The best (read: only) pro-football game series in town, Madden NFL, is set to return to the field on the 27th of August. Fans who are unable to wait that long to get a taste of this year’s offering will be pleased to know that EA Sports has confirmed that a demo for Madden NFL 25 will be released next Wednesday, August 13th, on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade.
Not ones to skimp on content, the developers at EA Tiburon are giving players who download the demo access to two playable features and two videos, with the intention to raise excitement levels prior to the annual virtual football holiday.
One of the game modes included in the Madden NFL 25 demo is the Play Now head-to-head exhibition, featuring match-ups between four teams. Recreating last season’s Super Bowl, the Baltimore Ravens will be facing the San Francisco 49ers, while the other game available will be between the ever-popular Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.
The other playable options are positional Skills Drills selected to highlight gameplay enhancements. These include the Precision Modified Running, Total Control Passing, the Option, and the Ballhawk drills. After enough repetitions with all of these drills, players will be able to carry over their improved stick-skills and understanding of the new mechanics specific to Madden NFL 25, namely the “precise, creativity” of Run Free and the upgraded physics technology – the Infinity Engine 2.
For a break from all that  intense passing, throwing, running, and full-padded tackling, explanatory videos are included for a more passive learning experience. In one, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft explains the new Owner Mode and how it relates to Connected Franchise. The other video highlights several other features new to Madden NFL 25 like Madden Share, Madden Ultimate Team, and Head-to-Head Seasons.
Annual sports franchises have the reputation of being mere roster updates with very few new bells and whistles from one version to the next, and Madden NFL is usually the prime offender. Despite being a fan of the series, and of the NFL in general, I will admit that I’ve skipped some of the annual installments for this very reason. That’s also why I’m excited to get a demo as comprehensive as what EA is offering with Madden NFL 25. With so much of the game packed into the demo, it should serve as a strong indicator of whether or not to take the $60 plunge.
