Although Madden NFL 25 shook up the playing field on current-gen consoles this past August, that didn’t stop EA Sports from pushing forward on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with a new version of the game, complete with a cosmetic makeover and a few small gameplay nuances to make it more realistic.
That’s not to say you can’t dominate, but there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when it comes to taking the field. We put together some special next-gen tips that’ll add more victories to the win column.
Patience on the Passing Game
The first thing you may realize about this version of Madden NFL 25 is that receivers are tightly covered. Even if you’re going up against a lower-ranked team like the Raiders, you’ll find that some players stick closely – like glue – to would-be receivers, increasing the odds of throwing a pick.
Granted, that also means your team is more likely to intercept the ball on the defensive side, but if you’re passing, listen up. Before you set a play in motion, take the time to identify the receiver routes. If it’s a short curl-up route, you’ll want to get the ball off quick, but not too quick to the point where you’re throwing into traffic. Wait for your man to get open, then toss it to him. Nine out of 10 times, you’ll get hit immediately after catching the ball, but at least you’ll have some yards to make up for it.
For long passes, it’s somewhat different. You’ll want to make sure your man is still open enough to receive the ball, but you also need to keep an eye out for the defense. Throwing a lofty pass makes it easier for the other team to step in and intercept. Try to throw as hard as possible, and make sure that if you’re playing as the receiver, you stay on the route. Do it right, and you should have no problem catching the ball – depending on the skill level of the player.
Remember to watch your quarterback. If he’s about to get sacked, it never hurts to see what receivers are open. The last thing you want to do is get sacked and lose the ball.
It gets a little deeper when it comes to screen passes and surprise plays. This video will help you with that.
Cut and Run
With a new True Step system, the running game in Madden NFL 25 is much more realistic, and thus different from what players might expect. Still, that doesn’t mean it can’t be mastered.
The first thing you’ll want to do is find an open route. If you see a glut of players in front of you – even if it’s your own offense – chances are you won’t make too much of an impact on yards. Try to find a hole that opens up to the left or right, then work your way through it.
Prepare to battle for position, though. Even the lower-ranked teams could have a defensive surprise waiting for you, such as a player coming out of the back field or someone you don’t expect on the route. Remember, you have spins, jukes and cuts you can use. It’s just a matter of execution.
It helps to get a little practice in before taking the field, seeing what each move can do and using it properly. A spin is ideal if someone’s charging towards you; jukes can also come in handy for getting out of the way. Also, don’t forget you can dive as well, in case you need to make a run for the endzone and want to lunge.
You can learn more about running and cutting below:
Being a Smart(glass) Defensive Coordinator
Finally, one particular feature worth checking out on the Xbox One edition of Madden NFL 25 is the CoachGlass. This allows you to connect a tablet to the game using Xbox’s SmartGlass technology, and having a second player serve as a defensive coordinator.
This is a particularly deep feature, as you can use the tablet interface to check out which plays work best, depending on how many players are on the offensive side. If you see an abundance of running backs and wide receivers, for instance, a number of plays will come up that allow you to counter them. You can choose them automatically, or have your buddy figure out the most effective play.
It can be a little guesswork at first – sometimes you make a call that results in a touchdown or a flub when it comes to gained yardage – but the better you get at calling defensive plays, the more tendencies become learned over the course of the game. This makes for better defensive skills, being able to read what plays work best and which ones are worthless.
Go Play Some Football
In essence, the core gameplay of Madden NFL 25 remains intact, and the new changes go a long way to deepening the experience for the next generation. No matter which version you prefer, you’ll definitely get your football fix.
Madden NFL 25 is available now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, as well as Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
