Prior to the beginning of the NFL regular season, there are two days every year that many football fans look forward to more than any other: The date of their fantasy football draft, and the annual release day of the newest version in the legendary Madden franchise. The latter has officially arrived, and RotoExperts.com spent some time this past week taking a look at some of the most outstanding features of the new game. Madden NFL 09 is not only a major graphical achievement, it's also thick with many interesting new features that enhance the experience for players of all levels of skill and expertise. It even weaves in the fantasy football experience like never before.

Innovation is quickly apparent, for as soon as you launch the game from the startup screen, a virtual version of John Madden himself appears onscreen, urging you to take the "Madden Test." I was very curious about this new feature, but as a Madden veteran since 1993, I was more eager to get into an actual game. So I skipped past the talking Madden "hologram" and vowed to return.

Take control of the New York Brett in Madden NFL 09.  Photo Credit: EA SPORTS

On my way to the game modes, I was immediately sidetracked by a "fantasy football" selection from the main menu. In this year's Madden, you can actually import your fantasy football team right into the game. I have been waiting for this type of feature, ever since I tried trading my fantasy players onto my existing Madden squads in the 1990s. This is a heavily dangling lure for the fantasy player, who now can take his fantasy team into true simulated battle and get more of a hands-on experience with the actual players, which helps with further learning their strengths and tendencies. All it takes is simply downloading the EA Sports Fantasy Football Software, which appears to be very user-friendly. I especially like the approach of the Live Scoring Tracker, which can give you a full screen or Picture-in-Picture View on game days. After examining the highlights of the Fantasy Football features, I was finally ready for the in-game experience.

The first thing that struck me more than in any other year was the sheer beauty of the graphics. Every stadium is rendered in gorgeous detail, with a nice "exterior" view of every home venue as an actual game begins. The Madden programmers have obviously done their homework -- the pregame introduction period is tight, yet attractive. Last season, the NFL purist in me absolutely loved the pregame player intros, but most of my opponents online skipped right past them. This year, it's all about getting right down to the gameplay.

That's what matters the most: the gameplay. Yet, even during the smoother, sleeker flow of this year’s version, you can’t help but simply smile at the obvious visual upgrades. It's a sheer pleasure to watch Santonio Holmes make tacklers miss after the catch, or to watch Ahman Green wobble to his feet after taking a rattling hit from a linebacker. Some of the visual improvements actually help the gameplay. Now, I can throw towards the sidelines more often and not worry so much about my pass-catcher stepping out of bounds. I could not help but marvel at Derrick Mason's ability to keep his feet inbounds on a sideline route, even if it was a completion made against my team. No need for a wasted review. Pass-catchers are much more versatile this season, more able to make seemingly difficult receptions. It's much easier to fit passes into tight windows. Bullets from Brett Favre and Carson Palmer are delivered quickly and accurately.

The overall gameplay is solid, and there are apparent improvements in terms of passing, as previously mentioned. You are usually rewarded for making the correct read and throwing the ball with the proper amount of touch. The skill sets of individual players seem to stand out more than ever, which is something that really delighted me. Andre Johnson can separate very quickly and is a prime downfield threat. Larry Johnson relies heavily on his outstanding vision and ability to make defenders miss in short space. Defensively, you must work hard to get to the quarterback, because sacks don't come easily. This is more realistic than last season's offering -- no longer can I regularly blitz Julian Peterson in an online game, sacking Drew Brees eight times in the first half alone.

I appreciate the attention to detail as a serious football fan and sports gamer, and this year's Madden sweats the details in a big way. My standards have been set high, ever since the release of "MLB 08: the Show" on the PS3, which was very possibly the most stupendous-looking game I've ever seen. Madden 09 meets my lofty expectations, as you can see what I consider to be the calming view of the Pittsburgh landscape outside Heinz Field, and I swear I actually had to turn up my air conditioning when I played in Dolphins Stadium. Of course, we all know that there is nothing like playing in the snow, and it was wondrous to watch the natural cascade of the fall at QWest Field, while also observing the players dealing with the elements. I could have sworn I saw Marcus Trufant's jersey as being more noticeably moist as he rose from a lost encounter with Vince Young.

Roster adjustments are easy to make, most notably placing Brett Favre on the Jets roster in franchise mode. I simply went to the NFL Greats Roster and released him to free agency, then cut Chad Pennington to make room for him. The roster of legendary players is deep and simply very cool, as I am now considering also adding Steve Largent to the current Seattle roster.

As much as I love The Show, it's frustrating to be able to quickly leap to new skill levels, to the point where I can dominate the CPU in a matter of just a few games, before moving onto the next level of difficulty. In previous versions of many games, including Madden, I was able to master each skill level at some point, and while I progressed, the newest one became simply an exercise in finding nuances of the game that would allow me to expose the CPU.  That is apparently never going to happen in Madden 09.

This is where we revisit the holographic Madden image. He takes you through the "Madden Test," putting you through a series of drills that determine your "Madden I.Q.", or actual skill level in four phases of the game: Pass Offense, Run Offense, Pass Defense, and Run Defense. Based on the results and your resulting I.Q. number, the CPU will adjust accordingly in the in-game experience to make sure it remains on your competitive level. This is a groundbreaking enhancement that will likely never make the game too easy for the dedicated sports gamer, and makes the experience more user-friendly for beginners or people who don't play frequently. In the past, I was rusty after a week or two off and found that I was less effective upon my return to the game. This year, I expect the CPU to adjust accordingly if I'm away and my passing game seems less crisp when I pick the game up again.

After each game, you are updated on your progress in terms of the Madden I.Q., and you are invited to return to the Virtual Trainer to work on certain parts of your game. I have already noticed my I.Q. being adjusted during the in-game experience, which makes the "I.Q." one of the most compelling enhancements to ever appear in the Madden series. I love being rewarded for my positive accomplishments and downgraded during my struggles. It apparently ensures that the game will adjust as I progress or work out some wrinkles.

Two other new features should appeal to the less experienced gamer. The addition of the "Rewind" allows you to actually obtain those "do overs" after a frustrating interception or defensive lapse. You can simply start the play over and try again. As a "sim" gamer, one who prefers the most authentic football simulation possible, I don’t find myself using this. Yet, it's great for the rookie or less frequent player. The "Madden Back Track" helps the player with a steeper learning curve realize his mistakes, and pleases even the most hardcore gamer with its broadcast-like presentation. Cris Colinsworth points out exactly where the opponent found a weakness in your execution and highlights the flaws in the matchup, the scheme, or your decision-making. It's not a simple chalkboard, but a very authentic breakdown of pivotal plays.

Colinsworth is part of a "two-man booth" broadcast-style presentation that also includes play-by-play man Tom Hammond. The two have appeared together on the gloriously addictive NFL Network (note to Time Warner Cable: I will pay for it, and now have had to get DirecTV in addition to cable service to get that channel), and they bring some of the best commentary ever available in the game. There are more unique calls, and it’s a more of a believable presentation than it ever has been, especially when Colinsworth starts pointing out why Andre Johnson is underrated, or why Matt Hasselbeck is an effective passer.

Other interesting options include the Video Highlight feature, which allow you to save your greatest in-game moments, and "Madden Moments", which allow you to relive great experiences from the 2007 season. The former proved to be a lot of fun when I vanquished the Giants with a gamebreaking, decisive TD pass to Antwaan Randle El, where he busted loose to outrun the secondary. The latter is compelling for everyone, from the Dolphins fan who wants to get in the midst of the team's lone victory from '07, to the Giants follower who would love nothing more than to relive the drive that produced "The Catch." In each Madden Moment, you are thrust into the pivotal moments of a memorable game from last year.

Online play proved to be easy and free of bumps, and if you own a PS3, you won't be disappointed by the amount of opponents available. The biggest and most hailed addition this year is online leagues, which I welcome after dealing with too many random players on the 360 last year. Now I can find serious and fair gaming competition in games that really count.

Of course, no one review can fully capture all of the features and finer points of the game. Look for more updates and analysis of Madden 09 on RotoExperts.com throughout the season, from myself and another formidable sports gamer, RotoExperts Grand Master Ben Ice. We'll be tackling the newest version of NCAA Football and Tiger Woods Golf, plus touching on some of the cool features in NASCAR 09.

Who's that savvy, intense guy you played against last night on Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network? It might have been Scott Engel if you faced the Seahawks or New York Mets. It certainly wasn't Scott racing with Juan Pablo Montoya. E-mail Scott at scotte@rotoexperts.com.

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