Early Backbreaker Impressions (Pastapadre)

[BigZell20]

Quote: Originally Posted by mgoblue678

One things is for sure, I am really getting sick of having to wait for patches in sports games just to make a game playable. This isn't directed at the BB devs individually but the industry as a whole. Is it really too much to ask, for a game to be good out of the box.

Very true, if you ask me hooking consoles to the internet was the worst idea ever for gamers. It just opens the door for half assed games to be released and patched 5 times, also it allows us to be charged for stuff that used to be included with the game...

[DannyHappyFeet]

Quote: Originally Posted by fldash

The ability to patch games has been the worst thing to EVER happen to the video game industry.

exactly... they rush a game out and then let us find the bugs...then they patch the ones that are game killers if they can and just ignore the other ones

[gr18]

Where's the beta testing?It amazes me that a game doesn't get played a few times to see problems that stick out like a sore thumb.I'm sure most things like the int's in this case were obvious but there wasn't an easy fix so maybe people won't notice or won't care.Well if this game was designed for grade school kids or non-football fans that just wanted to win each game then maybe.

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Quote: Originally Posted by allBthere

I bet he's loving the ability to bash the obvious mistakes that are in the game. I can't stand this guy...his EA fanboyism is sick-a-tating. I won't even click the link to give him the hit on his site because it's not worth it. I've been there in the past an seen how ridiculous he is...lol. Lucky for NM and 505 that he's a little underling with a tiny flock. edit; as if he'd never lose a game either...anyone who played the demo enough I'm sure lost - as I did on occasion and I consider myself a seasoned gamer.

Dude come on. He posted screenshots and everything. He isn't sitting there making this stuff up. If you should be mad at anyone it should be the Dev's.

What does EA have anything to do with his review on BB. Did he mention EA once in his review? Does EA have something to do with BB's faults? I don't get it.

I know you don't like the guy, but that doesn't change the fact that his review is alarming especially with his proof.

What is he suppose to say about the game? Sugar-coat it and mislead readers?

Anyways..I agree about the patch issue. It seems every sports game I buy needs not just one but numerous patches to fix issues. I had to wait over a month to start a franchise in MLB The Show, that is ridiculous.

Hopefully NCAA football will be able to "work" right outside of the box.

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by fldash

I wouldn't call AI concerns and some penalty bugs MAJOR issues, maybe you would. Both of those could easily be fixed in a patch that's less than 100MB.

Quote: Originally Posted by fldash

Are you serious? I doubt you care, but I'm a computer science engineer. AI could be tougher, but penalty fixes should be incredibly easy.

As someone who will be starting a job in video games come next week, artificial intelligence is a rather significant undertaking (morelike massive for a sports game) and definitely not just some rinky-dink thing. If it were as easy as you say it is, then no one would have any reason to complain about Madden's AI after its 21st iteration.

Basically, I doubt that the apparently glaring flaws in Backbreaker's artificial intelligence can be tracked down in code, reimplemented, QA'd, and distributed via patch in the month-or-two-month window that this game is likely to see in significant post-release support. The time could be better spent developing Backbreaker 2, or whatever else 505 / NaturalMotion are working on.

[wheelman990]

Yes, pasta had some valid points, but I cant help but wonder how the review would have read if it had been another game, and what the ending score might have been. I have a feeling it would be 2 pages of positives, and these negative issues would be squeezed in a small paragraph somewhere.

My point is, I dont feel any credit was given to what this game has done right, and acomplished. The gameplay and physics are simply in another world. Its sad they really got no credit at all.

[CreatineKasey]

I'm really feeling a strong case of "I told you so". I felt this is what would happen. Everything was too fishy. No media for the longest time. No detailed information about the innards of the game. In my mind, there was no way this was going to come out pretty. Despite that, the demo actually exceeded my expectations for this game.

If online is very solid, there's still a chance this game has a home for some guys out there. I really hope that's the case. The potential here is huge.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by wheelman990

Yes, pasta had some valid points, but I cant help but wonder how the review would have read if it had been another game, and what the ending score might have been. I have a feeling it would be 2 pages of positives, and these negative issues would be squeezed in a small paragraph somewhere. My point is, I dont feel any credit was given to what this game has done right, and acomplished. The gameplay and physics are simply in another world. Its sad they really got no credit at all.

He did say the physics engine was impressive.