Metareview - Madden NFL 09 (Xbox 360, PS3)

It's times like this we're happy there's a Metareview. Because, honestly, if we had to say something intelligent and clever about football, it's probably going to be related to The Waterboy or Superpro. We're sports dumb, to put it more directly. Luckily, the internet is here to put the new Madden through its paces.

• 1UP (A): "Madden's the sports-gaming superpower, though, so it's hard not to nitpick some of this stuff. But even with the listed complaints, this is a football game that one-ups the stakes between the sidelines, and it's so visually impressive that it's likely to stick in your system all season long -- even on Saturdays."

• GameDaily (80/100): "Despite all the this cool stuff, Madden commits some penalties. The game supposedly has more dynamic camera angles, but you'll often see the same one repeat up to ten times per game. As for the computer, it often makes strange decisions, such as running out the clock when it needs a score or wandering out of bounds for no reason."

• IGN (88/100): "It may not look all that different to the casual observer, but football aficionados and Madden veterans alike will be able to appreciate the small enhancements."