he new QB1 career mode--which includes a barebones NCAA football experience--overall feels like a half-baked idea that doesn't deliver anything meaningful or interesting. When it comes to the on-the-field action, however, the new X-Factor and Superstar abilities shake up the familiar gameplay formula to give seasoned players and newcomers alike a fresh way to scheme plays and orchestrate strategy on both sides of the ball.

Thanks to the MUT and Franchise gamemodes, the game offers a great density and an immersive experience, with a solid technical aspect. Unfortunately, the story mode, this year, isn't better than the Longshot mode that we saw on last year's edition.

I like aspects of Madden 20 like the addictiveness and slightly easier progression of Ultimate Team, the way players feel, and the new abilities. But too much remains stagnant and unchanged. It’s like expecting a few free agents to change the course of an entire organization when there are key areas the franchise needs to have addressed yesterday. Instead, its roster has gotten old fast and the problems are mounting.

Madden NFL 20 is not a promised breakthrough, just a good enough game with some novel ideas, dumb defensive AI and the abysmally awful Face of the Franchise.

Will hardcore Maddenites have a blast with all the new gameplay toys they have at their disposal? Absolutely. Do I think casual Madden fans need to rush out and buy this edition? Probably not. Madden 20 is a fine game, but it’s definitely an iterative version that doesn’t do enough to stand out from last year’s game.

Madden NFL 20 is the worst major sports league video game out there. Despite some despicable microtransaction design, NBA 2K is an exponentially better representation of its real-life counterpart and has an ever-improving Franchise mode that offers real depth and year-over-year growth. MLB: The Show is the blueprint of excellence for which other sports titles should be judged. Save your money for a series that still respects its fans. 4/10 butt fumbles.