Madden 18: Review of Elite Player Ratings, Achievements and More

Days separate Madden fans from EA Sports' latest release, Madden 18.

The August 25 launch date signals the next step in a long process for the franchise, one building atop a strong base by going in a variety of different directions. 

Of the new features, Madden 18 offers more accessibility with different play styles, online co-op via Ultimate Team and a story-driven mode called Longshot, which aims to compete with the story modes in 2K Sports' NBA 2K series. 

Fans across all spectrums of play styles will flock to one thing right out of the gates, of course—player ratings. 

Here's a taste of some of the game's more notable out-of-the-box ratings: 

• Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots, 99
• Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers, 98
• Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers, 97
• David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals, 94
• Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons, 99
• Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers, 97
• Marshal Yanda, T, Baltimore Ravens, 96
• Zack Martin, T, Dallas Cowboys, 95
• Chris Harris Jr., CB, Denver Broncos, 94
• Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos, 99 
• Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers, 98
• Kam Chancellor, S, Seattle Seahawks, 95
• Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns, 83
• O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 82
• Jamal Adams, S, New York Jets, 81
• Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers, 81
• Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars, 81

The full list of ratings is available at EASports.com.

As of now, only Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, Von Miller of the Denver Broncos, Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons carry the coveted 99 rating. 

It's hard to argue with any of the ratings right now, especially with the promise of updated scores by the week as EA Sports works hard to reflect the real-life happenings. In fact, the team has already released an update after the Miami Dolphins grabbed Jay Cutler out of retirement. As usual, the out-of-box ratings earn an A grade. 

For many Madden fans, achievements are a big part of the draw. According to True Achievements, there are 40 this year spanning a wide range of feats, including winning a game with every team across all modes, working through Longshot and much more. 

As expected, the achievements serve as a nice virtual tour through the game's new features. For instance, there are rewards for using the new mechanics as a defensive back, which give players different button prompts to either keep playing the receiver or go for the ball—a welcome change after years of not knowing what the defender will do. 

Longshot also makes up a bulk of the achievement list—and rightfully so. It is an expertly produced affair with strong actors such as Mahershala Ali mo-capped into the game as the mode tells the story of Devin Wade's comeback attempt and all the characters surrounding him on the journey. 

The action is worthy of its own television show, and the playable football parts via flashbacks and scrimmages, alongside work in the film room and on play calls, actually goes out of its way to teach players the basics of the game. 

One doesn't have to look far for Ultimate Team achievements either. Arguably the most popular game mode in Madden returns, equipped with challenges and more updates to come. Weekend tournaments add more to the competitive scene, while the introduction of MUT squads signals the return of co-op to the game. 

MUT squads lets three players team up and take on others online, combining their cards to form the best possible roster and sticking to assigned roles. Many co-op games don't require working together as much as playing alongside each other, yet three-person teams won't succeed online without air-tight communication and planning. 

If this year's Madden sounds like fan service, most of it is. Oft-requested features making their way into the game—some of them with Hollywood-level production values—was the natural next step for the franchise. 

As our official review details, Madden 18 builds on a strong base game by branching off in the directions fans asked for the most, and does so quite well. Fans of the series have plenty to look forward to after a glance at the ever-changing player ratings and achievement list.  

Information courtesy of EASports.com unless otherwise specified.