Every year as football season rolls around, I do a few things without fail; sign up for fantasy football and yearn to play Madden. It doesn’t matter if I played 24/7 the previous year or even if the newest release is simply a roster update, I’ll want to play it. The feeling of hopping onto the virtual gridiron and playing along with my hometown team is something I, along with many other Madden players, enjoy deeply.

Due to this urge to play Madden, I go into every year hoping that, despite being the only title on the market, things will change and EA (Madden’s game developer) won’t get complacent. While there are very few things that can be done to radically change a sports game, the little things are often worth the $60 cost, every year.

For the most part, Madden has fulfilled my urge for something different this year. Little gameplay additions stack up into enough new content that it doesn’t feel like a complete rehash. While fans of the series may still chalk it up to a software update with a new roster, fans of the series have some new things to be happy about.

First and foremost, presentation has been overhauled. Using a camera system similar to that used by ESPN and NFL Films, some unique camera angles often seen during TV broadcasts add another nice touch. While some of the effects are a bit overused, especially the shaky camera, it lends a new feel to graphics that have remained basically the same as last years. The newest thing you’ll find in the graphics department is the addition of 3D grass, which looks extremely nice during replays but ultimately doesn’t really add much to the gameplay.

A new physics system has the biggest impact; many legacy issues have been fixed with the implementation of a more realistic model. Heavier, bruising running backs will plow over smaller DBs and tackling a runner head-on with a LB will stop them dead in their tracks. It gives the game a better flow and the appearance of smoother animations, eliminating most of the warp tackles that seem to have plagued the series since they landed on the current gen consoles. While it’s not perfectly and you’ll see the occasional clip, it’s a generally solid system that feels like some real work went into it.

There are a couple gaping holes in Madden 2012 (notably a terrible franchise mode), however, those aren’t significant enough to completely ruin someone’s gaming experience. Consider Madden 2012 to be like a QB sneak: it won’t get you a touchdown, but it will usually avoid the sack and turn into a solid play.