Madden NFL 21

Madden NFL 21 is an American football simulation game developed by EA Tiburon and published by Electronic Arts, released in August 2020. The game immerses players in the authentic NFL experience, allowing them to take control of licensed teams and players in realistic matches with updated rosters, stadiums, and gameplay mechanics across multiple platforms including Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.

Madden NFL 21: Review

Introduction

For over three decades, the Madden NFL series has defined American football gaming, evolving from pixelated simulations to annual cultural touchstones. Yet Madden NFL 21 (2020), developed by EA Tiburon and published by EA Sports, arrived amid unprecedented turmoil. Released during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the NFL’s rebranding of the Washington franchise, it promised innovation but delivered controversy. Featuring Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson as cover athlete, the game became a lightning rod for criticism. While its core gameplay mechanics saw incremental improvements, Madden 21 was ultimately defined by technical flaws, stagnation in key modes, and a fan rebellion that exposed the franchise’s creative fatigue. This review argues that Madden 21 represents a microcosm of the series’ long-standing tensions: between simulation authenticity and arcade accessibility, between annual obligation and meaningful evolution, and between EA’s commercial ambitions and player expectations.

Development History & Context

EA Tiburon, the series’ long-time steward, faced unique pressures in developing Madden 21. The COVID-19 pandemic forced adaptations, notably Lamar Jackson’s cover art being sourced from the Ravens’ official photographer instead of a traditional photoshoot. Vision-wise, the team aimed to leverage the Frostbite 3 engine for enhanced realism, with a focus on “Next Gen Player Movement” and the new Skill Stick control system. Technologically, however, the game’s development was constrained by the twilight of the PlayStation 4/Xbox One era. While next-gen versions (PS5/Xbox Series X/S) promised deferred lighting and location-based audio, the current-gen release felt like a bridge title—a reality exacerbated by the NFL’s extended exclusive licensing deal with EA until 2026, which eliminated competitive pressure for innovation. The gaming landscape in 2020 was dominated by pandemic-induced delays and the looming console transition, leaving Madden 21 caught between two technological eras. EA’s decision to prioritize Ultimate Team and The Yard over the beloved Franchise Mode further reflected a shift toward microtransaction-driven live-service models.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Madden 21’s narrative ambitions were concentrated in its “Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame” mode, which followed a player’s journey from high school to the NFL Hall of Fame. Thematic elements included the mythos of athletic stardom, mentorship (via cameos by Snoop Dogg and Rich Eisen), and the performative nature of sports celebrity. The story arc—from high school state championship to NFL Combine—offered structural potential, yet its execution faltered. Dialogue felt stilted, and narrative choices (e.g., forced position-switching in college) lacked urgency. The mode’s core theme—the “Rise to Fame”—was undermined by gameplay: high school and college segments were absurdly easy, allowing players to dominate opponents 50-0 by halftime. This lack of challenge robbed the narrative of meaningful growth, reducing the protagonist to a passive, overpowered observer. Thematically, the mode’s emphasis on individual glory clashed with football’s team-centric ethos, while its dry, sports-mockumentary tone failed to resonate emotionally. By contrast, The Yard mode embraced a chaotic, arcade-driven narrative of “house rules” and self-expression, prioritizing style over substance—a tonal mismatch that highlighted Madden 21’s identity crisis.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Gameplay: Madden 21 introduced a reworked Skill Stick, mapping juke, spin, and hurdle moves to the right analog stick for greater ball-carrier control. Defensively, tackle animations were location-triggered, and X-Factor abilities (e.g., Stephon Gilmore’s “ShutDown”) added strategic layers. These tweaks improved fluidity but were undermined by persistent physics bugs—players clipping through each other, erratic ball-carrier momentum, and inconsistent AI decision-making. Run-Pass Options (RPOs) from Madden 20 remained a high point, enabling dynamic pre-snap adjustments.

Modes:
– Franchise Mode: The series’ cornerstone, it suffered catastrophic neglect. Features like customizable playbooks and league history trackers were late, band-aid fixes for systemic issues. The #FixMaddenFranchise Twitter campaign (100,000+ tweets) exposed mode-stagnation, with fans decrying recycled logic from Madden 20.
– Face of the Franchise: Expanded to include high school and college football, it allowed position-switching but retained flat storytelling and trivial difficulty. Drafting logic (e.g., QBs always going to the Bears) broke immersion.
– The Yard: A 7v7 arcade mode with simplified rules (no punting, two-point conversions), it featured Greek Freak NBA players and SpongeBob crossovers. Its “house rules” and cosmetic rewards were fun but shallow, with controls feeling unresponsive.
– Ultimate Team (MUT): Unchanged from prior years, it leaned into loot-box mechanics, prioritizing card packs over gameplay depth.

UI & Presentation: A new scoreboard and first-down indicators offered minor polish, but menus remained cluttered, and pre-game/halftime shows felt perfunctory. Player celebrations added flair, yet the overall package felt like a $60 roster update.

World-Building, Art & Sound

World-Building: Madden 21 meticulously recreated NFL stadiums, debuting Allegiant Stadium (Raiders) and SoFi Stadium (Rams/Chargers). Team relocations (e.g., Raiders to Las Vegas) and the Washington Football Team rebrand were reflected, grounding the game in real-world authenticity. The Franchise Mode’s “league history” tracker attempted to build narrative depth, but static event descriptions fell short.

Art Direction: Frostbite 3 enabled detailed player models and dynamic lighting, especially on next-gen consoles. Current-gen versions suffered from muddy textures and stiff animations, with crowds appearing static and un