PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews

Madden 25 is the most complete version of the series in more than a decade. Failing to recognize the improvements essentially gives in to reflex hate more than evaluating each version's merits. The gameplay is tighter, customization has seen a significant boost, and each mode has depth. If you buy a version of Madden every five years, it should be this one.

Madden NFL 25 looks gorgeous, has great attention to detail, and a game-changing physics engine, which takes the series to the next level.

Football is played on the field and this is clearly where the development team focused with Madden NFL 25. The changes to the physics are meaningful and can create opportunities that weren't previously available in the series thanks to BOOM Tech. Getting a perfect hit with Hit Stick 2.0 can be satisfying thanks in part to sound of the pads and the visual cue. Receiver and defender interactions when going for the ball are engaging and the offensive line play is fantastic. The steps EA has taken to make Madden look and sound like Sunday are clear. The holdback comes down to the same experience with the modes in the game, albeit some surface level changes. The new broadcast options and the presentation updates help Madden NFL 25 to feel different.

Eleven years is a long time in between games, and the developers at EA Orlando largely did a good job. There's a lot of fun gameplay but there are some issues that will need fixing for the next version. Dynasty mode is the star of the show here with so much depth you might get overwhelmed. Here's hoping EA Orlando builds upon the success of this game and does even better next year.

Madden 25 offers a really solid football package for those who missed previous entries. There are a lot of smart improvements to the running and defensive game, and the physics overhaul is noticeable. Madden 25 is a solid game with some much-needed mechanical improvements, but the modes feel largely the same as last year.

Madden NFL 25 is a superior game to its predecessor, whether in terms of animations, artificial intelligence, menus or Career Mode. However, don't expect anything really new or innovative, just detailed coverage of the NFL with no surprises.

Like an NFL team’s high new draft pick, Madden NFL 25 provides the franchise hope for the future with its great on-field gameplay, phenomenal presentation improvements, and streamlined gameplay modes, as long as it irons out the predatory microtransactions in the meantime.

Madden NFL 25 is far from the feat, but there is finally an improvement in one important area: gameplay and physics. If this is the way, in the coming years we could see the best version of the franchise in the next years. Of course, the presence of more content is desired, especially in terms of game modes and notable changes in modes such as Franchise and Superstar, but that would be naive knowing the slump from which the IP is emerging. In the end, and just condemning the constant and annoying Ultimate Team ads, we have a good football game for this year's season and that, in this case, is very good news.

Madden 25 is slightly better than Madden 24 in every way, but with only Franchise Mode and presentation truly noticeable upgrades. If you own College Football 25, feel will be familiar, and its rosters capable of import.

The experience in Madden NFL 25 is exactly what you'd expect: consistent gameplay, a presentation that mirrors real life, and game modes that allow football fans to fully enjoy the sport. However, comparisons with College Football are inevitable.