Madden NFL 16 review: Bending it like Beckham (Jr.)

Madden NFL 15 was a wakeup call for EA Sports.

While the publisher largely appears hell-bent on turning its pro football video game series into a near-realistic simulation of the sport, last year’s entry juked players’ expectations by loosening its interpretation of the term “authentic.” It gifted defensive players more agency and control at the risk of busting the allure of broadcast-style football with additional meters, gauges, and visual indicators only found in video games. Madden 15 traded in pieces of its “like watching football on Sundays” appeal to make the game actually play better.