Backbreaker

[SaVaGe]

I was pretty interested in this game a while back but the devs seemed to stopp sending out info about the game until now.

From what I've learned

-It's more SIM then Arcade which used to be the common downer on the game

-It will feature a franchise mode(Career?) with drafts and full customizations

-It has split screen for local multi-player due to them abandoning the all knowing field view and you are stationed close to the player you control in third person.

-Online Multiplayer is in( 1v1 and 2v2 )

-Jukes are like madden with flicking the right stick but to do spin moves you must rotate the right stick in the direction you want to go.

-Last time we were told you throw the ball by flicking the right stick in the direction you want the ball to go I assume how much pressure you use affects the speed and distance

-Euphoria engine makes every tackle different. Two games that you may be familiar with that used this engine well is GTA IV and The Force Unleashed.

looks interesting now and the release date is may 18th

[McBurks]

Looks like a combination of Blitz and All Pro 2K8.Could be interesting.

[theFRANCHISE]

I'm worried that the Euphoria engine may make the tackles look [i]too[/i] unrealistic, though. I know this game isn't striving entirely for true-to-life accuracy, but if there's rag-doll mechanics with [i]every[/i] tackle, it'll lose me before I even finish a half.

I don't think I'd dig the split-screen local multiplayer because it defeats the purpose of a QB seeing as much of the field as possible. Though such a wide field of vision is inherently unrealistic to begin with in Madden, it sounds as if Backbreaker will make passing much more difficult in multiplayer.

[RavensClaw52]

I think im going to stick with what I know (Madden)for now until I find a friend to borrow it from, just the sound of the game sounds too difficult for a generic football video game.

[SaVaGe]

New IGN Article out 4 minutes ago about this

[url="http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/107/1073474p1.html"]LINK[/url]

Main Points

[quote name='IGN']It should be of no surprise by this point that Backbreaker does not have the NFL license. Instead players will be able to create their own squads with Natural Motion's extensive creation tool. Essentially you can combine a massive library of shapes and images into several hundred layers (500 layers for uniforms and about 1,000 for endzone designs, to be exact) to form a final logo of some sort. It's not all that dissimilar from what we've seen from the Forza Motorsport series. [/quote]

I recall this in Forza it is a pretty steep learning curve to learn out to create realistic pictures using this system but it really does pay off. Plus if you want your team logos i am sure a few days after release there will be plenty of tutorials on how to create it.

[quote name='IGN']'ll likely use one of the more than 60 teams that ship with the game. Just about every major NFL city is represented, minus the recognizable team names, logos and players. There are 16 stadiums in all, three of which are locked at first.[/quote]

60 Teams is quite a lot to choose from but due to 16 stadiums does that mean there will be just 16 teams or teams that share a stadium during "Franchise"?


[quote name='IGN']The visuals have taken a more arcade-like approach with colors that really seem to pop off the screen and a bloom effect that has been ratcheted up a few levels. There are also now two modes for standard gameplay: Arcade and Pro. Arcade mode highlights certain players (like the one you're controlling, passing to, or the person you're supposed to be covering) and Pro mode is just you on the field with the camera following you as you switch players and change possession. I'd recommend most players start on the Arcade mode to get a feel for the altered camera angle, especially if you're used to the more pulled-back perspective that Madden presents. [/quote]

Pretty much just restating the facts of there being a Regular Madden style mode and then a Career function.

[quote name='IGN']Passing seemed to work a little better in the frantic football world that Backbreaker presents. The approach is certainly different than any I've seen for hurling the pigskin. Actually passing the ball is done entirely by the right stick, while targeting a player is done by holding the left trigger and moving between receivers with the left analog. The AI is largely in charge of the strength of the pass you're throwing (something that I'm worried about) unless it's a bomb pass, in which case you can move the analog down and then up to emulate a throwing motion of sorts. Every other pass is done with a simple flick upwards. Passing didn't feel all that great when I played with rigid camera movements that strain to follow the ball down the field and some wonky physics when the ball hit either the ground or a player's hands. [/quote]

[quote name='IGN']Aside from standard quick play games, there's also an 8, 16, and 32 team season option and something called Road to Backbreaker which I'm guessing is designed to deliver some sort of loose tournament structure in the same vein as Mortal Kombat (escalating difficulty with meaner and meaner opponents). [/quote]

Pretty much answers an earlier question of how the season option works, would of hoped for each team to have a unique stadium.