Madden NFL 08: Superstar Mode - Part 2

After creating your player you move into a new screen. This is where, in my opinion, EA Sports really succeeded and it’s a shame they changed the way they do Superstar Mode. Your player moves into a small studio apartment, with a couch, TV and a coffee table. You also have interactive objects such as your computer, map, calendar, playbook, phone and mirror. These objects make up the majority of your game play. The mirror allows you to change your look, such as your facemask or gloves. Through the map you can travel to a barbershop and get a haircut or go to your agent’s office and have a chat about your next career move. The computer holds information such as statistics and ratings. The key element is the calendar. By clicking on the calendar you are shown what events are coming up this month and it is through the calendar you navigate and progress in the game. While this really well done, it took me a week to figure how to get from one day to the next and it isn’t very obvious. But once you have understood this mechanic the game runs smoothly.

As a new rookie you are given three workouts with different teams and you are invited to the NFL Combine. When you first start you have to sign a player agent, but since you are an unproven rookie straight out of college there is only one agent who wants to sign you and he’s terrible. Luckily as you progress your player other more talented agents are willing to sign you.

The agent serves as a nice mechanism that isn’t vital to the game but definitely adds to the experience. Your agent provides you with endorsements and sponsorships as well as helps you get better contracts or helps you demand a trade from your team. In the workouts you can chose from a small variety of challenges that are specific to your position, a wide receiver will be able to either catch the ball or run routes. If a player scores enough points to get either a bronze, silver or gold trophy they are rewarded with one point increase in a key attribute. These workouts are nicely integrated into the game and reflect the reality of the real NFL, where prospects are invited to workout at interested teams.

Unfortunately you don’t get the feeling that the teams you are invited to are actually scouting you at all, instead it seems as if the teams are just randomly chosen.

In between the workouts several reporters ask you for interviews. The interviews determine whether your player has a positive and team friendly ego or a negative selfish ego. These egos determine which agents that want to sign you, how other teammates perceive you and if you are generally liked by the public. The ego also adds to something called an In-Game Influence meter that measures your performance. The NFL Combine is the last chance to add a valuable attribute point but once again this feature isn’t as complete as it could be. In the real NFL Combine, each participant must complete several drills so that scouts can evaluate them. This includes the 40-yard dash, long jump and weight lifting. Several participants can convince teams that what they might lack in football skills they make up for in agility and speed, while other highly project prospects might disappoint and are no longer thought to be Top 10 material but rather only worth a third round pick. The experience would greatly improve if players could go through these kinds of drills and get feedback from the media on what scouts are saying about them.