Taxes, Death and Madden NFL, the only true guarantees in life, or so the cliché goes. Even in the face of a potential NFL lockout, EA pledgedMadden NFL 12 would still be released. Of course, the problem with yearly releases is the shortened development cycle, leaving little room for massive changes. Although an improved game in several areas, Madden NFL 12 is still largely similar.

Some of Madden NFL 12's biggest improvements are in presentation. Grass now looks like grass; player animations are more fluid and dynamic than past games; and the new stadium lighting models look amazing. Every game is introduced with NFL style camera angles and pageantry, which is a nice touch and really cool, at least the first few times you see it. Then you start to notice the smaller issues. With the exception of the players, everyone else looks stiff and lifeless. I also had a major problem with player's eyes. I know it is a relatively small issue, but they look creepy and are a bit of a distraction during replays.

Speaking of replays, I'm not sure how they work. Most of the time they make complete sense, yet other times minor plays get a replay while big plays don't. Replays also showcase some of the audio problems. Commentary, once again provided by Gus Johnson and Cris Collinsworth, is terrible. If they're not a few steps behind what is happening on the field, they are overlapping each other's thoughts with mechanical banter. Collinsworth uses the same flat delivery, while Johnson's words ineptly move from excited to dull.

A few technical details pop in as well. The volume and quality of commentary will abruptly switch. One minute it is loud and clear, the next it isn't. At one point, it even sounded like Collinsworth was calling his thoughts in through the telephone.

Madden NFL 12 features few gameplay additions. There are no new modes this year. Instead, each mode has received a few superficial changes. The biggest changes involve Franchise Mode. Further pushing the game's sim elements, you can participate in off-season activities like cutting players, entering bidding wars for free agents or scout out new rookie players. For hardcore football fans, the additions add just a bit more drama to running a franchise. Cutting players or deciding how much a player is really worth to your organization is a gripping part of the game, so it is cool players can now feel the tension most NFL coaches probably feel as roster cuts start.

Superstar, where you play out the career of a single player, is usually one of my favorite modes, though this year I ended up skipping it. I'm not sure what happened nor can I explain it, but something feels incredibly "off" about the mode. Nothing is clear and it never feels like you're making any sort of forward progress.

I do, however, like Ultimate Team Mode, a card-battling-meets-football option. Similar to Magic: The Gathering, you buy packs of cards (using both in-game credits or real-world monetary transactions) and build a team. I wasn't able to delve too deeply into mode as of this writing, but I have a feeling it might suck up more of my time than the core game.

I also wasn't able to delve too deeply into Online mode. As always, much of the online experience will depend on the player base. To help bring like-minded players together, Madden NFL 12 includes Communities, which allow you to group with players with similar tastes and find games that suit your style. It's a great idea that will hopefully work and, better yet, catch on with other games.

I think finding balance for a game like Madden NFL 12 has to be one of the harder tasks for a developer. The game has a huge audience made up of incredibly diverse skill sets. Hardcore players want something harder, while others just want to jump in and quickly play a game with their favorite team.

Hardcore players will be happy to note Madden NFL 12 is a slightly harder game than last year's edition. You'll have to earn everything you get. The A.I. is incredibly reactive and will pick up whatever strategy you've decided on. Don't be surprised if the opposing team suddenly gains a second wind towards the end of the game.

For casual players, GameFlow, which was introduced last year for players who were more interested in controlling players than deciding on which play to call, returns in slightly tweaked form. The system works similar to last year, only now you have the option to flip through a few playbook options. It's fine in theory, but I rarely used it. Instead, I either went with what the computer chose or used the "Ask Madden" function. I would actually suggest the latter option for newcomers since the called plays usually work out better.

Defensive Assists, which allows the A.I. to take over Defensive duties when you hold down (A), is also back.

Madden NFL 12 has seen a number of mechanical tweaks, though few are what I would call massive improvements. The most noteworthy (or rather, noticeable) are the new tackling animations. Unlike previous editions, players are not locked into canned animations during hits and tackles. Rather than hitting an invisible box, suddenly causing players to magnetize together and run through an animation, players now have a little more wiggle room. It isn't perfect, and there will be a few "magic" tackles, though it is now possible to pop out a few more yards while trying to power forward.

Another cool feature is Dynamic Player Performance. Here, players are assigned ratings in certain stats. As the game progresses, player performance will change depending on what's happening on the field and how it relates to their ratings. For example, if your running back keeps putting the ball on the ground, his confidence will take a hit. Higher ratings will lessen the performance hit. Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers can probably shrug off an interception or sack, while someone like Jake Cutler might spiral out of control.

Ball handling has long been an issue with Madden NFL and things haven't changed. Even when playing with top tier quarterbacks and receivers, the act of catching the ball is a bit of a dice game. Perfectly thrown balls to open receivers usually have a 50/50 chance of being dropped, which is a bit frustrating. Balls will take really strange angles, or sail far from their intended target. I know players don't catch anything, but I ended up switching to a pure running game about halfway through my season because throwing the ball became a frustrating chore.

Although the list of similarities between this season and last aren't enough to dissuade players already pre-disposed to making their yearly Madden NFL purchase, those on the fence may want to check out a demo before pulling the trigger. Madden NFL 12 is far from a failure, though it is a bit of a disappointment.