'Madden NFL 25' review: Yeah, it's a 'Madden' game

Madden 25 delivers a lot of things in its gameplay, but "authenticity" may not be one of them.

The commentary, in particular, feels hollow, lacking the soul and contextual richness that can elevate a sports game.

The gameplay in this year 's Madden is fantastic, but it’s missing some of that intangible soul that could make it truly special.

The excitement of the early stages gives way to monotony, making it hard to stay invested for the long haul.

After the draft, the experience devolves into a repetitive cycle of playing game after game, over and over, until you've either met all your objectives or grown tired of the grind.

While Madden 25 brings some interesting visual updates to the draft process and retains the solid scouting mechanics from 24 , these additions are ultimately undermined by slow, glitchy execution and frustrating morale management.

It's a good game on the surface, but it lacks the soul and polish that could make it truly great. Depending on what you value in a football sim, it may or may not be worth the upgrade from Madden 24 ..