Every year a new version of EA's juggernaut, Madden Football is released to mixed reviews. There are players who love the game simply because it's Madden, while there are others who dislike the title based on that same fact. Madden has become the epitome of both the negatives and positives of the video game industry. On one hand, there is the total lack of innovation from previous years. The title has, in fact, taken several steps backward in recent installments. On the other hand, there is the unavoidable success that the game has had. The series has such a serious following that fans will wait outside retailers for midnight releases. However, the jump to next gen was not kind to the franchise. Fans and critics alike complained about the emptiness of the experience and the lack of depth to virtually all facets of the game. Perhaps the third time on Xbox 360 is a charm or, more likely, out of retaliation to 2K's recent attempt to resurrect their own series and usurp the sales. EA has finally made a Madden worthy of not just the hardcore Maddenite's attention, but for anyone who has had a hard time understanding the hype. Madden 08, if anything, sets a dangerous precedent for itself; it has finally made the proper step into next gen.

One of the biggest improvements is in the new Weapon System. Players with particular skill sets are given new ratings which are based on their actual playing ability. For instance, a player such as Hines Ward who is known for his sticky hands and ability to catch the ball in traffic is considered a Possession receiver and, just like in real life, he's more likely to make a catch in traffic than a normal receiver. This works for every position and each has certain attributes that differentiate players in a satisfying way. When building a team in franchise mode, it's no longer just a statistics game. Some players have abilities that blend better in certain situations. Players that have been in the league for awhile might be classified as "smart players". A light bulb will flash above their head, filling up when plays are run that are in similar formations or if the player notes tendencies. This idea may have existed in past seasons, but it becomes game-changing here, especially when playing defense and a player knows what the other team is going to do.

The new weapon system is one of the best additions to the series in years.

Although there may be some arguments as to players' weapons ratings, the system itself is a gigantic step forward. Game planning matters in a way it never did before and, just like in a real game of football, if a player is found out of position or mismatched, it can be exploited. It seems as though the defensive line benefits from this most. In previous versions, inside penetration had always been kind of a problem with Madden, as speedy defensive tackles made it into the backfield seemingly untouched. That's just a small complaint though, because this feature entirely overhauls the experience of the game. We always knew players like Santana Moss were fast, but now they have the ability to blaze down the field in a way that feels completely new.

Noticeably, the developers only added a few new modes. This does hurt the overall depth of the game somewhat, but not nearly as much as in past years. Superstar mode has been expanded, allowing you to play as an actual rookie that was drafted this past April. Although there appears to be very few options in the menu screens themselves, everything is much more streamlined, and the gameplay has been improved upon dramatically. Thankfully, the camera has been pulled back as well. Last year, and even in this year's NCAA, the camera felt far too close at times. With this improvement, your field of vision is significantly better. Some additions could still be made to this mode, but overall Superstar can be addictive, especially if you take the roll of a quarterback or defensive player who's often on the field. It finally feels like you are taking control of the player and the team. More importantly, the influence system feels like it has far more weight. For those who have not played this mode before, as games progress, your influence on the field can grow or shrink based on your playing ability. From there, you can dole out points based on what level of influence your player has. Field Generals, for instance, can boost the pass blocking of their linemen or their own skills which makes success or failure weigh far more on your mind. Although the system feels a little cheesy at times, labeling players things like "Lone Wolves" for instance, it works much better this year.

There are not many new features outside of the normal franchise mode, but there is an interesting Hall of Fame option that true football fans may enjoy. It features biographies of the various players inducted into the hall of fame with some NFL Films clips showing their greatest games or why they were added. It's not particularly groundbreaking, but can be interesting for younger viewers who may have wondered what made players like Barry Sanders or Thurman Thomas so great.

Although there are issues with the PS3 version of the game with multiplayer running at a mere thirty frames per second, the 360 version shines online. There seem to be quite a few fumbles, but overall it has received a gigantic boost. Last year's edition played well enough online but featured serious lag and, thankfully, that is not the case this year. Leagues are still missing, which is a drawback, but the statistics tracking has gained a small boost and plays far better. Plus, with the upgrades to the game and the number of 360 owners increasing, it feels like it's far easier to find another player and get into a game.

The controls have received a huge boost this year as well. A new introduction is the Hitstick 2.0, which is a vast improvement on the design of its predecessor. The big hit still exists, but now there is another option. If a power back comes at you, simply flick the stick down and you will take out their legs. This changes the dynamic of the game in a multitude of ways. First of all, the gang tackles work well and if you can slow a player down by doing this, a teammate could make it over to help with the stop. Second, if a small corner is trying to tackle Larry Johnson, he's not going to go high for a tackle unless he wants to get obliterated. By flicking up you can go for the big hit that may cause a fumble on a weaker player. With the weapon system it's even more effective; a player who is a brick wall defender will just knock out a smaller player like Brian Westbrook. Animations have been overhauled too though, so Westbrook might have a chance at juking or moving around the player in front of him.

These new animations are probably what make this game look the best. Branching animation allows you to break a tackle and keep going. However, if you have a low carry rating, it also means you have a better chance to fumble as you struggle for freedom. Players juke through crowds by placing their hands on a lineman's back as they run forward or tippy-toeing towards the sideline as they make a catch. Everyone moves far more realistically; from the speedy back maneuvering around the field, to the mid-air collisions as a receiver goes for a catch, everything just looks great. Computer receivers still run somewhat silly routes at times, standing around and waiting for the quarterback to throw to them instead of trying to get open, but rarely do they just run out of bounds trying to make a catch. They seem to have far more awareness of their surroundings and that goes a long way towards making Madden seem more realistic.

The updated animations make for a welcome change in presentation.

The presentation is surprisingly amongst the worst flaws in this year's game. There is still no ability to have the EA Sports radio play in-game and after hearing the same commentary system for the past few years, it just sounds lackluster. The radio announcers of the local team are dreary and often repeat themselves, rarely adding to the experience. Madden and Al Michael's commentary was rarely updated, but this announcer sounds like he's addicted to painkillers. Everything is slow, methodical, and just plain boring. The worst offender is the pre-game introduction led by Marshall Faulk. There are few people who could sound more disinterested or idiotic than Faulk does in these sequences. Whether it is from having far too many concussions or spending all that time with Kurt Warner, Faulk just does not work in the game and should be exorcised before next year's model. On the field, the player's voices are somewhat more entertaining, as EA has incorporated actual players into the game. The only problem is that sometimes they seem to lag a bit and players like Peyton Manning can sound ridiculous screaming after a play. Overall, the sound design lacks anything groundbreaking. It's a shame because after so many other features received such huge overhauls, you would think presentation would be just as important.

No this version of Madden is not perfect, but for the first time in this generation it does more than just boot up; it actually plays very well. In fact, it might be the most enjoyable iteration of the franchise in years. Fans of football can finally play Madden without all the "but's" and "if's" that have accompanied the franchise for years. The animations are terrific and the new weapon system is actually revolutionary, at least in terms of the Madden franchises lack of updates in previous years. If anything, this is a fun game that friends can finally get together and play, even if they are just casual fans of the sport. Most importantly, for the first time in four or five years, Madden means something past huge sales and broken gameplay. It is a huge step forward for the franchise and an even bigger step for sports games in general. If a bit more depth is added in, the in-game sound is changed, and other nagging issues are fixed, this could easily become one of the best sports games to play period. Hopefully, the developers will choose to address these issues in next year's edition, because they finally have some real competition: themselves.