Madden 10 demos

Apparently if you pre-order through GameStop you'll get an "exclusive" demo different than the regular free demo.

Madden 10 demos announced (http://www.examiner.com/x-3658-Seattle-Console-Game-Examiner~y2009m6d17-Madden-10-demos-announced)

I already had it preordered so gettin the 5 min per quarter demo is cool to me especially since this way I also don't have to play as either Dallas or the Giants. Hopefully with the extra play time in the demo I'll be able to decide if it's really worth another $60 again because this is the first Madden I've truly been excited for since '04 with all the new gameplay features, but I'm still not 100% sold on it.

The last Madden I skipped was 06 with the ridiculous throwing cone. That being said I'm thinking about skipping this one, since I don't play online that much and there's nothing to indicate (that I've read) that they've given any thought to improving the flawed franchise mode (which was better in Madden 05 then it is now).

It really says a lot that so many of the supposed big new features they trumpeted in the past have ended up disappeared after a few run throughs. For every hit-stick that becomes a welcome part of the game there's a vision-cone that is quietly forgotten. What about the weapons feature? Gone this year. Lead blocking control? Out. I have to think it's likely that in a 2 years or so the rating system is going to be right back to where it's always been, and they are going to be selling us on beer vender control or online Roger Goodell mode or something.

Pretty good preview

http://www.pastapadre.com/8830/e3-madden-nfl-10-impressions

I'm sticking to NHL and FIFA 10 until Madden proves otherwise. Plus there's a ton of games coming out within the next year and I can't buy them all. Right now I'm also waiting for Heavy Rain, Dead Rising 2, Final Fantasy XIII (as well as FFXIII Versus). On top of that I'll be trying out God of War III, Modern Warfare 2, Uncharted 2, and NBA 2K10. Either way the next 12 months are probably going to be the best batch of games that have been released in a LONGGGGG time.