Having spent considerable time now with both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Madden NFL 15 there are some slight differences of note between the two. Last November at the launch of the two systems I discovered a slight preference with the XB1 for Madden NFL 25 despite settling on playing PS4 for the long-term.

That hasn’t changed with Madden NFL 15 in either regard. The games are practically identical but the Xbox One version gets the nod in a couple areas that wouldn’t really be identified without trying to make judgments between the game on one system vs the other.

Once again player control feels a little tighter on the Xbox One. I don’t believe this to be game-related but rather due to variations in the controller sticks and buttons/bumpers/triggers. I have the same opinion when playing the NHL 15 demo.

It’s mostly felt in Madden when running the ball as movement tends to be a little more precise. This stood out a lot last year initially but after playing the rest of the time on the PS4 the effects of that faded away as adjustments were made to how the players moved. Only if you were to bounce back and forth between the systems would this become distinctive.

There’s also the vibration in the triggers on XB1 that helps with timing the snap and QBs can draw you offside with it. I do like the way that feels and miss it when I’m playing over on PS4.

The simulation process when having to utilize the hard drive is faster on Xbox. In comparing the simulation time in offline Connected Franchise mode with stock hard drives on both systems it was apparent that the XB1 was moving faster than PS4 so I timed a few stretches. There is no disparity in online franchises.

Offline Sim Preseason: Xbox One (1:04), PS4 (1:34)

Offline Sim to Next Season: Xbox One (7:06), PS4 (10:01)

Graphically the game appears somewhat more dynamic on the Xbox One. Both are believed to be running at 1080p and 60fps but the colors on the XB1 are more vibrant than PS4. That much was the case last year as well but alone doesn’t mean that it is “better”. Some have also seen framerate drops on the PS4 that aren’t there on XB1 though I have not noticed any of that in my time playing yet.

There does seem to be what may be a bug on the PS4 side related to the setting sun (click the images below to view them full size). The shots were taken with the same settings, capture equipment, and circumstances (time of day, direction, field position, camera view). The setting sun just doesn’t seem to shine on the PS4 the way it always shows up on XB1. Interestingly the sun does always appear in PS4 cut scenes and replays, and on a few occasions I’ve noticed it pop in during gameplay, so I wonder if it’s something that might later get fixed in a patch. Keep in mind that there aren’t many outdoor stadiums that face east-west and this is only seen when using the zoomed out camera angle.

Obviously this isn’t something anyone should base a purchase decision on. But for those who are wondering about whether there are any differences in how the two versions look there are things to be found but to most I suspect they would prove inconsequential. On extreme close-ups I would give the edge just barely to the PS4 but pulled back maybe to the XB1. No one is going to notice anything unless the two are side-by-side so, really, don’t stress about any of it.

For those deciding between one or the other there isn’t anything significant enough to make one the obvious choice. Ultimately it will again come down to personal preferences such as the controller and where friends are located if online play is a factor.