Madden 10 does a lot of things very well.  The game actually came close to being the greatest sports game ever created.  Madden 10 is better than any football game before it in most ways, but some AI issues (as well as other issues) really ruined the enjoyment for me.  I played the game for about a week and traded it to GameStop while it still has some value left.

Defense

The AI on defense is pretty good against the pass, but falls apart on running plays.  For example, I have watched the computer pursue a ball carrier and then change directions for no good reason, allowing the runner to gain a few extra yards before being tackled.

Offense

Out of the 20-some games I played, I noticed that offensive lineman would sometimes get stuck before heading back to the line.  In crucial situations where the clock is running down, this could cost you the few seconds you needed to pull off a play.  Offensive lineman also completely miss their blocks entirely too often, or they would double or triple team a lineman, allowing a blitzing linebacker to have a free route to your QB.

Wide receivers will still run their routes out of bounds on occasion and seem to have trouble positioning themselves properly to catch deep balls.  If you are big on deep passing, this game is not for you.  Madden 10 is all about short passes and running the ball.  When receivers get into the open field, they all of a sudden become super men and can break nearly any tackle with ease.

Special Teams

As we have seen in nearly every Madden, blocking on special teams is still awful.  On nearly every punt return, one or two of my guys would run past potential blocks leaving you with nowhere to run.  I was able to score a few touchdowns on punt returns, but that was with little or no help from blockers.

Fight For the Fumble

Did we really need button mashing 2-5 times a game?

In the End

In the end, Madden 10 is a huge improvement over Madden 09, but it wasn’t enough to keep me happy.  The AI is unpredictable, which is good in some ways, and absolutely frustrating in other ways.  I never played two games that were the same, which is something I can’t say about past games.  Don’t get me wrong!  This is a really good game with a lot of improvements, but I still expect more.  With the AI issues and a few other minor problems, I have to wonder if it’s really worth buying this game every 12 months.  It’s not like these problems are new ones as well.  Most of the problems with this year’s Madden have been around for some time…