Electronic Arts today announced the full soundtrack for the upcoming Madden NFL 2008 title spanning across multiple platforms. Below is the full list.

Airbourne

Runnin’ Wild

Atreyu

Becoming

Brother Ali

Whatcha Got

Daddy Yankee

Impacto

Datarock

The New Song

Earl Greyhound

S.O.S.

Enter Shikari

OK, Time For Plan B

From Autumn To Ashes

Daylight Slaving

HE**YEAH

You Wouldn’t Know

Jupiter One

Countdown

MIMS

Cop It

Murs

Dreadlocks

O-Solo

Monsta

Operator

Soul Crusher

Ozzy Osbourne

I Don’t Wanna Stop

Pharoahe Monch feat. Showtyme

Desire

Pitbull feat. Don Omar

Fuego Remix

Queens Of The Stone Age

3’s & 7’s

Red1 feat. Afu-Ra

Dem No Worry We

Shadows Fall

Redemption

Swizz Beatz

It’s Me Snitches

Sum 41

Underclass Hero

Team Shadetek feat. 77Klash & Jahdan

Brooklyn Anthem

The Bravery

Believe

The Hives

Tick Tick Boom

The Used

The Ripper

Timbaland feat. Justin Timberlake

Release

Yellowcard

Fighting

Zion I & The Grouch

Hit’em]]> Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:16:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/first_madden_nfl_nextgen_shot http://www.gamebump.com/go/first_madden_nfl_nextgen_shot http://www.gamebump.com/go/first_madden_nfl_nextgen_shot# Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:13:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/ea_offers_madden_fix_for_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/ea_offers_madden_fix_for_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/ea_offers_madden_fix_for_psp# This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.The original author is Matthew Call.

When the Madden franchise made its PSP debut in September fans quickly discovered a flaw in the game that caused it to crash PSP’s while in franchise mode.  EA quickly developed a fix that involved fiddling with the game’s menus, but has now offered a more permanent solution.  Madden owners can send their defective discs into EA for a free replacement.  The replacement UMD’s feature new software without the PSP crashing glitch.  EA is also kind enough to include 2 coupons with the new disc: a $15 coupon for use in EA’s online store as well as a free shipping voucher.

Interested gamers can mail their UMD’s to the following address:EA Customer Warranty Attn: Madden PSP 209 Redwood Shores Parkway Redwood City, CA 94065

Discs may take up to 10 business days to arrive.  More information is available at the game’s official site. ]]> Tue, 20 Dec 2005 22:19:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_madden_nfl_2006_360 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_madden_nfl_2006_360 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_madden_nfl_2006_360# This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Aaron Thomas.

Fans of the Madden franchise are a notoriously fickle bunch. If EA doesn’t make a whole lot of changes from one year to the next, they’re accused of releasing little more than a “roster update.”. Should EA drastically alter the feel of the game by changing up the passing game or adding an uninteresting play mode, they’re accused of making change for change’s sake. This is why it’s so surprising to see EA throw caution into the wind and build the Xbox 360’s version of Madden NFL 05 from the ground up. Don’t worry, it’s still got that “Madden feel” to it, but it has an all-new presentation that shows what next-generation sports titles are capable of delivering. Alas, one of the caveats of creating an all-new game is that there are some features missing and the gameplay isn’t quite as refined as it normally is in a Madden game.

The first thing everyone wants to know about Madden on the 360 is how it looks. Simply put – it looks awesome. The player models are incredibly lifelike, and the game’s presentation take’s ample opportunity to show them off. The camera will focus in on the players as they break from the huddle, panning around and eventually zooming in on the quarterback. Most of the players look eerily realistic, but a few of them, like Joey Harrington and Kerry Collins, don’t look too hot. You’ll see sweat down a player’s arm, they’ll actually blink their eyes, and you can even read logos on the uniforms. When you pan around the field during an instant replay you’ll notice improved animations in the offensive line, where the battle in the trenches looks more lifelike than ever. There are some outstanding new animations on both sides of the ball; with some nice new juke moves, and some vicious looking hits on defense.

The stadiums are nearly photorealistic, even featuring such a minute detail as burnt out bulbs on the scoreboard. The fans in the stands also look top-notch. Rather than detracting from the experience when you look out and see blurry 2D sprites, the crowd here adds to the atmosphere when the camera pans back to show 50,000 rabid fans, clapping and cheering, while dressed in their team’s colors. The sidelines could have used some work, as there it’s kind of disappointing to see a lifelike version of Andy Reid waddling down the sidelines, but no cheerleaders to speak of. Certainly someone could have made next-gen cheerleaders a reality?

From a gameplay standpoint very little has changed, which is of course a good thing. It took a little while to adjust to the controls, since like most people, I usually play Madden on the PS2, but once I was accustomed to the different layout (like the sprint button being the right trigger), it felt like business as usual. The passing cone that bitterly divided Madden fans is here, but it defaults to the off setting, so you’ll have to enable it if you want to be all “hardcore” or whatever. The truck stick, which is the offensive version of the hit stick, is also in the game, and it’s mapped to the right analog stick.

One of the biggest changes to the game is the way in which menus are navigated and plays are called. Rather than going back and forth to view different game menus, NFL 06 utilizes seldom-used buttons (such as pushing in the right analog stick) to activate drop-down menus. In-game menus have also been improved as plays can be called by formation, play type, and even according to player. This new play calling scheme works great as you can now view all your inside runs in one place, get the ball to a certain player with ease, or even view your last five plays so you can quickly go back to a successful play.

Online play is supported, and while it is bare-bones, it worked fine. One nice feature is that rather than suffering through a blowout that’s painful to both sides, you can now concede defeat or offer mercy if the game is out of hand.

The 360 version of Madden NFL 06 is lacking polished gameplay and features that loyal fans of the franchise have come to expect over the years. There is no training camp mode, nor are there any minigames, so you can’t perfect your skills by practicing drills over and over. There is a franchise mode, but it’s watered-down and doesn’t allow you to check email, read newspapers, make changes to your stadium, ticket prices, team amenities and the like. If you enjoy creating yourselves and your friends on your team, you’re out of luck as there is no create-a-player in the game this year.

On the field, there are some noteworthy issues. You can’t challenge calls, so if you get a bum call, you’re stuck with it. There’s a pretty significant glitch where the computer can snap the ball without either team being set at the line, resulting in your team getting called for a penalty when the CPU is trying to run the hurry-up offense. I even saw an instance where one the CPU’s players couldn’t get back through the line to line up in his position. The player kept standing in place, trying to run right through my players, who weren’t budging an inch. When trying to get a first down, curl routes are almost completely useless because you can’t stop your momentum coming back for the catch. The game doesn’t do a good job of figuring out forward progress, so you often come up short, even if the catch was three yards past the first-down marker. The running game doesn’t feel as refined as the passing game. Defenses have a knack for getting in the backfield, and if the hole closes up quickly, the running back will sometimes get “stuck” in the pile while upright. The kicking meter has been re-tooled and is reminiscent of the NFL 2K series. The old kicking method wasn’t broken, so it seems odd that development time was used for something so trivial, especially when there were so many important features that didn’t make it into the game.

Most everything about Madden’s visuals is superb, but there are a few minor issues. When you’re lined up ready for the snap, the camera is zoomed in rather close, most likely to show off how great everything looks. From this close perspective you can’t see your receivers, so it would be perfectly natural to just move one of the analog sticks left or right to swing the camera over, but you can’t. Instead you’ve got to hit the trigger button, which quickly pulls the camera back, where it stays until you snap the ball. Some of the animations are too long and you can’t break out of them. This seems to be a problem in first-gen games, as it was a problem that plagued sports titles on the original PlayStation as well as the PS2, and now it’s an issue on the 360.

You may have heard by now that John Madden isn’t in the booth calling the action, though he is still in the game giving advice when you select an “ask Madden” play. NFL 06 eschews the typical television-style announcing crew for a lone radio broadcaster. If you watch the game’s opening video and listen to the announcer’s call, you’ll hear him convey a sense of urgency and the drama that surrounds the final seconds of the SuperBowl. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen when you’re actually playing the game. The commentary is quite sparse, and even with the PA announcer calling the yardage and downs, there are still long lapses in dialog. The lone, unnamed announcer sounds more like he’s calling a high school football skirmish than a high-stakes NFL game. Since when does a professional radio broadcast only have one man in the booth anyways?

It’s tough to say if Madden NFL 06 for the Xbox 360 is worth a purchase. On one hand, anyone that bought the console version this summer has undoubtedly played the heck out the game. On the other hand, this is the same type of person that’s dying to see what “next-gen” sports games are going to be like. If you can only pick up one or two of the 360’s launch games, you might want to hold off on dropping $60 on a bare-bones edition of a game you already played. That’s not to say that Madden 06 is a bad game; even with some missing features it’s a solid start for the series.

It feels like Madden, but it’s lacking some polish. Not having a challenge system is a sham.

Incredible stadiums, players, and coaches. Not having cheerleaders is also a sham.

You’d think not having Madden and Michaels would be awesome, but strangely, it’s not.

What can you say here? It’s fun.

The watered-down franchise mode and omission of minigames hurts the title’s longevity.

]]> Sun, 27 Nov 2005 12:14:00 -0600 Brian Mohr http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

The launch of the Xbox 360 is imminent, and with it comes many blockbuster titles from Electronic Arts, including Need for Speed: Most Wanted, NBA Live, and the premier sports headliner: Madden NFL 2006. Of course anyone looking for an NFL title on the 360 is stuck getting Madden because of the new EA license, but at least the football giant is shaping up to be a pretty solid title. 

The first thing that must be mentioned is that all the players, coaches and stadiums are realistic down to the finest details. EA has taken head scans of the players and coaches and each has various facial reactions that correspond to the action on the field, whether celebrating a touchdown or barking at a quarterback. There is also three times the number of animations in the game showing players getting pumped before the game kicks off and after every touchdown or turnover. The stadiums are finely detailed with thousands of 3D fans and the details spare no expense down to the scoreboards, which even show team chants and injury reports. The weather also has effects on the graphics as player jerseys get dirty and stained.

The impressive presentation for the 360 isn’t just in the graphics, but also spreads to the audio. Instead of John Madden and Al Michaels, the action is called by your home team announcers. NFL Films also provided on-field audio down to the hits and smack-talk from the players.

Important to any Madden fan is the gameplay; although the game was built from the scratch and improved upon, it still plays like a Madden title, so fans will feel very comfortable. This time Tiburon has added new features including picture-in-picture and an adjusted play-calling system. Quarterback vision control, hit stick and truck stick are still featured too.

One other feature that is important to fans is the franchise mode. There are up to 30 years of tracked stats in season mode. These stats go down to the smallest details including who from your team goes into the Hall of Fame, NFL records that were broken and more. Sadly Madden 06 for the Xbox 360 doesn’t include owner mode, create-a-player or create-a-team features.

Finally, the game features many customizations and a full online mode via Xbox Live. The customizations enable you to change your music play-lists, controls, strategies and settings while the online play breaks down all your statistics to show how you rank amongst the competition.

Madden NFL 06 is sure to be a hit upon the launch of the Xbox 360 as it is the only football title to release at this time. The most successful sports game ever looks and sounds great and should make fans of the series very happy. There isn’t too much that is innovative in the game for the 360 itineration, but Tiburon has worked from the ground up to make this easily the best looking Madden to date.]]> Sun, 06 Nov 2005 11:11:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_madden_nfl_2006_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_madden_nfl_2006_psp http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_review_madden_nfl_2006_psp# This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Brian Mohr.

Six months ago the PSP came out and along with the launch came baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey games, but the only incarnation of football was the very eccentric NFL Street. Now just a few weeks after the NFL season has kicked off, the heavyweight football giant Madden 06 has made its way to the PlayStation Portable. In many ways the game does well for itself on the impressive handheld, but in the end it falls just short of being top-notch.

First off the developers brought everything you’d normally see in the Madden series and scaled it down for the handheld. This includes a full franchise mode, 18 mini-games including 10 new ones and the ability to transfer your franchise between the PlayStation 2 and PSP version via a USB. Beyond that, the game also features an online option, although it takes a lot of time to set up and play as you have to go through EA’s own setup process and then use the lackluster PSP keyboard. The online mode is very solid as well and sees very little lag compared to a normal game.

The graphics are pretty good too. Although the actual character models are a little rough, it’s not too bad especially considering you have 22 players on-screen at once. Sure the character models aren’t the best, but the in-game animations are very solid with dives, wrap tackles, stiff arms and more. Players celebrate after scoring a touchdown also. Even with the actual gameplay moving fast, the action is clear and easy to see. The stadiums are also well done and define each team accordingly.

If that’s not enough, the gameplay is also great as it does a good job at feeling and playing like Madden. Of course the actual controls had to be scaled down, but it’s very simple with the use of either the D-pad or analog nub to run. On offense you can still do a spin, juke, dive, sprint and stiff arm; if you’re passing the new precision passing option has been included as you push the nub in the direction you want the ball to travel. Overall it works pretty well. One last note in relation to the gameplay is that the computer A.I. thankfully is well intact as the defense will adjust to often used plays and cover you pretty well. One other addition in the game is that players can save mid-game and come back later.

Finally, the audio is some of the better sounds I’ve heard on a game for the PSP. The crowds will chant, cheer, boo and more. Of course John Madden and Al Michaels lend their talents for in-game commentary and the voicework keeps up with the on-field action pretty well although Madden can get a little tiresome. EA has brought their Trax songs to Madden and they fit the game accordingly with a rock and hip-hop mood.

The most noticeable problem with the PSP Madden title is the jumps because of loading in-game. These occur a lot such as when there is a touchdown, interception or randomly throughout a contest including right before the team snaps the ball. It’s not terrible at first when you start playing, but over time it makes the experience very disjointed which is something you don’t want to see in a fast-paced, smooth playing game.

Other issues in the game included no instant replay or challenges, no ability to throw the ball away or pump fake on offense. The kicking meter is too small and quick, causing missed extra points among other things and the fact that the analog nub is too sensitive allows your character to run through defenses too easily. With the analog nub, you can cut too quickly against a defense. I played with stars including Vick, Tomlinson and Ahman Green among others and they all had the ability to shred defenses by running around the defenders way too often.

Overall Madden 06 for the PlayStation Portable is a solid title with everything you’d expect from the mega-hit football franchise including great gameplay, graphics, audio and options, but the game falls short with in-game loading. This causes the game to be disjointed and makes what would have been a great title into a decent one. Still you can’t come away without being impressed by the product as it is still a great football title and makes you look forward to the upcoming NCAA Football and Madden 07 next year for the PSP.

The game plays like Madden football, but in-game loading is a drag.

The character models are mediocre, but the player animations and stadium models look very good.

Madden’s voicework can get a little tiring, but commentary is done well.

Madden 06 is a lot of fun to play and is worth a purchase for any Madden junkie or casual fan.

There’s lots of replay value with 18 mini-games, full season mode and an online option.

]]> Mon, 10 Oct 2005 22:23:00 -0500 Brian Mohr http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

With the release of the PSP, it was just a matter of time until EA Sports would bring Madden to the handheld. The game graphically looks and feels like Madden for the consoles, although currently the game had at least some framerate issues and the players did look a little blocky, although a rep from EA confirmed that the game will be much faster and cleaner upon release in late September. Beyond that though, the game is pretty realistic especially when it comes to running, tackling, passing and more.

The game will feature 18 mini-games, 10 of which will be new ones for the PSP. There will also be a practice squad option which allows you to develop players for your team in the future just like in the real NFL. Of course the game features plenty of plays along all official NFL teamsa and stadiums along with features like precision passing and more. The game will not take advantage of the hit stick as it is a problem with the PSP's one analog control. The game will also include the Ad Hoc WiFi play and an On the Go feature that will allow you to keep playing your season on the road with the PSP and then when you get home you'll be able to link it back with the PlayStation 2 and continue your season from there.

From the one minute quarters we got to play, the game looks good and is true to the NFL, but it is obvious there is plenty of work to be done. The controls are solid and just like the PlayStation 2 includes stiff arms and jukes with the trigger buttons, although they will be determined which way they stiff arm or juke by where your opponent is coming from.

Overall, Madden 2006 for the PSP is shaping up nicely. The fact that the game will also support Ad Hoc and the On the Go feature certainly add a lot to the title. It's hard to tell exactly how well the product will turn out upon release, but right now it appears that the NFL handheld version is headed in the right direction.]]> Fri, 20 May 2005 01:37:04 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_xbox1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_xbox1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_xbox1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Sean Kearney.

There is a saying that begins “There are few certainties in life…”, and there are a few in video games too. It is certain that every five years a new console will come out that will be roughly ten times as powerful as the current one, and it is certain that every year there will be another Madden Football game at E3. Well guess what game was at E3 this year?

Now that EA has exclusive rights to the NFL license, some might assume that they could just put together a football game that plays like last year’s Madden, with a few graphical enchancements, and updated rosters. Well think again, because for Madden NFL 2006, EA has gone back to the drawing boards and delivered some of the most updated gameplay in the franchise’s history.

One of the most impressive new features in the game is the completely reworked passing system, titled “Vision and Precision” passing, which allows you to not only overthrow your pass as a quarterback to lead a receiver away from defenders, as was possible in earlier versions of Madden, but as well now allows you to use your line of vision to throw a more precise pass, or to fake out your opponent.

After the snap, you control where your quarterback is looking by using the right analog stick to maneuver an illuminated vision cone across the field. When you are looking at a receiver you are able to throw a more precise pass to him. Now you are not limited to throwing your pass to a receiver in your line of sight, it is just easier for one to catch your pass if he is in your line of vision. There is also a way to quickly shoot your vision from one receiver to another, which makes it possible to pump fake a pass to one receiver, only to fool your opponent when you throw to another. Playing the demo, this new passing system was easy to understand, and definitely worked when it was used properly. It really helped to make the already enjoyable gameplay experience that much more impressive.

One of the other major enhancements to the franchise in 2006 is the addition of a new game mode, “NFL Superstar Mode”. Although not playable in the demo, the mode was explained as resembling the “Franchise Mode” made famous in the Madden series, as well as in other EA Sports titles, only with one player to manage, instead of an entire team. The idea is that you will have the chance to guide a player from the Collegiate All Star Game throughout his NFL career, making every career decision for him, all the while playing in games as well. The mode goes so in depth that it was mentioned that you are actually able to cycle through and pick the parents of your future NFL Superstar so that his DNA is ideal for a quarterback or a wide receiver position. It makes you wonder if Will Wright has begun to lend some of his “Sims” ideas to his friends working with him at EA.

Building on an already awesome franchise, Madden 2006 is shaping up to be a solid title that is going to make any owner of Madden 2005 want to rush out and upgrade. For myself, I am just trying to clear out my schedule so I can spend some serious time building up my Collegiate All Star to an NFL Superstar, that is if I can find the right parents.  ]]> Thu, 19 May 2005 03:17:14 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_madden_nfl_2006_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Eric Dayday.

Madden 2006 will mark EA’s first game in its exclusive five-year deal with the NFL. With no competition to worry about, EA could possibly sit on it laurels and release a half-assed rehash of Madden 2005 with updated rosters. Of course, that is not EA’s way and Madden 2006 will feature some things that will alter the way you play Madden games.

EA’s research has shown that players pick pass plays 70 percent of the time. And so now, EA has decided to add some new play mechanics to the passing game. QB awareness and accuracy have been a part of the series in recent years, but now they’ll have an even larger effect on what happens on the field. Now, during than pass plays, OBs will now have to deal with field-of-vision. How this works is a lighted conical field will show where the QB is looking. At first, he’ll be aiming at his primary receiver, which is determined by your choice of play. You can, however, change that with the press of the L2 or R2 button and the face button that corresponds to the receiver you want to set as primary before the snap.

While you’re in the pocket, you can progress through your receivers in two ways. The first involves using the right analog to swing the vision cone across the field; the other involves simply hitting R2 and then the button of the receiver. You could throw to someone outside of your vision, but accuracy will drop dramatically. So, you can say goodbye to those “I’m looking one way, now I’ll throw the other way” types of broken plays.

This new passing attack will also affect scrambling quarterbacks. If under pressure and you decide to take off and are still looking to throw, your vision cone will shrink to simulate the fact that it’s much harder to throw accurately on the run.

I mentioned that the QB awareness rating will have an impact on the passing game. The higher the rating, the bigger the vision cone will be. So, say you’re using Payton Manning, you’ll have almost the entire field at your disposal, but use someone like say a Mike McMahon, and the cone will be very narrow.

The overhaul of the passing game will have effects on other parts of the game also. The most obvious is during play-action fakes. The vision cone won’t pop up until after the fake is completed, which makes sense because you’re not trying to give away that it’s a pass play. Nice attention to detail by EA. On the defensive side of the ball, players controlling DBs will also be able to see where the QB is looking  and may get a good jump on the ball themselves.

Not much else has been revealed about Madden 2006, but if we get more of the same gameplay that the series has always offered in addition to this overhauled passing game, then fans of the series will be more than pleasantly surprised. Of course, it’ll be the only kid on the block to offer the NFL on consoles this year, so we’ve got no choice. Thankfully, it looks like EA isn’t going to slow down knowing it has no one to compete with.

We’ll have more details on this game as its release date creeps closer, so stay tuned. ]]> Thu, 14 Apr 2005 20:24:00 -0500