**This is our first impression of the game. Check back tomorrow for follow up review!**

-First some proof that we played the game:

Today iBloggedThis was fortunate enough to get our hands on a copy of Madden 2007 for the XBOX 360. Without boring you with unnecessary details, here is my review of the game: (Please note that this was just jotting down notes as it came to me)

First thing right out of the gate, my 360 told me I had to update my console. Now I haven’t played much of my 360 due to time constraints, but this is the first time I have ever seen this. I was worried at first ;)

First things first, pick your favorite team. Easy selection for me personally, the New York Jets.

Here is a breakdown of the game menu:

Play Now

Game Modes
-Mini Games
-SuperStar
-Franchise
-Hall of Fame
-Madden Gamer Level
-Practice

My Madden

-New Features and Controls
-Create A Player
-Rosters
-Strategy
-Settings
-Save
-Load -Delete

My Media

Now onto the Jets roster, got to see how Madden rated my boys. Wow, Shaun Ellis a 93 (Overrated!), Doug Jolley a 80 (WAY to high), Adrian Jones a 79 (too low), Kerry Rhodes a 78 (WAY WAY WAY Low, should have been an 85!), Overall I think Madden overrated a lot of Jets, and underrated a lot of Jets; I am a little disappointed.

The Free Agent pool is a little out-dated (that is standard though!) Ty Law is still a free agent, instead of being a part of Herm Edward’s squad.

Now onto playing: the play now feature gave me Jets vs Dolphins, perfect. They added the ability to pick what time you want to play, I chose 1:00pm.

I am a little rusty, and I didn’t take a look at the controls, so this should be an experience.
Nice a Home Team introduction. Madden will do what all real games do, and introduce the home team. The cheers, the smoke, the fireworks, nice little touch. They don’t introdce all the players, I only got Shaun Ellis, Curtis Martin, Lav Coles, and Chad Pennington. The away team received no such introduction.

Kicking is different, lets give it a try. (Thankfully I got a small tutorial real quick) – Weird, it is a pull the stick back and flick forward, think Mario Party fishing. But it is fairly easy.

Now for my pre-game adjustments: took out Chad for Kellen Clemens, Curtis for Cedrick Houston, started Mangold.

First play, they threw it for 3 yards, no biggie. My feet are now wet.

Now to play a little without you guys!

Audibles are cool, a little zoom in on the top right corner on the QB. It seems like audibles are more frequent this year, or its just Daunte. Stopped the Phins and forced a 55 yard field goal, some how the computer made it. Stupid Olindo Mare.

Well that didn’t go well, third and four and I ran a playaction. I see my fullback wide open for the easy first, but off screen is Will Allen. Needless to say it is 7 the other way. That was the games fault, which kind of sucks! (I honestly believe that the field needs to be wider.)

Vilma with an interception, I hope INT’s aren’t this easy!

Cedric Houston fumbled on the 3! Zach Thomas picked up the ball and took it the other way. The play will be reviewed since it occurred with under 2 minutes left in the half. Overturned, phew! Reviews are very similar.

You can actually bat balls at the line of scrimmage as a DT. I tried it with full intentions of doing it, and it worked, pleasantly suprised!

At the half the Jets are up 14-10.

You can even develop screen plays, nice! I almost thought that the screen would never, ever work in a Madden game.

The deep ball is interesting, the game slows down ever so slightly when there is a big play possible. Even a little sound is made when this happens. That being said, Touchdown Coles.

Just like any year, and in real football, it is tough to recover when you gamble for the interception. Touchdown Marty Booker, 21-17, Jets.

I am finding that there really isn’t a happy median between pass rush. I either get a lot, or very little pressure when throwing the ball.

Weird tackle, I just ran into Ronnie Brown with Victor Hobson, and Brown went down without any animation. That is still a minor flaw. Hopefully Madden will fix that one day :-/

Can’t believe I am saying this, but I miss Madden in the booth a little bit. The hometown announcer is some how too quiet.

I think I have gone though the entire playbook, same old same old, nothing they can do about that really.

Blocking is much more realistic, still having problems with a natural pass rush though. Only one sack this game.

Overall Impressions:

I liked the game, but it did not blow me away. It seems that Madden has peaked a little bit in terms of what they can do to improve the game. That being said I have not fully embraced all the new features, and all football junkies will enjoy the new rosters and minor tweaks. I hope that I will come to like this game a lot more over the next few games, but I am not too hopeful.

Game Play: 8
Graphics: 7
Realism: 7.5

Now For the Giveaway Watch The Video!

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We are giving away a Netgear 802.11g Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter.

Key Benefits

* 54 Mbps standard 802.11g wireless Internet access – 5x the speed of 802.11b
* USB 2.0 powered — up to 40x faster than USB 1.1
* New antenna technology allows wireless access at ranges greater than ever before
* Easy setup via Smart Wizardâ„¢ Install Assistant
* Works with all standard 802.11g and 802.11b wireless routers and access points
* Compact, pocket-sized design

This product is factory refurbished. For information on this product visit the official site.

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