Head Coach: When Batman Should be Superman

One of the most dangerous aspects of creating a game in the American market is not making it for the casual crowd. Should you create a game that’s more football than Madden-nation football you will face the wrath of casual reviewers. Not part-time reviews just someone who wants the casual gamer experience.

Head Coach 09 will run into a lot of this and it might make EA question if it will make another Head Coach 09.

Take Game Informer’s review — regardless of the score let’s look at a few comments.

During games this feeling of relative powerlessness continues.

Huh? Isn’t that how the head coach is supposed to feel? Last time I checked the Tony Dungy wasn’t able to control the play on the field.

For instance, the computer controls which free agent bids come across your desk (including those for your own freakin’ players!), and the computer’s bizarre draft suggestions control your approval rating.

If you have room you can sign any free agent to fill a roster slot. However, the game doesn’t throw all the free agents in the pool at once. It’s quiet fair how the design of this let’s you as well as the CPU a chance to sign free agents. Had they let you do it the same way as Madden, you would be able to raid the FA pool.

This year’s game has added Defining Moments – where a key gametime decision can reduce your approval rating, but that’s more about what the fans and media think you should do than what’s a smart football decision. Great. Rube nation has more power than I do?!

Fair point but the old addage that winning solves all applies here. If you go 12-4, the bumps in approval is going to be through the roof. Had the developers made approval the end-all, then you could be fired even by making the playoffs. I think they didn’t make disapproval as penalizing as it could be, which might be the safe route.

This reviewer clearly went into the game wanting Madden: Head Coach. I think quite a few people would like to see the gameplay of Madden with a complete Franchise mode. Sadly EA Sports, wanted to make two different games so if you feel powerless you need to play Madden. If you want a decent franchise mode you need to play Head Coach. Just don’t go into one expecting it to be the other. That’s like Roger Ebert going into Batman and criticizing it for not having Superman.