As the summer season kicks into full gear, gamers all over the country know that a certain juggernaut is about to hit once again. It's the return of the NFL. With training camps about to open in a couple of weeks, players will fight for their jobs so that they can be a part of this year's 700lb gorilla. All the blood, sweat, and the tears of getting cut just so that their virtual selves can be featured in this year's Madden. Yes, I'm talking about Madden NFL 11. Ladies, get ready for your men to dump you once again because this season's train is coming and there's no stopping it.

Just like the changing of the seasons, Madden marks a new year for football fans as the war on the virtual gridiron continues. Last year, I said that EA Sports had finally got the "monkey off their back" as fans still cling to their beloved copies of NFL2K5 saying that it's the greatest football sim ever. Before Madden NFL 10, Madden games felt more like a $60 yearly roster update with no new features that made anyone go wow. Madden NFL 10 was the closest to NFL2K5 as you can get, and last year's game was well done. As the new season emerges, I wondered if EA can top themselves once again and surpass NFL2K5. Well it's almost time to find out.

As you know, EA Sports has the infamous tagline of "If it's in the game...It's in the game." With Madden, the crew at EA Sports haved always wanted to re-create all the passion and the drama of the NFL. Last year was a big step in that direction and with Madden NFL 11 you can expect even more of that drama. Everything you see and experience every Sunday, from the preseason to the Super Bowl, from the tailgate parties to the coach's handshake at the end of the game, all the touchdowns, highlights, and celebrations (Chad Ochocinco and otherwise)...it's all here in Madden NFL 11.

With this season's Madden you can still expect much of the same that you've dealt with before, but you may notice a difference in one main catagory. Anyone who has played the demo at E3 knows what I'm talking about and that is the "subtraction de turbo." In English terms, this is known as the Locomotion System where the familiar burst of speed you get by pressing a button is gone and is now replaced by using the Right Analog Stick. Here your running backs and wide receivers can do trucking moves as well as spin moves to dodge would-be tacklers on their way to the end zone. Of course you need to make sure you hold on to the ball as well so don't think your going to go all Chris Johnson on everyone because Madden pros do know how to strip it from you and create turnovers.

Also new to the game is simpler offensive and defensive shifts. Now when I watched a lot of the Madden tournament players, I noticed that they spend literally almost 20 - 30 minutes setting up their audibles for a quick game. This is a real pain in the ass as you have to sit and wait for these players to make all sorts of changes as boredom sets in. Now, EA Sports brings more simplicity to the game by allowing these shifts to take place on the D-pad making pre-snap play calling a bit easier to deal with. Thank you EA...it's about time.

Finally, I wanted to let you know that your copy of Madden is now equipped with a brain. Madden NFL 11 will now adapt to your play style with the new Game Flow System which designs a set list of plays just for you. Now game management is much simpler to deal with as you'll feel like more of a coach as well as the players. Calling the right plays always leads to victory, but make sure you finish the job on the field or else you'll find yourself on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

These features are just the tip of the iceberg of what you can expect in Madden NFL 11. So are you excited yet? Can you now wait any longer to play the game? Well August 10 is not to far away so make sure you get your copy of Madden NFL 11 now. Currently we're running division previews so you can get just a small taste of the action that's coming your way. Check the links below for more division previews in the coming weeks. SFX360 will have a full review of the game coming soon.

DIVISION PREVIEWS:
AFC East and AFC West Preview: CLICK HERE
AFC North and AFC South Preview: CLICK HERE
NFC East and NFC West Preview: CLICK HERE
NFC North and NFC South Preview: CLICK HERE