Every year since the 3D video game generation began, football fans have been looking to EA Sports' Madden series to be the game that defines the genre. A few weaknesses were understandable back in 2006, when the developers at Tiburon were working with new technology. Every year since, when we hoped for a game that would blow us away, we were met with a game that was good, but still flawed. The series' progression has always been more gradual than many fans could stand. Even now, there are aspects of Madden 10's career modes that are not as deep as they were in 2005. Even so, the extensive gameplay improvements in this year's gridiron simulation make it clear that the series is very close to becoming that spectacular game that has eluded fans for so long.

Madden is different this year, but whether or not it is different enough will really be based on your preferences. If your main attraction is getting out on the field and playing a realistic game of football, then the changes in this year's entry will please you greatly. The shift of focus to on-the-field action is understandable, but it has left the franchise and superstar modes so underdeveloped that they almost feel stripped, especially in the superstar mode. In the franchise mode, the updated ratings and progression system actually has a wide enough range in player scores that the average starter and all-pro really do behave differently. Rookies and other young players also grow in leaps and bounds as the veterans depreciate logically. And, while there are a few moments when the ratings generator just does not work, the results remain solid. The rest of franchise mode remains relatively unchanged, however. Some streamlined menus are present, but everything else, from cities and logos for relocation, to scouting and the draft, are almost exactly the same as they were last year.

Mowing down defenders is more satisfying than ever with the new pro-tak system.

The Be a Superstar mode has even less going for it. While a little different this year, there has been almost no change for the better. Instead of putting your player through drills, you are given a set number of points to spend on customizable attributes. For those who hated running the forty yard dash, this may sound good, but the number of points allowed by default is only enough to bring your athlete to a rating in the low seventies. Also gone are the repetitive e-mails from mom in the yearly calendar; the interviews are the same as they were in 2006, as well as the ability to choose your own agent. While all of these omissions could have been an improvement, there isn't anything present to replace them. This makes your calendar seem desolate, causing the overall appeal of the mode to drop dramatically.

Given the issues with the various modes, it's a good thing the game itself is so improved. The changes concerning the actual gameplay are drastic. First of all, the updated player ratings system means that every player's stats better reflect their personal strengths and weaknesses. This forces you to call your plays more strategically, and allows you to work mismatches with success. This need to up your play is further expanded by a much slower gameplay engine. Changing the pace gives the game a simulation feel that Madden had lacked in recent years, which causes both the passing and running games to feel improved. Passing the ball is very challenging at first, as open pockets collapse fast, and receivers will find less space to get separation from defenders. Once you have gotten used to this, however, you can use the change in speed to better read your opponent's defenses so to pick them apart.

These updates have thankfully brought statistics back down to earth, and as such, you no longer have quarterbacks throwing at a 70% completion rate. The ground game has been improved as well. Better AI at the point of attack is coupled with an improved tackling engine to create a system that makes running the ball feel true to life. The lead blocking is not without its problems, as it will occasionally baffle you with their maneuvers, but the logic is still an improvement over previous years. All in all, these incremental gameplay upgrades add up to a significant overall boost in quality, making the game both online and off a rewarding experience.

Individual games and tournaments also work just as well as ever, but the greatest achievements are the new cooperative play and Online Franchise modes. Co-op is fairly limited in scope, as you can only play with another friend in exhibition matches against the CPU, but that limitation is overwhelmed by the sheer thrill of connecting with a real person on the other end of your pass rather than an AI player. It becomes quite fun to play around with ways to beat up on the computer opponents and really hone your strategies with a buddy. The Online Franchise mode is exceedingly functional, allowing you to get together with anywhere from one to thirty one friends. Through drafts, trades and other off-season tasks, you can truly form the league together and compete over numerous seasons. Although the trade logic is weak when dealing with computer controlled teams, and although the league becomes very unbalanced when AI teams are trying to keep up with users, there's ultimately still a functional Franchise mode online. It's not perfect, but it is a good springboard for future years.

Madden's presentation has not undergone many major changes. The most significant development is the new pro-tak system; it is much more than just a simple setup that allows for more realistic gang tackles. Every tackle on the screen is animated based on the actual physics going on at that particular moment, with up to nine players affecting the outcome. Everything from momentum to player strength comes into play, and in theory, no two tackles are alike. While you will occasionally see the same tackling animations over the course of a game, the diversity and logic of these animations still remains outstanding. Overall, this new system is dynamic enough to reinvent the way the game looks in action - if only the rest of the presentation was similarly improved.

Player faces have improved enough that most stars are actually recognizable.

Other than the pro-tak system, the game looks almost the same. Player faces are much better, and referees are present among the other small bells and whistles, but there are not any other substantial improvements. Case in point is the sound of the game, which is decidedly miserable. Commentary is not only repetitive and poorly placed, but seems to be recycled from the previous years. Within the first quarter of your first game you will begin to recognize phrases from last year's version, and before long, you will be turning on music to drown out the play- by-play guys. As well, the sound effects and the licensed soundtrack are fairly standard, leaving the audio experience desperately in need of a tune up.

The end result in all of this is a game that some will think is the best Madden ever. The on-field gameplay is improved by leaps and bounds, and new online functionality give endless replayability to a title that has absorbed people for months on end already. However, the lack of improvement in the career modes puts a significant damper on this otherwise promising title, and will most definitely leave some players disappointed. To a certain extent, we are still waiting for a truly great Madden that takes full advantage of current technology. If next year's game were to build on the gameplay engine already in place and expand the rest of the game substantially, then it could be that title. As it stands today, Madden NFL 10 takes a step on the way to greatness; however, it is most definitely not there yet.