Everything Madden 21 DOES Change From Madden NFL 20

Madden NFL 21 has not felt the love from fans. The newest edition of EA Sports’ NFL series released on August 28, and the game already has the lowest Metacritic score of all time at 0.3/10. However, there are some redeeming features to Madden NFL 21, such as the new game mode, The Yard. There’s also new animations and updates to the way ballcarriers juke and avoid tackles, among other things.

Smaller updates to the game center around defensive coverage to offset the new offensive moves used by ballcarriers. Tackling animations have gotten an overhaul, and tackles have been split into three categories: location-based, breakdown tackles, and improved dive tackling. Location-based tackling could be the most influential, with defenders adjusting their body positions to make tackles before first down markers, or near the goal line. The new defensive moves in Madden NFL 21 will be crucial to stop online players from abusing the offensive skill stick.

The skill stick is the biggest addition to the newest edition of Madden. Series diehards loved the circle-button spin move, but this season all evasive maneuvers have been relocated to the right analog stick. EA boasted that players will be able to “link together clever combos that set up amazing gameplay moments.” The best player in Madden NFL 21, RB Christian McCaffery of the Carolina Panthers, is equipped with the X-factor ability Ankle Breaker, which increases fakeout chances on jukes, spins, and hurdles after he’s caught a pass.

Madden NFL 21’s Best Qualities & New Additions

The most exciting addition Madden 21 makes is the new game mode: The Yard. Players create a prototype player, similar to features in NBA 2k’s Playground mode. This player can play on both sides of the ball, performing crazy plays such as multiple passes and snapping the ball to any player on the field. Right now there’s four locations to play in, but EA says that they are planning on releasing more locations as time goes on. It’s not quite as crazy as NFL Street or NFL Blitz from the early 2000’s, but its arcade style is a throwback to that era of games.

Finally, one of the biggest additions to gameplay in Madden NFL 21 is the new Pass Rush Meter. It’s a series of notches next to a pass rusher that indicate how many pass rush moves he has available. Players have to use their moves wisely, because there’s only so many moves a rusher can use. To counteract this, offensive lineman in Madden NFL 21 have also been given a meter. Directing a pass rusher to a certain side of a lineman every time will result in the lineman ‘remembering’ which rush moves were used by that particular rusher. One way to counteract this is to switch rushers to different spots along the line of scrimmage, because the pass rush meter for the offense works on a player-by-player basis. This system will emphasize depth along the defensive front, and help curtail repetitive gameplay by forcing the defense to try new moves.

Madden 21 didn’t change much to the formula that they used in previous years, but the changes they did make set the game slightly ahead of last season’s version. Between the Skill Stick, Pass Rush Meter, and new defensive coverage options and tackling animations, the gameplay feels more realistic than last season. Add in a shiny new game mode like The Yard, and this title is on par with most of EA’s previous releases, despite the many negative reviews.