Rather than deriding this latest Madden for featuring more of the same features from previous years, there's instead comfort in the familiarity of trusted and refined features like weekly updates and the comprehensive Skills Trainer. Save for the aforementioned play-calling bug and the loading times, this is the most accessible and welcoming Madden in this console generation, which is an accomplishment for a sport that can appear complicated at first glance.
Madden NFL 17 isn’t leaps and bounds ahead of what EA Tiburon was able to accomplish last year, but it builds on a very solid foundation with only a few hiccups and annoyances to speak of. Hardcore fans will take kindly to the gameplay changes while newcomers will have a lot to learn in the tutorial sections as well. Regardless of your skill level, there’s something here for everyone.
There are still smudged areas on Madden NFL 17's shine — trades are often tedious, for example, and the game could provide more means to prepare for an opponent. There is so much to do in Madden NFL 17 that it's hard to speak to all of its appeals and improvements. The best I can say is it's the most fulfilling experience one can have with the NFL, short of being one of its players or coaches.
Rather than deriding this latest Madden for featuring more of the same features from previous years, there's instead comfort in the familiarity of trusted and refined features like weekly updates and the comprehensive Skills Trainer. Save for the aforementioned play-calling bug and the loading times, this is the most accessible and welcoming Madden in this console generation, which is an accomplishment for a sport that can appear complicated at first glance.
While I agree Madden 17 isn't a leap forward, the fact that it rides Madden 16's coattails while creating its own (thanks to the commentary system and some of the trench play) doesn't make it a bad title. If you asked me which I'd rather have – a new franchise mode or the improved line play that's now in the game, it's hard to ignore what I've actually experienced versus a hypothetical. The game is better because of it, and there's no going back.
Overall, Madden 17 could use some more fine-tuning – be that in the number of catches or injuries that happen in an average campaign – but it still sits at a very high level, just like its predecessor.