Madden 18 is the notably first Madden game on the controversial Frostbite engine, though there still some elements of the physics-based gameplay of Ignite, just not as much. What you get is exactly what it sounds like–a sort of halfway point between the previous generation of Madden and the current generation of Madden. The game is also less "gamified" than current iterations, with no X-Factor players or in-game momentum perks.

The game still looks great today. I could even see how some may prefer the visual direction of this game over the recent games. Overlays are more traditional and the color temperature is more subdued.

Unfortunately, there's just not much else here to set 18 apart. There's a story mode that you could run through in a handful of hours, but that's the only thing unique to this entry. Franchise mode is one of the most bare in the series and lacks any memorable features.

Madden 18 is a decent football game, but it is an uninspiring one.