Madden NFL 19

This year's football installment scores with lots of revamped features, but the story mode should've stayed on the bench. Madden NFL 19 brings many enhancements, with some of the strongest added to the Franchise and Ultimate Team modes. In Franchise, the ability to set offensive and defensive schemes gives coaches more control over their teams, like the pass-focused West Coast Offense. This year, you can also find players that perfectly fit your scheme, enhancing their stats to make them superstars. Ultimate Team mode builds on these features, making it the most engaging that it's ever been. Instead of hunting for powerful versions of athletes in game packs, gamers can spend training points to upgrade members of their squad, making them better offensive, defensive, or special teams players. On top of this, the addition of Solo Challenges pits you against members of the community, without being dependent on another player's online connection. It's nice to see how your squad stacks up against another gamer's collection of players, and thanks to the enhanced difficulty levels and leaderboards, you're rewarded for taking on and defeating curated groups on a weekly basis. This keeps this mode fresh and exciting.

But Madden NFL 19 has some issues. Some gamers will hate the sluggish movement for ball carriers. That's because the Real Player Motion system has changed the running mechanics, so instead of holding onto the sprint button (which players were accustomed to), you now hit the button for quick boosts and acceleration. This lets you chain together juke moves or hesitation steps to cut through defenders with a burst of speed. If you're a veteran of Madden, it takes multiple games to unlearn what you've gotten used to playing over the years. Once you do, the gameplay feels surprisingly more tactical than before. But what's worse is this year's installment of Longshot, the story mode, which feels like the underdeveloped second act of last year's tale. Your gameplay doesn't affect the plot, unlike the first game, so you're being driven toward a specific ending -- one that isn't particularly good. Devin's portion seems like more of an afterthought compared to the focus on Colt, which is odd since he's actually in the NFL and struggling to make a squad. Colt's tale, on the other hand, feels like an Afterschool Special, complete with predictable character development and ending. It should've been cut out. But if you overlook the horrible story mode, Madden NFL 19 tackles football fun with excellent gameplay.