These are all the new features in this year's Madden game

The annual maelstrom of big plays, big hits, and big drama known as football season is upon us once again. Whether you're laser-focused on your fantasy team or avoiding all social media on Sundays, it's a social phenomenon that can't be avoided, which means there has to be a video game about it."Madden NFL 17" comes out this week, and it brings a bevy of new features big and small.Here's everything you can expect to find in this year's version of the mega-hit sports franchise:SEE ALSO:Here's how 'The Legend of Zelda' has changed over timeOffenseYou can't win in the NFL if you can't score points (last year's Broncos being the exception), and "Madden NFL 17" has some improvements to its offensive game:-New special moves for ball carriers to get past defenders, with elite moves for the very best players and less effective (but still useful) moves for lesser players.-Advanced, multi-player fakeout interactions, meaning attempts to hurdle or evade defenders can now have around 1,000 different outcomes.-Helpful on-screen indicators on lower difficulty levels to let you know when and where you should do those things.- A tackle battle mini-game between the ball carrier and would-be tacklers, with the winnereither escaping from the tackle or crushing their opponent.DefenseOf course, scoring points on offense doesn't matter if the other team runs through your defense like a hot knife through butter. Here are some of the new ways you can stop that from happening:- New behaviors for defenders in zone coverage, meaning players in pass coverage will behave more like they would in real life than before.- The same treatment has been given to run defense, meaning defenders will move to fill gaps and stop the run in ways they wouldn't in previous games.- A new accessibility option that allows you to choose whether you think your opponent will run or pass, then will recommend a few defensive formations based on that choice.- A new SWAT mechanic that's meant to specifically counter Odell Beckham-esque circus catches that were all too easy to perform in last year's game.Special TeamsChampionships have been decided by big plays on special teams, be it field goals (made and missed), onside kicks, and blocked kicks. Special teams have been boosted in a few big ways in "Madden NFL 17":- The kicking meter has been overhauled into a three-button system, similar to what you see in golf video games, meaning you press once to start the kick, press again to set power, and press one last time to set accuracy.- There are now several more trick plays that can be performed from field goal and punt formations, including runs and passes.- The game now has a built-in kick blocking system, where potential blockers will be designated with an icon over their heads and players will need to execute with perfect timing to block the kick.- New ball physics and a new aiming system means onside kicks are now more effective than before.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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