year.  As for the commentary, Al Michaels and Madden himself cover the game well enough but it’s really not as good as the coverage heard in ESPN’s game.

Madden NFL 2005 is still very much at the top of its game and fans will certainly find a lot to love this year.  As it stands, only ESPN NFL 2K5 has the goods to take the crown from Madden (the tasty gameplay slider, the televised presentation style and an excellent price tag have a lot to do with it).  Yet with plenty of improvements as well as the addition of new features and game modes--including Xbox Live support, yay--you have yourself a football game that’s still very much the leader of the pack.  Madden fans, you won’t be disappointed. 

Gameplay: 9.0
Improvements have been made and the majority of them are centered around defense but with so many new additions and extra features, 2005 turns out to be Madden’s best year yet. 

Graphics: 8.2
Still a wonderfully detailed game with all the trimmings, this year’s game looks a lot like last year’s game.  It also isn’t as dazzling or as presentable as ESPN NFL 2K5.  Still, Madden won’t disappoint in the visuals department.

Sound: 7.8
The area that could have used more work is it’s inability to really showcase atmosphere, but the game certainly makes up for it with the super cool tunes (e.g. Chevelle and New Found Glory), the often hilarious Tony Bruno radio show and okay commentary.

Difficulty: Medium
The AI has gotten smart enough that you’ll be taken aback by strong offensive and defensive football.  Sure you can pull a fast one on them by using Playmaker to switch plays on the fly or turn the tables on a strong defense but this year’s game makes you really work so expect to be nicely challenged.

Concept: 9.5
While not abandoning the features we love, the new features give the 2005 game even more depth.  The Create-A-Team feature now includes creating your own fans to where you want your press box in your stadium.  And while you thought it was awesome when EA Sports announced its lineup of games will now feature Xbox Live support, wait until the Premium Pass service makes its debut.

Multiplayer: 10
Madden fans have been waiting for this since the Xbox Live was finally launched awhile back but our prayers have been answered.  Yes, Madden 2005 can be played online and yes it’s so good that football fans will find themselves somehow glued to their chairs.  In fact, I’m still stuck to mine.  See what you do to me, EA Sports?

Overall: 9.5
Madden NFL 2005 doesn’t really take this game to a whole new level but it does slightly rise above the amazing ESPN NFL 2K5.  Fans of the franchise will find plenty to love about this year’s game and with Xbox Live multiplayer goodness, you can’t go wrong.