Once again, EA Sports continues to chase the dream of creating the ultimate football experience with Madden NFL 08. and once again EA Sports has delivered for fans of the sport. Though it has its shortcomings -- especially when it comes to performing on the PlayStation 3 hardware -- it more than makes up for these flaws by continuing to stick to the gameplay that has made the Madden series so popular to begin with.

Care has been taken in improving the game's controls, giving them a better sense of consistency. For instance, quarterbacks are now given a heads up on what "weapons" they have on hand for scoring opportunities. Small icons hover over players, indicating who can be most depended on for executing key plays, such as defenders being highlighted with brick walls and power moves. The Receiver Spotlight option also finds proper use here, as football fanatics can set up blocks and passing lanes before a play. These can also come at a disadvantage if a receiver ends up being double-teamed, resulting in a sack or maybe even a crucial interception.
Overall the game's strategic elements come together and click well. Defensive plays come off breezily and the offensive elements show excellent balance, particularly with running. Passing also shows improvement, although players might be a bit frustrated to see a fumble or interception pop up when they least expect it, but even as cover star Vince Young knows every player has their off days.

Though the visuals of the the PlayStation 3 version take a back-seat to the Xbox 360 counterpart, Madden 08 still looks great with attention paid to player and crowd detail. Spectator noise, occasional background music and quotes from the stadium announcer round things out in the audio department, though unlike other version of Madden the PlayStation 3 version lacks running commentary by John Madden and Al Michaels.

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