Madden 12 - How does franchise hold up several season in?

[Jay Cee]

Hi all, thinking about picking up Madden 12 after reading so many on here are still playing it. One question I have though is how does franchise mode hold up after a few offseasons?



Does the AI make at least somewhat defenseable moves or will I start seeing teams with 5 highly rated QBs or some other silliness? Do the CPU generated draft classes fit in well into the game world or doe they throw the balance off? Any other observations?



I don't want to invest a lot of time only to get to season 4 or 5 and have everything completely out of whack. Thanks for any insight.

[cranks12]

Having played M12 franchise mode reliably since release, I can say that it holds up well. The league actually feels alive, where teams rise and fall, star players emerge and fade away, former players become coaches after they retire with their own unique coaching bonuses. Teams seem to draft for need and they adjust their tendencies to fit the talents on their team. For an example - if Brees reties and the Saints pick up a star RB, that team will shift to a more running-focused attack.

There are some rough spots, such as players regressing too early, pre-formed draft classes that can get a bit stale once you see them a few times, and the ability to cheese the AI in trades, but overall the reason people still play the game is because it is considered the last madden with a great offline franchise. I'm certain you can get the game for $5, so there is little to lose by trying it out.

Btw - I am getting ready to post a fix for the repetitive draft classes which should breathe life into M12 franchise mode and make it even better. Should be on here in the next couple of days, keep an eye out for it.

[Purk1981]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jay Cee

Hi all, thinking about picking up Madden 12 after reading so many on here are still playing it. One question I have though is how does franchise mode hold up after a few offseasons? Does the AI make at least somewhat defenseable moves or will I start seeing teams with 5 highly rated QBs or some other silliness? Do the CPU generated draft classes fit in well into the game world or doe they throw the balance off? Any other observations? I don't want to invest a lot of time only to get to season 4 or 5 and have everything completely out of whack. Thanks for any insight.

About to do the same... how did it go for you?

[Madden08PCgmr]

Gameplay is an absolute trainwreck. I tried dozens of slider sets, not a single one of them made the game playable.

Franchise ranks among the best of the series. Many would argue, the top of the heap.

If you're looking to play retro seasons, this is the jumping off point where its really hard to pull off. There are only 3 or 4 playbooks that can re-create older generations.

If all you are looking for is team-building, can't beat this version, really.

If you want to be under center... 'your princess is in another castle'..

[Purk1981]

Quote: Originally Posted by Madden08PCgmr

Gameplay is an absolute trainwreck. I tried dozens of slider sets, not a single one of them made the game playable. Franchise ranks among the best of the series. Many would argue, the top of the heap. If you're looking to play retro seasons, this is the jumping off point where its really hard to pull off. There are only 3 or 4 playbooks that can re-create older generations. If all you are looking for is team-building, can't beat this version, really. If you want to be under center... 'your princess is in another castle'..

Thanks! appreciate the feedback. Giving up on the sliders.