Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

[LeonM]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

After the latest hands on review of Backbreaker, unfortunately my hype score went from a 9, to a 7. The two main selling points for Backbreaker with me are the Euphoria Engine, and the quote, "Full Customization." Judging by the review, the game falls far short of the quote. This is a non NFL licenced game, i need to b able to make it my own, in every aspect, not just logos and uniforms. The Euphoria Engine is completely awesome, but i think i speak for all harcore sim football game players when i say that Backbreaker is just going to need more than that. Not having full customization when creating players for my teams is highly unacceptable. This is where All-Pro Football 2k8 failed to me, an awesome game, but the lack of customization kept 2k8 from realizing true greatness. ESPN NFL 2k5, best football game ever made period. I welcome Backbreaker into a genre where compitition is feared and bought away instead of faced and challenged. To me EA Sports has killed football. I don't trust that they will ever be serious about creating a quality sim football game so long as they have the exclusive NFL rights. Yes the game gets better every year, but honestly that's not saying too much. They would rather address cosmetic issues than fix the gameplay and AI issues that have been lingering for years. We need Backbreaker to step it up so that the real sim football game playing guys and gals can play FOOTBALL again. Hopefully the developers at Natual Motion will read the reviews, read our comments, and add more of what needs to be in Backbreaker before the May 25th launch.

The customization in Backbreaker is going to be the deepest and best customization engine in the history of football games. Will it be enough because NM and 505 took the neccesary steps to cover themselves here.

In offline mode, In two franchise modes. You can create any team with their logos and uniforms. You can put any players on your team that you want.

In online mode, You have to be creative. You can still have for example, The Pats colors and uniforms. You can have the logo at midfield and in the end zone. You just have to word everything differently for your team name and players. Instead of The New England Patriots in offline, You'd be the N.E. Patriots or The New England Pats online. Your QB is Tom Brady offline but T.Brady online.

This is all stuff that can be worked with and is much better than the massive limitations in APF where you couldn't even name your team what you wanted. For example, If you wanted to create The New York Jets. You can do the colors and uniforms but you didn't have the capability to make the logo and there is a limited amount of names you can use. The New York Jets became the New York J's with some strange plane like logo on the helmet. You were also not allowed to edit the player names on every player on your roster like you can in Backbreaker.

The real limitation in Backbreaker's editing is the report that you can't edit your players rating or appearance. That sucks.

505 Sports and Natural Motion are small companies that can't afford to go into litigation and take on the Giant that is the NFL and EA sports. They did all this to cover themselves. They need to retain every resource that they can and they need to maintain every profit that they can. They can not afford to use any resources in battling the NFL.

[Nicknam4]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

Remember, he had an alpha build.

[CreatineKasey]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

If I were releasing a demo, I'd ONLY release a tackle alley minigame. Do NOT release real gameplay, they will definitely lose sales from that in my opinion. I would like if they did, though so I could at least try the game out. My instincts just tell me it'd go bad given how this whole game transpired.

[booker21]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

The customization in Backbreaker is going to be the deepest and best customization engine in the history of football games. Will it be enough because NM and 505 took the neccesary steps to cover themselves here.

In offline mode, In two franchise modes. You can create any team with their logos and uniforms. You can put any players on your team that you want.

In online mode, You have to be creative. You can still have for example, The Pats colors and uniforms. You can have the logo at midfield and in the end zone. You just have to word everything differently for your team name and players. Instead of The New England Patriots in offline, You'd be the N.E. Patriots or The New England Pats online. Your QB is Tom Brady offline but T.Brady online.

This is all stuff that can be worked with and is much better than the massive limitations in APF where you couldn't even name your team what you wanted. For example, If you wanted to create The New York Jets. You can do the colors and uniforms but you didn't have the capability to make the logo and there is a limited amount of names you can use. The New York Jets became the New York J's with some strange plane like logo on the helmet. You were also not allowed to edit the player names on every player on your roster like you can in Backbreaker.

The real limitation in Backbreaker's editing is the report that you can't edit your players rating or appearance. That sucks.

505 Sports and Natural Motion are small companies that can't afford to go into litigation and take on the Giant that is the NFL and EA sports. They did all this to cover themselves. They need to retain every resource that they can and they need to maintain every profit that they can. They can not afford to use any resources in battling the NFL.

you still can´t assign ratings to each player.

So you may do the Vikings but the RB could be a bronze player... instead of gold.

[JayBee74]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

If I were releasing a demo, I'd ONLY release a tackle alley minigame. Do NOT release real gameplay, they will definitely lose sales from that in my opinion. I would like if they did, though so I could at least try the game out. My instincts just tell me it'd go bad given how this whole game transpired.

You're kidding right? If they suck they suck. Let the world see what they have in a playable demo. There's always Tecmo Bowl Throwback
to fall back on.

[CreatineKasey]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

You're kidding right? If they suck they suck. Let the world see what they have in a playable demo. There's always Tecmo Bowl Throwback
to fall back on.

Do you think that a full demo would increase sales more than a tackle alley minigame? I think tackle alley would show off their biggest strength and avoid the weaknesses being discussed here. Putting a full-on demo may expose some things that they've avoided showing us for some time now. There's a reason we never saw gameplay in the past.

EDIT: I'm looking at this from BB's point of view. Of course I'd want a demo to play.

[JayBee74]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

Do you think that a full demo would increase sales more than a tackle alley minigame? I think tackle alley would show off their biggest strength and avoid the weaknesses being discussed here. Putting a full-on demo may expose some things that they've avoided showing us for some time now. There's a reason we never saw gameplay in the past.

EDIT: I'm looking at this from BB's point of view. Of course I'd want a demo to play.

I figured you were looking at BB's point of view, but although I think the Game Informer review is inconclusive and lacking certain details, it needs to be addressed by the developers head on one way or the other. Not having a demo at this point would raise all kinds of red flags.

[CreatineKasey]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

I figured you were looking at BB's point of view, but although I think the Game Informer review is inconclusive and lacking certain details, it needs to be addressed by the developers head on one way or the other. Not having a demo at this point would raise all kinds of red flags.

I agree with that. I think many red flags have been raised already. If I'm blowing a bunch of hot air and they legitimately have these things corrected, by all means they should release a demo. I just have a hunch that they don't. Things don't add up for me right now. I'm still hoping for the best, though. I'll be relying on level headed interview from people I know (and you). I already know who I will not be listening to regarding a review of the game.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

you still can´t assign ratings to each player.

So you may do the Vikings but the RB could be a bronze player... instead of gold.

We don't know the whole story yet. The preview says we can edit a teams strength and how many gold players we get. So it's possible if we edit a team to have 5 gold players and we say one of our teams strength is the running game, then your rb would be one the gold players.

[KBLover]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

We don't know the whole story yet.

Theme of the BB saga:

We don't know the whole story yet.

Still...

*sigh*

[Gort77]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

Theme of the BB saga:

We don't know the whole story yet.

Still...

*sigh*

No company tells the whole story before a game is released.

[roadman]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

No company tells the whole story before a game is released.

If they are confident and know it's good, they do. The Show, 2k10, FIFA and NHL are prime examples of that.

[KBLover]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

No company tells the whole story before a game is released.

They don't veil every feature and basic gameplay elements in mystery either.

I mean, why can't they confirm if there's injuries or not, or if they are working on getting them in or not? Why can't they confirm if you can change ratings or not?

Why the mystery over basic stuff like this?

And RPG companies do - as do text sim games. So, yes, some companies do. It's not 100% every company veils their game in shrouds of mystery - especially over basic/core gameplay elements. The only core gameplay elements BB has unveiled are the tackles/Euphoria, the control system, and the camera view and reason for it.

[boooey]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

If they are confident and know it's good, they do. The Show, 2k10, FIFA and NHL are prime examples of that.

and Madden?

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Backbreaker Hands-On Preview (Gameinformer)

If they are confident and know it's good, they do. The Show, 2k10, FIFA and NHL are prime examples of that.

Madden shows what happens if you release info to soon tho, half their info from the blogs didn't make the game. That leads to distrust and out right dislike for the company. I'd rather it be left unanswered than answered with half truths and lies.