Madden NFL 18

Over the past few years, EA Sports has been refining the Madden franchise on its proprietary Ignite Engine into a product that would please both competitive players and simulation fans. That often left potential newcomers behind, as Madden grew more complex and required more and more patience to master. After switching to the Frostbite Engine, EA Sports was afforded the chance to welcome players of all skill types with an original story mode called Longshot, as well as redefining the on-field action for every fan possible. As a result, Madden NFL 18 is quite possibly the best this football franchise has ever been.

The annual release schedule for Madden NFL has typically left the development team at EA Sports with little room for improvements beyond technical adjustments to the way we play on the gridiron. However, with Madden NFL 18, the game isn't just switching engines from the sports-focused Ignite to the DICE-developed Frostbite, it's also taking some calculated risks with new gameplay elements. As much as the Madden-head in me is interested in the physics and football-related improvements Frostbite is bringing, it's the new single-player story mode that has my attention.