First, let's start with the visuals. Last year's game looked good. Madden 09 looks better. We were shown side-by-side in-game screen comparisons from Madden 08 to 09 and the difference was clear. Player models look much more realistic and there's also a nice little depth of field effect presented from the standard gameplay camera angle that makes everything look that much cooler and sleeker. It's a small addition but it really emphasizes the on-the-field action more than in years prior. Obviously we aren't just basing our critiques on screenshots, the devs from Tiburon fired up a snowy game at Lambeau Field (something everyone should get used to given the fact that Brett Favre is the cover guy) and played right in front of us.

Speaking of snow, that's also something that the team has worked on over the off-season. Footprints are now in, as are flash bulbs from the crowd at exciting moments of the game, though those obviously aren't unique to snowy tundras. I was a bit disappointed to learn that the snow won't deform in any way when players are brought to the ground – the idea of doing a snow angel touchdown celebration was completely squashed – but the fact that footprints refill as the snow continues to fall will have to suffice. There's also a cool blue hue that is added on to snow-filled games to accentuate the feeling of actually being in the cold. It may sound a little funny but it actually looks really cool in-game.

The Virtual Trainer was seen in motion for the first time as well as the new BackTrack and Rewind replay features that we've talked about previously. The Virtual Trainer, something that every Madden fanboy was undoubtedly skeptical of when the news of its inclusion was first announced, features a cool holographic overlay that replaces the standard Madden visuals. Your players are glowing green and the opposition is glowing red, but none of the traditional uniforms or player models can be seen. The field is coated in black with hologram goal posts. The whole look of the Trainer lives up to the "Virtual" part of its name...

Read Full Story HERE from IGN.com
 

Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto: