Madden NFL 13

3 cert, EA, Xbox (also PS3)

It’s only been a week since the Emerald Classic hit Dublin, so what better time to look at one of the best American football games out there? Madden NFL is back, with a revamp and some tweaks that keep it at the top of its game. The Infinity Engine means the movement and plays look more realistic, new pass trajectories mean your players’ passing game is improved and feels more open, and the overall presentation has been spruced up to feel more like TV broadcasts of the game. In general, it just feels better. Kinect voice commands allow you to ditch the menus too. Franchise and Superstar modes have been combined into “Connected Careers” this year. The game isn’t quite perfect: the crowd animations still need work, and the Infinity Engine means that anything can happen, which may come as a surprise to some players used to limited outcomes. But with its polished graphics and improved audio, Madden NFL really delivers the goods.