Madden NFL 25 (PlayStation 4)

Madden NFL 25 for the PS4 and Xbox One was released later than Madden NFL 25 for the Xbox 360 and PS3, but it is largely identical to the initial platforms. This version uses a new Ignite engine instead of the Infinity Engine 2 engine for the PS3 / Xbox 360, which results in some visual enhancements such as smoother player interactions, more detailed grass, wear and tear of the field, more detailed jerseys and stadium textures, improved clothes physics, interactive 3D crowds that respond to the game’s action etc. As most of the game is played from a heightened view, these mostly become apparent during replays or when zooming in.

There are some changes in the gameplay, for instance introducing running momentum for a more realistic simulation. Players can no longer sharply cut and turn, but need time to build speed, shift weight and change direction. The additional processing power is used to make offensive and defensive lines more distinct by crunching the player statistics, visible in the physics and AI through decision making and blocking interactions. Players will more often sense a certain strategy and react swiftly. All the game modes of the original version are present, and Ultimate Team even transfers over from PS3 to PS4 when upgrading.

Specific for the PS4 version is Remote Play for the PS Vita, hot-route capabilities through the controller’s touchpad, and additional sharing features. The Xbox One version has a Smartglass companion app called CouchGlass. It can be used to call plays on defense and analyze the opponent’s offense as a mini defensive coordinator.