Metareview: Madden NFL 13

As the latest in EA Sports' ongoing pro football series, Madden NFL 13 introduced the hard-hitting Infinity Engine and Connected Careers mode this year as noteworthy additions among a fair amount of issues. Our review saw the game as "the foundation for eventual excellence." Here's what other critics around the web had to say about this year's Madden:

• GamesRadar (4.5/5): "It's not often that a stalwart franchise like this reinvents itself so significantly, but Madden NFL 13 has pulled this off with aplomb. Brimming with innovation on the field and off, it's the best Madden of the generation."

• EGM (8/10): "All in all, it's clear the team at Tiburon took a hard look at ways to bring the franchise back to its former glory. Some annoying bugs persist here and there, but overall, Madden NFL 13 stands as one of my favorite football experiences of this generation."

• Polygon (8/10): "Madden 13 gives players a ton of options without explaining them in detail, and that's an issue. But Madden NFL 13 represents a giant leap over its predecessors. It's easily the best Madden title of this console cycle, and it's notable for the ways in which it clearly sets the stage for Tiburon to make a graceful transition into the next generation."

• OXM (7.5/10): "The engine shows a great deal of promise, and Connected Careers features a lot of interesting ideas, but there's no question that this is a rebuilding year. The best news is that EA finally seems to be on the right track. Give it another year, and Madden may at last be a true contender."

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