Ok. GameTrailers.com gave it a high score. I was not expecting this. Madden only had to brag about the biggest improvement to be a mode that should already be a option in the menu. Glorifying a turd, that is already in the game, and trying to sell it to us again. Gameflow... is.... ask Madden.  Then give us the SAME franchise mode that was just barley on par.  

Surprisingly high scores that come from GT have disappointed me. I would be INSANE  on a business end, for some kind of money from the publisher help influence GT's or Gamespots review process in most games that publishers are banking on. Most people not working for big companies have given Madden 11  a 'blah' review, and only Gametrailers and Gamespot, who have both had exclusive features included on this site before the launch. So for most  reviews i have seen on mega game sites, im personally going to have to call shenanigans on this one.      
 
So, what do you guys think?

I think you're fucking crazy.

If you're asking if its possible that EA Sports is influencing review scores, I say they probably do. But I am no Madden player, so I really couldn't tell you if this year's game has any major improvements. I look forward to Alex Navarro's review, but I think his score might be slightly inflated by the fact that he hasn't played a Madden game in 3 years.

" Ok. GameTrailers.com gave it a high score. I was not expecting this. Madden only had to brag about the biggest improvement to be a mode that should already be a option in the menu. Glorifying a turd, that is already in the game, and trying to sell it to us again. Gameflow... is.... ask Madden.  Then give us the SAME franchise mode that was just barley on par.  Surprisingly high scores that come from GT have disappointed me. I would be INSANE  on a business end, for some kind of money from the publisher help influence GT's or Gamespots review process in most games that publishers are banking on. Most people not working for big companies have given Madden 11  a 'blah' review, and only Gametrailers and Gamespot, who have both had exclusive features included on this site before the launch. So for most  reviews i have seen on mega game sites, im personally going to have to call shenanigans on this one.       So, what do you guys think? "

I don't think that Gamespot or Gametrailers (or any big company really) would accept any money from publishers at all. These people understand that if they lose credibility, they lose half their audience, and half their money. Not everyone's as crooked as you think they are. People just have different opinions on things.

I think you're wrong about Gameflow = Ask Madden.  Once you set up your own game plan it will call the plays you usually call in the situations you usually call them. It's not perfect but it's not Ask Madden.
For me, I bought the new game as much for the tackles and animation changes as I did for anything else.  Frankly all the pissing and moaning about Madden being a roster update every year is well worn territory.  I can't tell a difference between that and COD or Guitar Hero. They all come out annually and are fundamentally the same from year to year.  Big deal.  If you don't like it, don't buy it.  Why waste your time complaining about something that you aren't into.

GameTrailers and GameSpot are teh moneyhatz.  
 
[/sarcasm]

How much change do you really expect in a game that comes out every year, and sells like gangbusters? Why would they make drastic changes to a game that does well? It would be akin to Blizzard making drastic changes to WoW because a tiny percentage of their hardcore user base complain with every patch. 
 
I remember an interview with a guy from Blizzard about that very subject where he said they've done the research to know that the vocal angry people on message boards who complain about X class getting nerfed or X class being overpowered make up about 5% of their user base - 5% that doesn't stop playing the game no matter how much they complain. So they don't listen to them or care what they say because they know there's always going to be a small contingent of people who don't like what you do no matter what but they have the numbers to back up that overall they are very successful and there's no reason to suddenly start bending to the will of a small portion of gamers who, as it turns out, don't develop a billion dollar franchise and maybe don't know more than the people at Blizzard who do. 
 
Yeah, it was arrogant but he's also not wrong. Same applies to Madden. EA's been making billions on this franchise for years and continue to do so today. Why would they fix something that doesn't appear to be broken? 
 
As for the complaint that big sites are obviously corrupt: the same thing happens for every big release when people don't agree with the review. If it's lower than they think it should be, the site is obviously trolling for "hits", if it's higher than they think it should be, thesite is obviously being paid off.  
 
Madden is an incredibly successful franchise and for the vast majority of Madden players, Madden 11 is a good game that they will be happy with. Unfortunately it seems you are not among the majority. That sucks for you but that's not a sign of a conspiracy. 

" @BlastProcessing: You are correct sir. ICP crazy in fact. "

Regardless of genre of release frequency, I don't agree with reviewing a game based on it's sequels.
 
If Madden 11 is a good game I think it should be scored as a good game regardless of how different it is from it's predecessors.

" I think you're wrong about Gameflow = Ask Madden.  Once you set up your own game plan it will call the plays you usually call in the situations you usually call them. It's not perfect but it's not Ask Madden. For me, I bought the new game as much for the tackles and animation changes as I did for anything else.  Frankly all the pissing and moaning about Madden being a roster update every year is well worn territory.  I can't tell a difference between that and COD or Guitar Hero. They all come out annually and are fundamentally the same from year to year.  Big deal.  If you don't like it, don't buy it.  Why waste your time complaining about something that you aren't into. "

They dont give madden a good score because of EA's influence or anything like that. They give madden high scores because people have a delusional love for football.
 
Also if there going to half ass be a superstar like in 11 then its time to just stop putting it in the game.

" I don't think that Gamespot or Gametrailers (or any big company really) would accept any money from publishers at all. These people understand that if they lose credibility, they lose half their audience, and half their money. Not everyone's as crooked as you think they are. People just have different opinions on things. "

" They dont give madden a good score because of EA's influence or anything like that. They give madden high scores because people have a delusional love for football.  Also if there going to half ass be a superstar like in 11 then its time to just stop putting it in the game. "

" @Dizzyhippos said:

" They dont give madden a good score because of EA's influence or anything like that. They give madden high scores because people have a delusional love for football.  Also if there going to half ass be a superstar like in 11 then its time to just stop putting it in the game. "

Seriously. They could integrate it into franchise, where it's like an option on the menu to create a player and set him as a superstar or something, and if he did well he got awards and shit or something. But something that came up in the TNT is that football games would be so much better if Madden still had competition. EA's loss of the NFL licence would be the best thing to happen to football games. "

" @supermike6 said:

" I don't think that Gamespot or Gametrailers (or any big company really) would accept any money from publishers at all. These people understand that if they lose credibility, they lose half their audience, and half their money. Not everyone's as crooked as you think they are. People just have different opinions on things. "

Back when jeff got fired there was this whole thing about how publishers could buy a space on the front page of Gamespot. Back before the site redesign, where there was a "featured" thing with 2 or 3 slots, you could go on the cnet corporate side and basically they said you could buy those slots. idk if they still do it but I wouldn't be surprised. "

" @DystopiaX said:

" @Dizzyhippos said:

" They dont give madden a good score because of EA's influence or anything like that. They give madden high scores because people have a delusional love for football.  Also if there going to half ass be a superstar like in 11 then its time to just stop putting it in the game. "

Seriously. They could integrate it into franchise, where it's like an option on the menu to create a player and set him as a superstar or something, and if he did well he got awards and shit or something. But something that came up in the TNT is that football games would be so much better if Madden still had competition. EA's loss of the NFL licence would be the best thing to happen to football games. "

Agreed, but lets stop pretending like 2k's game was perfect everyone seems to forget the bad choice that was first person mode "

" @Dizzyhippos said:

" @DystopiaX said:

" @Dizzyhippos said:

" They dont give madden a good score because of EA's influence or anything like that. They give madden high scores because people have a delusional love for football.  Also if there going to half ass be a superstar like in 11 then its time to just stop putting it in the game. "

Seriously. They could integrate it into franchise, where it's like an option on the menu to create a player and set him as a superstar or something, and if he did well he got awards and shit or something. But something that came up in the TNT is that football games would be so much better if Madden still had competition. EA's loss of the NFL licence would be the best thing to happen to football games. "

Agreed, but lets stop pretending like 2k's game was perfect everyone seems to forget the bad choice that was first person mode "

I'm not saying they were perfect, but if they still existed the Madden devs would have to get off their asses and actually try to improve their game year after year. "