Madden NFL 23 Review: 3 Ups & 7 Downs

2. John Madden’s Tribute Isn’t Nearly Enough

Madden 23
EA Sports

Right, it's important to mention that the 'Legacy Game' Madden 23 opens up with is lovely. Seeing the old Oakland Coliseum fully rendered is a treat, and it's hard to blast EA for including some sort of tribute to Coach Madden in this year's game, but...

...they should've gone further.

The great man's death should've been an excuse to overhaul the experience more than EA did. If anything, cutting out arcade-like features and focusing on a no-frills football sim would've made sense. Instead, they've slapped on a quick fantasy revisit and called it a day.

Madden's presence is felt in this 'Legacy Game' and on the menus, but that's really it. The title doesn't go deep enough down the rabbit hole into John's legacy (oddly enough), or properly explain why he's so cherished in the first place.

Also, being able to play Super Bowl XI would've been ace. Just saying.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.