I'll admit, this is the first Madden I've played since Madden '95. Yes, it's been awhile, and I'm happy I came back.

First thing you'll notice is the large number of game modes. There is 2 Minute Drill, Mini Camp, Franchise, etc. 2 Minute Drill is a mode where you have to rack up as many points as you can without turning the ball over, all within 2 minutes. Mini Camp mode is an addictive tutorial which teaches you the basics of the game. It's quite a bit of fun. The biggest overhaul from last year (I assume), is the Franchise mode. With the addition of Owner's mode, it greatly boosts the longevity. You get to tinker everything from coaching costs, to costs of concessions. If you have high fan support, mostly from your winning team, your fans won't mind the jacked up prices. It's truly a beautiful feature that you will never forget.

If you pay attention to football like me, then you'll be pretty good at Madden. The old school play selection is pure genious, the engine running this game is sweet, and it has a high addiction factor. The AI can be tempermental at times, but when you master each play in the playbook, you'll be breezing through games, winning by 20 to 30 every time.

Al Micheals and John Madden are great in the booth. Their commentary is specific and it sounds like a real broadcast. However, their sayings are repetitive at times.

In the graphics department, things could be better. The field textures are bland and some of the player faces are fugly. On the bright side, the animations are second to none and there is a constant framerate that hardly ever slows down.

There is a lot of depth in Madden 2004, but some won't find it. It's a shame, since there is such a great game beneath its difficulty. If you're looking for a game that's not online, but will last you forever, Madden 2004 is it, just keep this in mind: if you aren't a die-hard football fan, this isn't for you.

Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 8.5
Control: 8.8
Gameplay: 9.0
Replay: 10
Overall: 8.8