As they progress through the seasons, they'll be able to name their team's captain, claim their top stars as franchise players, and allow other players to take free agent status. Madden fans who are in it for the long haul will also find new Franchise mode features in this year's game. The new Defensive Playmaker Control system allows them to modify assignments for any player on the field, to set up blitzes, jams, and individual man-to-man coverage, right up until the moment the ball is snapped. Gamers can also involve themselves more deeply in defensive strategy than they could in earlier versions of Madden NFL. Risks are involved, however, and players who miss tackles under the hit stick system's less rigid controls have only themselves to blame. Madden 2005 offers 'hit stick,' control, which allows the right analog stick to be used to perform the kind of huge, momentum-shifting hits that fans will hear way up in the nosebleed section. Players are now rewarded for their good performances throughout the season, and individuals can be affected by the ebb and flow of morale. Many of this year's new features involve the NFL players themselves, however, calling upon gamers to maintain and develop their star athletes. Attention has been paid to the defensive game in this version, with enhancements intended to give gamers more options and more control when they're playing from the other side of the football. The '2005' edition of the best-selling Madden NFL sports game series hits the field with another new season's worth of refinements and additions.

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