Although I am an NFL fan, the Madden franchise has always been too complicated for me, so I am a little surprised that Madden 25 had me hooked after the first touchdown pass.

My first interest in American football came during the peak of Favre's Packers in the 90's, but my favorite team to watch was the 99/00 St. Louis Rams with Faulk and Warner. They won Super Bowl XXXIV and I've been hooked ever since. That feeling came back to me, because playing the Madden franchise for the first time felt like watching games on TV with my dad.

Madden 25 delivers a visual spectacle, especially in Superstar mode, where I can customize my avatar and see other players up close. The detailed player models and animations created a sense of realism that kept me immersed. The stadiums are also beautifully rendered, capturing the unique atmosphere of each NFL location. My only regret is that the Raiders who drafted me in Superstar mode are now in Las Vegas, so I missed out on the years in Oakland and the famous fans in the Black Hole end zone.

While the game sounds fine, it was awkward having conversations in Superstar mode without any voiceover. Could it be that EA had budget issues that prevented them from hiring voice actors? The lack of voice acting was jarring, as it's a missed opportunity to experience what the NFL team sounds like behind the cameras. On the other hand, the commentators are excellent and offer enough variety that they never become boring.