I played my fair share of Madden 23‘s Face of the Franchise mode during my time with the beta and when Madden 23 was first released. I enjoyed it, but after reading how most seasons crashed after the first year, I was going to wait for things to get patched before diving in and fully immersing myself in this year’s single-player career mode. During this waiting period, I tested out different positions and experimented more than usual.
In conjunction with my experience from the beta, I feel like I’ve played way more Face of the Franchise than ever before. It does not mean I necessarily love the mode now, but the point is I feel like I’ve never felt like more of an “expert” when it comes to giving my thoughts on the entirety of the mode. With that in mind, let’s go through my Madden 23 Face of the Franchise takes.
Madden 23 Face Of The Franchise Takes
The first thing you have to do before starting Face of the Franchise is decide on which position you would like to play. The five positions to choose from are quarterback, running back, wide receiver, cornerback, and linebacker. I’ve tried them all and put together a short list of pros and cons for each position.
Quarterback
- It is crystal clear Madden 23’s Face of the Franchise is intended to be played as a quarterback. The story, the cutscenes, and some of the objectives are all focused around the QB position.
- Playing QB gives you the most control over the outcome of each game. You can choose to be locked onto the position or to control the entire offense.
Running Back
- Running the ball is improved this year, but it still has flaws, especially with some offensive line play. But playing as the running back is an excellent way to get a ton of targets and make an impact.
Wide Receiver
- This piqued my interest because of the new WR/DB interactions, but I found myself abandoning the run and trying to force-feed my WR the ball. It made the game unrealistic and rarely did it lead to victory.
Cornerback
- It was worth trying, and I had some fun moments like when the ball was in the air or when trying to trail a speedy wide receiver. However, this was my least favorite position of the group. I’d rather they let us use the safety or play EDGE, to be honest.
Linebacker
- My favorite position to control on defense is middle linebacker, so it’s no surprise I enjoyed playing through FotF as one. Unfortunately, this is a position that doesn’t impact the game as much as some of the others. Truth is, no matter how stout you are in the middle of the defense, the other 10 players must pull their weight. And considering most of them are not controlled by me, I think you know how that goes.
In short, if you want to play defense, the middle linebacker is the position to play. I recommend playing quarterback on offense, with running back as a close second. Wide receiver was fun, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it for an entire season. I don’t recommend cornerback for anyone.
What I Like
The Story
Most single-player game modes in the RPG realm are not worth playing without an intriguing story. I think this year’s Face of the Franchise mode has taken a unique approach compared to past versions. In previous years, EA’s FotF would start later in the college football season. The main objective would be to grind through the college football playoffs and all the pre-draft nuances before hearing your name called by one of the 32 NFL teams.
This year, things are done a bit differently. For starters, you’re no longer a wide-eyed rookie. Instead, you’re a fifth-year veteran searching for a fresh start and the perfect opportunity. You can sign with any NFL team, but each team’s interest will vary based on their current roster. For example, a team that needs a quarterback will be a better fit and, more times than not, will offer you a contract that reflects this. To help you decide, EA went back to the old way of doing things, giving each team a letter grade based on team need and fit.
Much like in years past, there will also be an array of characters that you meet along the way. The ultimate goal of Face of the Franchise this season is quite simple: win a Super Bowl and work your way towards joining Madden’s 99 Club.
Gameplay
I’m on record praising some of the new gameplay features introduced in Madden 23, especially precision passing. These new additions have added new life to FotF. The new accuracy system has made playing the quarterback position more rewarding and has given gamers more tools to counter some of the defense’s tendencies. The new tackling animations and wide receiver/defensive back interactions also breathe new life into the game. But it’s some of the changes done to make players feel more involved that are a step in the right direction for EA.
Besides answering questions and making important decisions throughout your story — many of which I’m still not sure even impact the story — people will now have to complete their weekly activities, which impact their stats on game day. Here’s an example of what Madden 23’s weekly task list may look like in Face of the Franchise.
Monday
- Rest day
Tuesday
- Prank war (post funny video of teammate being pranked)
- +100 cred
- Game night (live stream a Madden tournament)
- +3 awareness in next game
- Too slow (challenge a teammate who has been talking smack to a race)
- +1 speed in next game
Wednesday
- Attack Cover 1
- On-field training
Thursday
- Pump some iron
- +2 strength
- Leg compression
- +1 agility
- Get your wind up
- +3 stamina
Friday
- Cryo treatment
- +5 stamina
- Massage therapy
- +5 stamina
- Magic massage
- +5 stamina
Saturday
Weekly activities aren’t the only new feature that brings an added freshness to FotF. This year, players will find more position-specific objectives to complete throughout a game. For example, you might be asked to choose between rushing for 10, 15, or 20 yards on a drive. You might be asked to complete X amount of passes if you’re a quarterback. Or, if you’re a linebacker, you might be asked to prevent a first down or record X amount of tackles. Of course, this is far from perfect, but it gives every drive meaning.
Hope For The Future
I’m an optimist, so I try to find the good in most things. The future of Madden‘s Face of the Franchise mode is no different. I see the theoretical vision, and I think it’s gradually improved since the emotional stories they tried to tell when they first introduced a single-player story mode back in Madden 18. The first version of Longshot was decent but had very diminishing returns from there. But now, with some of the gameplay improvements that EA continues to make, and the addition of weekly activities and in-game goals, I think FotF is at least in the realm of some of the other major single-player career modes out there.
That said, can EA fix Face of the Franchise this year and then build upon what they have established next year? At the very least, they need to merge the last two stories so you can choose between a rookie or a veteran. I also think there should be more opportunities to interact on the sidelines. If I’m a wide receiver and I’m not getting the ball, let me have an opportunity to make that obvious. It would add some more flavor in a mode that desperately needs it.
All that being said, it already seems like EA is struggling to keep up with this year’s installment and there just does not appear to be a true commitment from EA to make this mode something that matters.
What I Don’t Like
Lack Of Customization Options
One of my biggest gripes in many of EA’s sports titles is the lack of customization options. Now, that’s not to say that you can’t tweak your nose and eye placement or show off your chiseled jawline. But the same generic faces that have plagued Madden for the last decade have once again found their way into this year’s game.
The good news, however, is that although it may be challenging to make your character look like your real-life counterpart, many equipment options are available to ensure your character looks the part on the virtual gridiron. Maybe the reason EA does not spend much time on CAPs is because you can only see the faces here and there. Whatever the reason, EA needs to put more time and effort into its customization options, which haven’t changed in many years.
Bugs
As of writing this, there is still a glitch in Face of the Franchise mode that prevents players from signing a second free agent contract at the end of their first season. This is a game killer and makes playing Face of the Franchise pointless until EA finally comes up with a fix. There are some workarounds for those who are impatient and want to play FotF, but it may be better to wait until after EA entirely fixes this before you embark on your journey.
Creating a promising game mode, only to have it destroyed by bugs and inexcusable crashes, has become a staple for EA and their games.
Replay Factor
While I have enjoyed some of my experiences with Face of the Franchise, to suggest that there is a lot of replay value here would be a downright lie. The truth is, it’s hard enough to make it through one season without having your file corrupted or another game-breaking issue rearing its ugly head. Of course, my opinion could completely change if EA put forth the effort and released a patch to fix things. But for now, I see no reason why anyone should take the time to play through Face of the Franchise one time, let alone several times by using different positions — many of which don’t feel like they belong in a quarterback-focused game mode.
Bottom Line
There is some to like about Madden 23 Face of the Franchise mode. The idea to start in a player’s fifth year is smart and gives gamers a new approach right out of the box. Add in the new gameplay features and weekly tasks, and there’s enough to make Face of the Franchise a solid game mode. Unfortunately, EA has failed to update FotF, and there’s still a game-breaking bug that refuses to let players sign with a new team at the end of year one. This, as you might expect, is a deal breaker.
If and when EA releases a patch, I think everyone should at least give Face of the Franchise a chance. It’s not quite ready to compete with Road to the Show, FIFA, or NBA 2K but it’s not as far behind as it was in prior years. Unfortunately, it’s now in the same limbo state as franchise mode. There are things to like but way too many things to dislike, and as of now, the developers don’t seem ready to make a big change.
Madden 23 Face of the Franchise mode can be solid, but with the game-breaking issues and constant bugs, it’s another swing and a miss from EA.
