Football fans are once again gearing up for the start of a new season, with everyone from New England to Detroit believing that it could be their year to win it all (I know, unrealistic for Lions fans but they've been kicked around enough so let them dream). Of course, a new football season means a new edition of Madden, and for gamers the annual dose of summer pigskin is a welcome gift from the gaming gods — a sign that the summer game drought is nearly over and the fall games lineup is nearly upon us. The Madden bounty is better in some years than others, though, and recent editions of the title have come up short in the innovation and excitement departments. This year, however, Madden NFL 10 looks very much like the Chicago Bears with Jay Cutler at quarterback; that is to say, much improved.

The Madden franchise can be a tricky one for its developers because every year, they have to include enough new features to make the game something more than last year's edition with roster updates. Some new features, such as the Hit Stick, have stood the test of time and stick around to this day. Others, like the QB vision cone, were one-hit wonders that were quickly buried and never spoken of again. This year's big gimmick is the Pro-Tak collision system, and it's one of the best ideas EA has had for this franchise in years.

In previous editions of Madden, the tackling animations were preset and once the game decided you were going to the ground, there was nothing more you could do. From the moment the offensive player took a hit, you immediately knew if he was going down or if he would break the tackle and continue his advance. The game also made gang tackles guaranteed takedowns, and if two or more defenders laid a hit on you then it was all over but the crying. This setup made the inside running game completely non-viable and really killed a lot of the excitement of watching the game. Thankfully, Pro-Tak has changed all that this year.

The new system is set up so that most tackles are not necessarily a sure thing, and players can use the right stick and face buttons to try and break away from defenders and continue their advance. The game reacts dynamically to what you're doing, so if a defender has you wrapped, you can attempt to use power or finesse to wiggle out of the tackle. Use the truck stick with a power back to keep your legs driving and try and fight out, or utilize the spins and juke moves of a scat back to slip out of your opponent's grasp. It makes the whole experience much more exciting and interactive, and as the game advertises, you finally get the sensation of fighting for every yard earned.

Pro-Tak doesn't just stop with the ball carrier, though; it also extends to the entire offense and defense. For instance, a defender may stand up a back, and as he struggles to bring him down, his teammates can swarm in to help finish the tackle. It's not uncommon to see four or five defenders involved in making a stop, and the game even rewards you with an Achievement/Trophy if you can manage to get nine defenders to the ball at once. Conversely, offensive lineman can push the pile in the other direction and try and help their back gain a few more yards. The entire experience just feels a lot more genuine now, and it finally restores the running game as a viable part of your Madden game plan.

There are a couple of other new additions this year, but they'll likely end up consigned to the scrap heap. The "Fight for the Fumble" mechanic introduces a button-mashing mini-game whenever there is a pileup for a loose football, and it's more pure gimmick than anything else. The game also features online co-op, but with the host and guest being locked into the roles of quarterback and halfback, respectively, combined with the fact that only the host can select which play to run, the entire experience feels half-baked and unfinished. While the excellence of Pro-Tak helps cover up these ugly flaws, they do still exist and can detract somewhat from the overall experience.

There are also still some traditional Madden bugaboos that still haven't been addressed for whatever reason. While Pro-Tak allows for offensive linemen to create a more realistic passing pocket, they still miss way too many blocks for no good reason. I understand that there are occasional missed assignments or free blitzers in an actual football game, but the regularity with which linemen let defenders through is unacceptable. The issue is exacerbated on punt and kick returns, with players sometimes missing a block and then totally giving up, or running off to engage a defender 30 yards downfield when there's a player a few yards away ready to pop you right in the head. In addition, AI players sometimes make bonehead moves after catching a pass (running backward for 20 yards and then going out of bounds, making cuts across the field for no real reason) that seem to indicate some sort of logic flaw. Maybe it's just too ingrained to fix, but it's sad to see so many things going right with this game only to have some of the same old flaws pop up yet again.

Chances are that if you spend any significant amount of time playing Madden you'll get drawn into the game's exhaustive franchise mode. The behemoth is simply too large and in-depth to recount here, but suffice it to say that all the things that have previously made it the favored mode are back, and this year, they've only been improved. Even better, Madden NFL 10 finally supports online leagues, so now you can start up a fantasy league with up to 32 player-controlled teams. The experience isn't totally fleshed out yet, with some weird rules regarding free agents, but the ability to draft, trade and compete against friends makes this a mode well worth checking out.

Unfortunately, this new and improved franchise mode comes at the expense of the "Be a Superstar" career mode, which has been stripped to bare bones. There are no more training camp or in-season exercises to improve your stats, and gameplay still consists of running whatever plays the coach calls, for better or for worse. The whole thing is just a poor effort and really shouldn't have made it into the final game in any form. EA should take this mode out back and shoot it so they can finally put it out of its misery.

Regardless of which mode you choose to play, it's very likely that you'll really get a kick out of this year's presentation. The TV style presentation that's been a staple for so long is only getting better, and this time around, it's slicker than ever before. From the camera angles to the "Extra Point" halftime and weekly wrap-up shows, it's getting harder and harder to differentiate a game of Madden from an edition of Monday Night Football. The only real issue visually is that some of the player models are laughably bad, with Peyton Manning looking like someone sat on his face and just about every sideline player appearing frighteningly shiny until the textures load in. These are small problems, though, and when it comes to the action on the field, I can't think of another game that could do it better.

The professional presentation extends to the commentary booth where Chris Collinsworth really shines as a color commentator. The franchise has found an able replacement for its namesake announcer, and Collinsworth delivers his lines with the grace and wit that has endeared him to fans watching actual NFL games on Sunday afternoons. Now if only the developers could find a play-by-play announcer who could match his ability, then we'd really be in business.

I'm pleased to say that this year's Madden is one of the best entries into the franchise in several years. The new Pro-Tak system, combined with online leagues and top-notch production, make this a truly worthy entry by the folks at EA Tiburon. Whether you're a devoted Madden fanatic or simply a casual football fan who has been waiting for a game worth spending some time on, this is definitely it. Football season is back, and Madden NFL10 is proudly leading the entire NFL out of the tunnel and onto the field for what should be a great season.

Score: 8.8/10