"Madden '11" brings more of same

In some ways, the "Madden" football video game franchise is like your favorite cereal. Every year the makers try to add something to make it better, maybe a new box, adding some new colors, maybe even a new shape of marshmallow. But every year, you open the box, pour a bowl, take a bite, and it's still the same old Lucky Charms.

It's the same with "Madden NFL 11." EA has added a couple of new minor features, mostly designed to make the game easier for new players to pick up, but it's essentially the same as last year's game, and is really only worth buying if you've never owned a Madden game before, or absolutely must have up-to-date rosters and in-season updates.

The most notable new feature in this year's edition is the "GameFlow" play calling option, which allows you to run a play selected by the computer, instead of having to choose a play from your playbook. It is intended to speed up games, but really just functions as allowing you to "Ask Madden" without the embarrassment of John Madden chiming in that, "I…I…think you should run this play."

Other than that, very little of the experience has changed. The animations are generally recycled from last year and the commentary is exactly the same, despite dropping play-by-play commentator Tom Hammond in favor of Gus Johnson. It seems like no matter who says it, the game has been using the same lines for over a decade.

One thing that has greatly changed, and not for the better, is the soundtrack. Madden games are known for using contemporary rock and hip-hop tracks, but this year EA apparently decided to go back in time and use alternative and classic rock tracks from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Though it may be more representative of actual in-stadium music choices, it doesn't feel like Madden to kick the ball off to Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Nite" or Bush's "Machine Head." In fact, the only current rock track on the soundtrack is from a classic artist, Ozzy Osbourne. It feels very antiquated.

"Madden NFL 11" continues the trend of prominent sponsorships and product placement. In place of last year's Snickers ads is Old Spice, and I have to admit that hearing the whistled Old Spice theme music consistently made me laugh. A little puzzling, however, is the Old Spice "Swagger" stat, which I assume calculates how a building kick would affect each player's aaaaaaabdominals.

Madden is still by far the best football game on the market, and if you don't own one of the previous games, by all means pick it up. But, if you're a veteran of the series and want something new or different, sorry, it's the same old Lucky Charms.