Outside of the sporting world, NaturalMotion is better known for their technology in Mut 24 coins games such as GTA IV and Star Wars: Force Unleashed, but Backbreaker is the most fascinating game they've ever been involved with to me.
In the last few months, EA Sports has started an initiative on social media called #StayAndPlay. The idea that it will help keep folks occupied during the current outbreak of Covid-19. One of the ways they have chosen to spread awareness is to organize an Madden event with a variety of currently active NFL stars.
I've played football video games since you can recall. One game that that I remember playing on my first Nintendo was the 10-Yard Fight. Since then, my love affair with football and sports video games developed. A few times later, I distinctly remember my uncle playing Bill Walsh College Football on his Sega Genesis. It also included Joe Montana II: Sports Talk Football and obviously the start of the Madden franchise. However, somewhere between those "realistic" soccer simulations sunk Mutant League Football. Even to this day, Mutant League Football remains one of my top games ever. It was a huge part of my childhood and, to be truthful, it hit me different ways.
I didn't awake yesterday and imagine that I would get an alert on my phone telling me that Madden as well as the NFL have reached an agreement on the production of NFL games. It was like I thought that it was a joke. But then I realized it would be a non-simulation-based game and my excitement slowed slightly. But, when I look at the game today I'm getting becoming more and more exuberant. I think Madden will figure out a way to make the game as realistic as it can be and still be technically into the rules of an entirely non-sim gaming experience. So, what exactly is "non-sim" in the first place? It's vague.
Is Madden even sim? It's a good attempt (and I'm pretty sure it is based on any deal EA comes to with NFL). But how far could Madden take it? Are we talking NFL Street? Blitz? It's not even 11-on-11? Perhaps a game that appears to be a little real on the game play on the field, but with some balls trails, speeds boosters, big celebrations. I'll take what I can find in the beginning because I believe this is the first step by Madden to offer it clear to buy madden coins an offer it won't turn down to provide us with a number of simulation games.