Unfortunately, not all gameplay elements have seen improvement.  Downfield blocking is still a nightmare, with your blockers making decisions that a complete NFL-novice would be able to recognise as the wrong one.  All too often you find yourself tackled behind the line of scrimmage because your fullback, who was supposed to be picking up that blitzing linebacker, has bizarrely wandered off, allowing the opposition to storm in and obliterate the ball-carrier.  The occasional hiccup would be expected, required even (for the sake of realism), but the frequency at which it happens here borders on the ridiculous.

The heart of any Madden title is the franchise mode, which, for the most part, has changed little in a year.  Most of the new features come in the form of presentation improvements, from the tab that details recent news (player trades, injuries etc) to ‘The Extra Point’, a summary of the week’s best games hosted by Fran Charles and Alex Flanagan (which some of you may recognise from NFL Total Access on Sky TV).  The changes make navigation far easier, as most important information is there on-screen in front of you; as opposed to being hidden within a complicated menu-tree as it has been in the past.  In should be also be noted that (finally) a Superbowl victory celebration - complete with the Lombardi trophy itself - has been included for those skilled enough to reach the big game, adding much-needed payoff to what can sometimes be a long, hard slog of a season.

Franchise mode can also be played online with up to 32 players competing for the ultimate prize in sports (I don’t think the people at PDC World Championship Darts are going to be too happy with that - Ed).  Thankfully, it all works just as well as playing in offline mode, with all the same functionality and team options available.  Playing online spices up the action and adds to the sense that every game is a must win, purely because you’re up against other real people. 

Players indicate when they are ready to progress to the next week (having played their game for the current week and performed any trades etc) by checking a box that is visible to all players.  Once all players have checked said box the season will move on to the next set of games.  The franchise commissioner can force the next week early if certain players have stopped participating, removing any potential frustration caused by teams not living up to their contractual obligations and turning up for games. Online franchise is probably the game’s most rewarding feature, taking a system that already worked well offline and translating into the online arena with great success (despite very few changes).  Rivalries and friendships built by participating in the season-long campaign are worth the price of admission alone.

A quick word of praise should also be aimed at the game’s visuals, which are unquestionably the finest the series has ever seen.  The new tackle and quarterback animations in particular stand out as some of the best of any sports game and really give you the sense that you’re taking part in a real game.  Not everything is perfect though, coaches and players on the sidelines still look terrible in comparison to the on-field action, and the crowd could still do with a makeover.

Come the final whistle Madden NFL 10 is the best game in the series so far, and well worth the investment if you’re a fan of previous games or the sport in general. The online franchise mode adds some much needed variety to a group of game modes that had seen very little change over the past few years and was in danger of becoming stale and predictable.  It’s by no means a perfect game, but steps have certainly been taken in the right direction.

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