Madden NFL 21 Review: 4 Ups & 8 Downs

A year to forget. A lack of polish to remember...

By Jamie Kennedy /

EA Sports

It's not good.

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A quick glance at the disparity between 'Ups' and 'Downs' in this article's title reveals that Madden 21 isn't a revolutionary entry into the long-running series. The game is another of those cursed annual updates, but it doesn't even have the decency to boast a banner gameplay feature like last year's title did (Superstar X-Factors).

It's always depressing when you want to like something so bad but know you're being taken for a ride. Honestly owning up to that is troubling for gamers who just want to be entertained. The fact is though - EA are happy to take everyone's money, laugh all the way to the bank and offer the opportunity to spend even more money as some sort of sick "reward".

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That's Madden 21 in a nutshell, and yet...what's that coming over the hill? Is it...yes! It's a positive or two (or four). Perhaps the most annoying thing about this year's NFL sim is that it does do some things well and offer some fun, but it's all let down by a stunning lack of innovation or progress.

There's always next year, eh?

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