Madden 13: Biggest Reasons to Own Latest Installment of Hit Video Game Series

As we approach the end of August, sports fans and video game lovers converge on one title that will keep them busy for months. Yes, it is almost time to get hold of the latest iteration of the ridiculously popular Madden video game series. 

Madden '13 is EA Sports' latest attempt to prove that video games are better than real life, at least when it comes to the NFL. It is a difficult task to pull off year after year, but there are a few reasons to be optimistic about this year's game living up to the challenge. 

Here are the biggest features/upgrades/etc. that have us chomping at the bit to get hold of Madden '13.

Infinity Engine

Some people think that gamers are too obsessed with the engine the game runs on, but when you look at how smooth and crisp the animations are, as well as the unique look and feel for every play, you can see why it is so important. 

EA knows that everything needs to feel a lot more like the real game to keep fans invested in the action. Having the game is fun in its own right, but there are a lot of ways to make it feel like a deeper presentation. 

Even if you don't want to play the game, just watch the demos of the game to get a feel for the way everything flows much more cohesively. 

Gameplay

One area where the Madden series has fallen into a bit of a lull lately is with the gameplay. You could put in the game from five years ago and last year's version without noticing a huge difference in the way the games play. 

This year, though, EA has upgraded the offensive and defensive mechanics to give the video game a much more real-life feel. 

Ultimately, that's what EA is trying to do: present the most realistic NFL video game possible. Gameplay is the most critical aspect of that, so it is good to see things like play-action passing and defensive reactions get upgraded. 

Connected Careers

My personal pick for the best new feature of the year is the "Connected Careers" mode. With technology today, there are so many different modes of communication and ways to interact that it was only a matter of time before Madden got in on the action. 

Not only does this mode give you the chance to play the career of, say, Jerry Rice, but you can control everything on the game console, Internet or phone. 

If you don't like Jerry Rice, well, then I don't want to know you. But if you want to create your own player, you can control his career with this feature, too. We live in an information age, so what better feature for a video game than one that allows us to stay connected at all times to see what insiders are saying about your avatar?

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