Madden NFL is one of the most popular annual sports games, whose history dates back to the 1980s. Having started life as a student project, the Madden series was developed as a computer game based on statistics, which was used more for experiments and predicting results than for any realistic real-time football simulator. In the early 1990s, the Madden series began to look a bit more like its modern counterpart with a more action-focused arcade game for the Sega Genesis. By 1996, Madden NFL had become the best-selling sports video game franchise of the time.
As is the case with every annual sports video game, Madden NFL is releasing a brand new game this year. However, unlike some other popular sports franchises, the Madden series has tried to shake things up a bit year after year, and Madden NFL 23 promises to be no different. While fans shouldn’t expect too much innovation, EA has already announced that there will be a number of gameplay improvements in Madden NFL 23, as well as several graphical and technical improvements. All of this makes Madden NFL 23 better than its predecessor, Madden NFL 22.
Comparing the gameplay of Madden NFL 23 with Madden NFL 22
Madden NFL 23 brings one big improvement to the gameplay of Madden NFL 22. This new physical system, dubbed “FieldSense”, is supposed to change the entire Madden experience forever. Detailed in the recent Madden NFL 23 trailer, FieldSense is the generic term EA uses to describe all the changes made to the gameplay of this entry, from how players move to how the pass works, as well as how hit detection will work.
Under this definition of FieldSense is a subsystem called “Hitting Everything”. This new physics-based adjustment will track the player’s specific movements and determine the exact spot on the body that was hit during the collision. This will presumably lead to a more realistic animation of the characters after the collision, when the player will react as it might look like in a real football match. For example, if a player gets hit in the shoulder, he will most likely fall on his side and roll in a certain way determined by the point of impact.
The Skill-based Walkthrough system will also fall under the new FieldSense mechanics. According to EA, this passing system will use a new physics system to make the animation of throwing and catching more realistic. With the skill-based pass enabled, players will use a new aiming grid and power meter for accurate and powerful throws. In addition, the new system will also give players more control over their movements when holding the ball. Players will now be able to make 360 strikes, turning on the spot to dodge oncoming tackles. Alternatively, players can leave the classic version of the pass, when you need to press just one button to launch an automatic pass to a teammate.
While FieldSense is by far the biggest change in Madden NFL 23, it will only be available for next-gen versions, and this year’s release also brought some technical improvements. A significant portion of Madden NFL 23 players undergo a re-scan to make sure their character models are up-to-date, along with several popular coaches. The camera angles for the end zone are also adjustable, which makes the gameplay in this zone more cinematic. In addition, fans will have to wait and see what the upcoming game has in store at launch.
Madden NFL 23 is released on August 19 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
