Madden 16: Stadiums, Uniforms and Player Models Review

Visually, Madden NFL 16 has its act together.

The gameplay has taken some serious steps forward, but the various components of the visual presentation deserve to be spotlighted.

Stadiums and Crowd

Credit: EA Sports

Unlike with baseball, stadium design doesn't factor into gameplay heavily, but we all like to see as much authenticity as possible. Every NFL stadium is accurately represented in Madden NFL 16. That's not really news, as that's been the case in most of the latest versions of the game.

What is new is the variety and detail depicted in the crowd. There are a number of different fans in the stands. The diversity is such that it'll be difficult for you to find a duplicate.

All of the fans are outfitted in official NFL store gear that is weather-appropriate for the game taking place. You can see an example of this attention to detail in the image below:

Credit: EA Sports

EA Sports has been pushing its "living worlds" concept since it began producing games for the current generation of video games. We're starting to see the fruits of its labor. Here are a few extra details offered by Madden NFL 16 presentation director Brian Murray, courtesy of EASports.com:

"

The frequency of props showing up—and the volume at which they appear—is all based on reference from the last three NFL seasons. The crowd signs are team-specific and feature some witty quips for each team. The fans in the crowd will also head track the action on the field this year.

One of our favorite additions this year are the female fans that are now in attendance!

"

Uniforms

Credit: EA Sports

Teams that will introduce new uniforms in the NFL will also have new threads in Madden NFL 16. Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look especially sharp—if you like the burnt-orange look.

There are a few new facemasks and helmets to better represent the different equipment we see in the NFL from week to week. Uniform degradation also returns, which is really cool in games with rain or snow.

Player Models

Last but not least, we take a look at the players:

Not every NFL player has had his face scanned for photo-realistic results, but many more have than in previous versions of Madden. This adds a great deal to the realism and immersion.

There's also an appropriate variance in body types. Offensive linemen look like big, rough guys. Wide receivers look like sleek and explosive athletes. Because of the equipment and body language, quarterbacks can also be spotted from a distance.

In previous versions, there was an issue with the proportions of players' heads and bodies. That's long gone, as Madden NFL 16's player models look as good as those of any other sports game currently available.

Unless otherwise noted, all images provided by EA Sports directly or embedded from EA Sports on Twitter and/or Facebook.

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