Topic: Strategies

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Since online play was introduced for Madden in August of 2002, the Madden community has been split on the subject of philosophy. There are those who seek the "chess match" that fervent football fans term SIM to illustrate a likeness of real NFL football. On the other side of the fence are those with a competitive drive so high they will do whatever it takes to win, even if it blurs the lines of football convention. Tactics that seemed overwhelming to some have been considered heavy on the antics and light on the strategy, while others purposely build these frustrating tactics into their game plan.

Many factors combine to determine a player's stance on the subject including, but not limited to; football experience, Madden experience, awareness, decisiveness, and mental fortitude. With all the swirling opinions, accusations, and rationalization someone must be right, right? Whom, among ethical Madden players, remains to be the question with which we wrestle.

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Every year there are some minor adjustments longtime Madden fans expect before fully settling into a new Madden version. Whether it's running behind blocking, scrambling away from defenders, filling a hole, or leaping for a sideline catch the idiosyncrasies of playing Madden rely heavily on our ability to shift from one version to the next. This year Locomotion seems to be the biggest adjustment for some players.

It's unavoidable. If you move, you will feel the differences in Madden NFL 11's Locomotion system. While the thought seems scary, it actually plays very well.

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It's a brand new ballgame. That's not to say that Madden 11 isn't the game we all know and love, but it is to say that there are drastic differences that you will notice before taking your first snap. Some of the changes will change the way we approach playing and planning for the game.

GameFlow, a new play call system that imitates the NFL's coordinator based system makes calls automatically based on situations. While it seems to be an amateurish feature on the surface, it's implementation is surprising. It feels natural to have a play called and be left to execute what the coach says.

Fortunately, GamePlanning grants users the ability to select the plays GameFlow calls in a pre-game session in which players hand craft their own game plans. Often referred as "Ask Madden 2.0," GamePlanning with GameFlow is actually the first "Ask You." Once a plan has been crafted, players can cruise through the play call duties and focus on executing.

Online Scouting Reports are yet another feature that rings NFL true. Players are able to buy scouting information about their opponents at key portions of games using coins they have earned through playing. Players choose Teir 1, 2, or 3 level reports that detail a variety of different tidbits about a player's habits.

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Eventually, everyone faces man coverage. Some love burning it, others have trouble. Shotgun Trips plays like the "Z OPTION" work phenomenally to get a reliable pre-snap read of the coverage while leaving man coverages exposed. Against pressure defenses you can get the ball out the the Quarterback hands quickly with receivers uncovering almost immediately off the line of scrimmage.

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In Madden, is there anything more frustrating than being ahead at beginning of the 4th quarter then suddenly being down after several passes for a score? When you're up late, it's important to realize that your opponent is playing against you AND the clock. Use this quick adjustment to make passes that much more difficult and force your opponent into some poor choices.

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