Madden 16: Expert Reviews, NFL Player Comments, Team Ratings and More
The experts have spoken, and the word on Madden 16 is positive. According to Metacritic, Madden 16's conglomerate score is an 83. That's pretty high. It ranks among the top games the site considers "current."
That's a far cry from some of the feedback and scores the game has received in the past. I rated Madden 16 an 8.4 and acknowledge that it is the best in many years. Visually, it's stunning, and the gameplay has taken a huge step forward.
The highest rating I've seen from any publication came from Owen S. Good of Polygon.com and Louis Edwards of PlayStation Lifestyle.
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Both men scored the game a nine. While a few Connected Franchise and presentation shortcomings kept me from going that high, I don't think Good's or Edwards' scores are implausible. To put it plain, Madden 16 is really fun.
Dez Doesn't Like His Rating
The game is supposed to be fun, right? Well, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant takes it serious. At least that's the case when it comes to his player rating. Last month, Bryant got wind of his speed rating in the game and he was none too pleased.
Bryant took to Twitter and comically objected to EA Sports giving him an 89 rating in speed. The tweet has since been deleted, but Dan Carson of Bleacher Report was able to get an image of the post before it was removed.
Rookies Don't Know Jack
That's one of the most hilarious responses you'll see to a Madden player rating. For even more Madden ratings humor, you've got to check out the video below, as several rookies attempt to guess their initial ratings in the iconic video game.
Speaking of ratings, gamers who are looking for a team to choose in Connected Franchise, or scoping out a squad to run with online, should know how each team stacks up. Here's a look at the ratings for all 32 teams.
AFC East
- New England Patriots - 91
- Miami Dolphins - 81
- Buffalo Bills - 79
- New York Jets - 76
AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens - 85
- Pittsburgh Steelers - 84
- Cincinnati Bengals - 84
- Cleveland Browns - 75
AFC South
- Indianapolis Colts - 87
- Houston Texans - 79
- Jacksonville Jaguars - 73
- Tennessee Titans - 72
AFC West
- Denver Broncos - 89
- Kansas City Chiefs - 82
- San Diego Chargers - 82
- Oakland Raiders - 74
NFC East
- Dallas Cowboys - 86
- Philadelphia Eagles - 84
- New York Giants - 77
- Washington Redskins - 75
NFC North
- Green Bay Packers - 90
- Detroit Lions - 83
- Minnesota Vikings - 77
- Chicago Bears - 75
NFC South
- Carolina Panthers - 80
- New Orleans Saints - 78
- Atlanta Falcons - 77
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 74
NFC West
- Seattle Seahawks - 91
- Arizona Cardinals - 82
- San Francisco 49ers - 78
- St. Louis Rams - 78
Prepare for the Seahawks and Patriots
If you plan on playing online, you should prepare yourself for a heavy dose of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Seattle will probably be the most common team. It isn't just tied with the Pats for highest team rating, Seattle also has a mobile quarterback in Russell Wilson.
A high team rating and a QB that can run around are the biggest draws for a lesser-skilled Madden player looking for an easy win.
If you're playing a Connected Franchise and looking for a challenge,but you also want to have some fun, try taking on the Tennessee Titans as a reclamation project. It's true, they have the lowest rating in the game, but players like Marcus Mariota and Bishop Sankey offer a promising and young one-two punch.
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