Madden 2004: A Legacy!
588367
The next Instalment in the Madden series is here with Madden 2004. But what new features are added to make us pay out our hard earned money?
New Playmaker Control: Make pre-snap adjustments to your receiver routes, direct receiver routes during a scramble, direct blocking down field during a run, or read and react to the offense to deliver a crushing tackle.
New Owner Mode: Hire your own staff, set your teams ticket prices, build your own stadium, reward key players with signing bonuses and boost player attributes in Mini-Camp drills.

All-New Game Presentation: Keep your players on the field during the play-calling screen. Watch all the highlights in split-screen replay and revel in new player accuracy details like dreadlocks, tattoo replicas, and four new helmet styles.
Most Realistic NFL Playbooks Ever: Tons of new trick plays, multiple formation variations, and the deepest NFL playbooks from all 32 officially licensed Coaches Club Head Coaches.
New Animations and Enhancements: New QB scramble transitions to improve throwing on the run, stumbles, open field blocks, whirlwind defensive reaction moves, sideline wrap tackles, and out of bound pushes.
Do yourself a favour and pick up Madden 2004. It'll be worth the money!
953780
The best Madden game of all time OH YEAH.  A true Madden player should own this one because its close to perfect.
3169180
This was cheaper than the EA download and I now have a hard copy of the game. My first Madden 08 DVD cracked from a lot of playing. I was playing Madden NFL 05 before this and decided to shop for the most recent PC Madden NFL game. I really wish EA continued with the PC version. I only have played an old Playstation (90's) Madden game a couple of times. So I have little to compare this to. Each game is a variation of the others and for me, I got each one for the new/updated player rosters. I tried keeping up with the technology, but the timing of the game issues to when Microsoft put out new platforms was terrible. Tech support must have been hopping, which I imagine was a major contributor of why EA discontinued the PC version. I have had a few crashes, but I am not sure if it was the game or compatability issues. (08 is made for Vista and I am playing it on Windows 7.) I get skipping, especially playing HOF mode. I again am not sure if it is my graphics settings/hardware or the game itself. All I can say for sure is that, I play the Madden more than any of the other games that I have. If I get bored, I may have to buy a console game to continue the fun. I hope that doesn't happen!
2572058
alright to start off i've bought every madden since daunte cullpepper was on the cover in 02; i live for madden. This madden is probably the biggest change in the franchise to date. I usually do a fantasy draft and just play this game non stop until the next edition comes out. Normally id be upset if they just took the fantasy draft out for no apparent reason. But this year i really enjoy what EA sports did with madden. Just to clear things up, Ea did really remove franchise mode, they just replaced it with connected careers and switched it up a little bit. I like how its a bit more challenging and they give reason to play through preseason and not skip practice. What most people are forgetting is the brilliant job by ea to remove the hideous potential system which prevented players with a F potential to progress regardless of stats. With this madden you will either love it or you will hate it. I recommend just asking a friend to borrow for a couple days and see how you like it instead of paying 60$ and expecting to fall in love with it
3316886
Original 2K was the football video game that came closest to perfection.  This time around, they tried to build upon that perfection, and ended up losing alot of what we loved about the first one...
Pros: Great online play with little or no lags.  Wonderful running game that allows that NFL staple 3 yard run up the middle with striking realism.  Faster and smarter computer AI.  Better and more varied color commentary.  Blitzing is more realistic and, like the name implies, it's fast like lightning.  Updateable rosters make player abilities truer-to-life.  Players get hurt more often, especially quarterbacks, so you better master the QB slide before he gets popped and out for the season.
Cons: Player Graphics noticeably inferior to last time. Fast quarterback ball movement makes interceptions and tips, as well as pass defense, very difficult.  Even Charles Woodson and Ty Law find it hard to stay with mediocre receivers.  Defensive plays are more complex, yet generally weaker than last time.  More blitzes are offered, but DB's get dusted alot easier.  QB rushing stats are still screwed up.  Doesn't list the longest rush.
Overall the game is less refined in the graphics department, more complicated in the playcalling and defensive department, and much more challenging overall.  Its a good investment for those huge fans of the first (still expect to blow out the pro level), but those casual fans need not pick this one up.  Save your money and get a used copy of NFL 2K from your local game store.
2360569
Great game! Really wish retailers like Amazon would push for a return of the current Madden Football edition for us PC gamers.
2841279
NFL 2K series ensured Madden would do it's best every year to keep up. Without it Madden has put on cruise control. Solid but not what it could have been.
935726
A few years ago I gave up on Madden and bought a Sega Dreamcast with the excellent NFL2k series. Finally, the Dreamcast died and I bought a PS2 and this year I went back to Madden. Here is what I find in the latest installment of the long running series. The graphics are very nice and the game seems to flow nicely. I especially like the new "Playmaker control" schemes where you can use the right analog joystick to change a play at the line, change receiver routes and blocking schemes, and also modify your defense. The Madden cards are cool and actually encourage replay as you want to accomplish ALL of the tasks you are given. I am impressed with the game in "Single Player" mode as you can both run and pass the ball pretty easily. However, once my buddy came over and we played the 2-Player mode, the game showed it's weaknesses. Basically, you get a solid RB and just keep running up the gut relentlessly or you run an "out" pattern with your WR. All we did was line up and use the "hot route" feature to call out patterns and then hit the open WR. It was bascially impossible to stop. Another complaint is in the 2-player co-opt mode, Player-1 controls everything from QB, to RB, to calling plays etc. Player-2 does nothing but sit by and watch. Every computer controlled player automatically defaults to Player-1. This makes it pretty useless to play cooperative games as Player-2 just sits by and mostly watches the action.
  Aside from these 2-player issues of which about every football game has, I am impressed with Madden 2004 and I enjoy the new "Playmaker" features.
1260918
First of all im a hugh fan of the Madden francise.  its far better then other football games that are out(Gameday, ESPN etc)
It is so awesome for so many reasons.  First of all Francise mode is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo deep.  You control everything, from your ticket prices, to advertising, to food prices.  You also moniter fan support, attendance for each game, stadium condition, your team's state's population increase and decrease, your teams strength and weakness's, and just about anything you could think of.  The offseason is really cool as well.  Its about as realistic as it can get with a signing bonus for free agents, a scoting combine, and an NFL Draft.  The front office of Madden is very unique,and has never been seen in any other game.  The only thing bad about the off-season is the rap blarring in your ear while your trying to think about football.  The gameplay is what i was diappointed with.  First of all, i will have a heart attack if i read another good thing about the "Playmaker" control.  It is so stupid!!!!!!  On the fly, how are you supposed to direct a sprinting offensive lineman, with a sprinting running back, while also worrying about the defence, and when you do direct the o-linemen the running back stops momentarily, which stops all of your momentum, so you get creamed.  Not to mention half the time when you push the right anaalog stick it dosn't work.  The only time i ever do use "Playmaker" is when i want to shift my safties zones when a receiver's uncovered, so i guess it does have some use.  Another problem i had with the gameplay is passing is soooooooo difficult and frustrating.  The corners are super aware, and will make you pay dearly for just a minor mistake.  In some instances i noticed in the instant reaplay that corners would break on the ball before the ball was even thrown, which i think is very unrealistic.  Another problem with passing is it seems like the game pace is going at a millon miles an hour, so you ether get brought down for a sack wihtin two seconds or panic, throw it up for grabs, and thrown an int. Also, running outside with sweeps and tosses is a joke.  Almost everyone of these runs results in a loss of yards because ether a linebacker breaks free, or a corner plows through your wide reciever, to make the tackle.  Due to this i usally average twnety yards per game with even the best running back.  Finally, i think the commentary is very repeatitive, with Al Michals constantly talking about interceptions, and near interceptions.  Despite this, i think this games still fun if you simulate your games and manage your team through the reguler season, and off season.  Overall, despite the difficult gameplay i think its still worth your money.
Graphics-5
Sound/Music-2
Gameplay-2
Value-5
Tilt-4
Overall-3.6
2792644
Just Bought this Game yesterday. The VIP system is awsome and the graphics are so much better than any other football game. I really don't think Madden 05 can compare to this game.
4283937
Madden 2003 is a landmark release featuring online multiplayer play. Trust me on this one, get the ps2 network adaptor and get Madden 2003, you will never play another game again. Franchise mode is boring compared to online play, plus it keeps all your stats and rankings. The best part about online play is it's free minus whatever you pay for your internet connection. The game modes are excellent as usual, but fail in comparison to online play. One gripe I have about franchise mode is they still don't adjust the statistics of simulated games for quarter lengths, besides that Madden 2003 has been a true pleasure.
2448546
This is without a doubt the best football game I have played on any system. The graphics, control, sound, and everything else is perfect. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this newly released game for only $20. No more Madden in my future, just the ESPN 2K series from now on. Go Cowboys!
3943332
When I went to my friends house and he told me he got Primetime I was very surprised. Already with 3 solid football games (NFL 2k2, Madden 2002, and NFL Fever) on the system Primetime seemed like a waste. Boy was I wrong......
PROS:
-AMAZING!!! Franchise mode, the best in the business
-Great menus and game setup
-Its ESPN and whats better than that??
CONS:
-Gameplay is slighty weaker than Madden, 2k2, and at about par with Fever
-Graphics do not compare with the 3 other f-ball games
-You would think it has cool commentary but the commentary is kinda weak
All in all, Primetime is a great game....as it being your 2nd football game on the XBOX. Fans of the franchise mode will love this game but if you have no football games on your Box right now then i would reccomend either 2k2 or madden.
1316648
First off, this was the one game during 2004 that was worth playing over, and over, and over again; the replay value was amazing! The only problem I had with the game was the annoying camera angle, which allowed for some enemies to get some cheap shots on you from behind. And secondly, Ea said that they would release a game covering all three movies....Where is it?!?! O yeah... This game was great btw
692737
Seems like madden 25 at first but once you get into it yiu find yourself adapting to the new gameplay. Definitely worth  the buy
4688119
I still love Madden, and it just keeps getting better. I did lose a few games that locked up but since I uninstalled, and re-installed the latest, major update all has been good. The gameplay is wonderful and the franchise modes are just fantastic.
3701233
I haven't bought a new madden In years. This Madden is awesome. The ultimate team is the best. Online auctions for players are great too. For $39 it's a steal I paid $59 at target.