Game Review: 'Madden NFL 25' -- 3 stars

‘Madden NFL 25’
3 stars

It’s only appropriate that Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders is the cover athlete for “Madden NFL 25.” Not only did both Sanders and the sports video game juggernaut burst onto the pro football scene in 1989, Sanders’ image heralds a beefed-up running game in this year’s iteration from EA Sports.

This year’s primary addition to the tried-and-true “Madden” gameplay is the precision modifier, which grants a ball carrier the ability to execute more than twice as many moves to avoid would-be tacklers. It’s an effective addition, but just as welcome is fixing the running game so that running backs no longer trip up on their lineman.

In a move long overdue, Owner Mode is back. This way of playing Connected Franchise — which also has the option of playing as a player or coach — essentially adds SimCity-style money management into the mix. It’s fun for those who want to manage every aspect of an NFL franchise, but why was it removed from the series to begin with, years ago?

The rest of the changes are mostly minor. Ball carriers seem to make cuts on the field more realistically, and linebackers don’t make nearly as many absurd interceptions as they did in last year’s “Madden.”

Like most recent editions of the 24-year-old franchise, the game probably hasn’t changed enough to be a must-buy if you own last year’s title — unless you need updated rosters and rookies. That said, it’s hard to improve drastically on a foundation as solid as the one EA Sports has built over the years.