Madden NFL 08 Hands-on

IGN’s Jonathan Miller wasn’t expecting much. The most hallowed sports franchise of all time has fallen on hard times lately, so when Lead Producer David Ortiz booted up Madden NFL 08 in the IGN office this week, Jonathan had his doubts.

After playing for himself, he can safely say this is the next-gen Madden you’ve been waiting for. On the field, the action is smooth and responsive. Players simply do the things you want them to do. Visually, it’s a gem, running at 60 frames per second with a branching animation system that not only looks great, but leaves control in the hands of the player. Off the field, presentation is kicked up a notch with full-motion videos of your favorite team playing on the jumbotron of your personal trophy room, and you’re one step away from jumping into Franchise, Owner or Superstar modes.

Full details and several new screenshots available at IGN.