Backbreaker News Post

Backbreaker Hands-On Preview w/ Gameplay Videos (IGN)

08:17 PM - March 2, 2010 by backbreaker

IGN has posted their hands-on preview of Backbreaker.

Quote:


	"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. 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)."

Game: BackbreakerReader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 51 - View All

Backbreaker Videos

Member Comments

# 61 adamgod8 @ 03/03/10 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allBthere


	what you call a bad design decision is something that I'm pumped for. All you're doing is complaining because in your opinion the camera is bad. Did gears of war give other camera options? some of you guys are SO caught up in Madden that you have become UNWILLING to EVEN TRY a game with a different approach. I don't care if you guys pass, in fact I wish there was a magic force-field preventing you from trying it to punish the level of ignorance I'm seeing. Just because Nate Ahearn trashed the game on IGN doesn't trump gamespot and gamerpros. His was a lazy uninformative crap article which has led to many new bashers posting in here. It absolutely blows my mind that some people called the gameplay "bland". I had no idea IGN previews (especially by Ahearn) could be this influential. I'm pumped! the thing I liked the least was the running plays in that video...but I'm pretty excited about playing this, especially road to backbreaker with my custom team. I'm looking forward to grabbing a new football game.

QFT....thank you for this post

# 62 carnalnirvana @ 03/03/10 04:50 PM

judging from the impressions on the paid sites, i am not liking some aspects such and passing strenght being auto, and the lack of cam options

however my purchase depends heavily on tendencies, if there are no editable tendencies that govern cpu play (NOT SLIDERS), there is no reason to buy this game.

it will be the same thing we have been fighting with for years, the cpu does not run enough or pass enough or the wrong guy getting catches or yds. its hard enough to stomach these problems with nfl teams but i dont think i can do it with generic teams

if they make this fully customizable top to bottom, teamstyle, plays etc this could be a good game....

every team needs an identity

i have not seen much but hoping

# 63 ODogg @ 03/03/10 05:13 PM

allBthere - you can spin it all you want, it's a bad decision as evidenced from this thread. And wow that "you guys don't like it then everyone should just pass on it" idea really worked great for the 2K series didn't it? If what you propose comes true and everyone with a beef just keeps their mouth shut and passes on the game then it won't sell very many copies now will it?

But you know I love the fact that if something basic such as multiple camera angles are missing from the game (and it's obvious that sports games usually have this, so your comparison to GOW not having it is bogus) that when it's EA it's a horrible injustice to the world that will inspire endless rants but when it's a competitor it's a game developers "vision for the game". Don't some of you guys realize how much of a double standard that is?

I'll say it once again - a lack of camera angles is bad, be it Madden or this game or Blitz or whatever football game. All sports games, IMO, should always have either multiple camera angles, or preferably a user cam where each person can set their own camera.

Also, just to be clear, I was in no way comparing this game to Blitz. I was simply stating that I keep saying that there aren't any other football games and that's simply not true.

# 64 ODogg @ 03/03/10 05:14 PM

Oh and just for the record, I never said I wouldn't try this. I know some have but I've not said that. I will most certainly give this game a rent. But it's looking less likely as a day one purchase for me having seen what I've seen of it.

# 65 KBLover @ 03/03/10 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allBthere


	Did gears of war give other camera options?

Some non-sports games DO have different views (or custom views, like in Demigod, I can twirl the map, zoom in or out, etc, I'm not locked in one view or a choice of preset views, likewise for other RTS or TBS games, etc) so even outside of the sports genre, varying/custom views exist. Heck, a custom, user-made view, was made back in 1993 at least with Football Pro and Baseball Pro - so wanting it 17 years later doesn't seem all that unreasonable. We always hear about how tech is advancing, etc, so why do we not have more games with custom views/cams?

For me, it's not just "OMG Madden does and BB doesn't" - it's fairly common in games in general, imo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by allBthere


	Just because Nate Ahearn trashed the game on IGN doesn't trump gamespot and gamerpros. His was a lazy uninformative crap article which has led to many new bashers posting in here. It absolutely blows my mind that some people called the gameplay "bland". I had no idea IGN previews (especially by Ahearn) could be this influential.

I don't know who trumps who in the reviewer world, so that doesn't factor in my reaction.

I think the camera view is very interesting, I do think it would be nice if it had multiple views or the main view could be customized (say I wanted to raise it a little like someone said to keep my "eyes" downfield when playing QB, etc).

# 66 SageInfinite @ 03/03/10 05:20 PM

One funny thing is EA just got multiple camera angles with Madden 10

. Guys really didn't star harassing EA about it until about after Madden 08. Ncaa still doesn't have real camera options. I think it has to do with people's preference and what they are used to more than just having the option.

# 67 ODogg @ 03/03/10 05:23 PM

A bad decision in game design is a bad decision regardless if the company is a startup or the biggest game developer in the world.

# 68 KBLover @ 03/03/10 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SageInfinite


	One funny thing is EA just got multiple camera angles with Madden 10 . Guys really didn't star harassing EA about it until about after Madden 08. Ncaa still doesn't have real camera options. I think it has to do with people's preference and what they are used to more than just having the option.

There were multiple cameras on Madden 2005, at least on the PC version.

# 69 SageInfinite @ 03/03/10 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBLover


	There were multiple cameras on Madden 2005, at least on the PC version.

I was speaking on Madden since it has entered this generation of consoles. That's when most of the beef when Madden started. The game has been terrible since it entered this generation with many of its elements.

# 70 TDKing @ 03/03/10 05:35 PM

Camera angles ? I'm having trouble getting past the player models but I will try the game probably not buy though.

# 71 SouthernBrick @ 03/03/10 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	allBthere - you can spin it all you want, it's a bad decision as evidenced from this thread. And wow that "you guys don't like it then everyone should just pass on it" idea really worked great for the 2K series didn't it? If what you propose comes true and everyone with a beef just keeps their mouth shut and passes on the game then it won't sell very many copies now will it? But you know I love the fact that if something basic such as multiple camera angles are missing from the game (and it's obvious that sports games usually have this, so your comparison to GOW not having it is bogus) that when it's EA it's a horrible injustice to the world that will inspire endless rants but when it's a competitor it's a game developers "vision for the game". Don't some of you guys realize how much of a double standard that is? I'll say it once again - a lack of camera angles is bad, be it Madden or this game or Blitz or whatever football game. All sports games, IMO, should always have either multiple camera angles, or preferably a user cam where each person can set their own camera. Also, just to be clear, I was in no way comparing this game to Blitz. I was simply stating that I keep saying that there aren't any other football games and that's simply not true.

I agree It is a bad idea because, I knew this will either be a love or hate thing(no in-between). Its not a good business decision IMO to have only one camera but, It is what the devs wanted but, I'm all for options. I've been saying this since I've heard there was only one camera angle.

I think they should of at least gave us noticeable differences to the "down on the field" camera angle at the least and not madden/2k type camera angles. Kudos to them for trying to be different even though it may be a bad design or business decision. I'm one of these guys who like the camera angle but, the camera adjustment when running is what I really like about it.

Your either going to hate it or love it. Simple as that.

Everyone saying there going to pass should at least rent it before not even trying it. At the very least online or offline tackle alley should be a blast as it was addicting on the ipod touch. I have said the same the thing to people about madden. Just don't write it off, just rent it first or at the least borrow or play with a friend that may have bought the game.

# 72 DaveDQ @ 03/03/10 07:09 PM

This preview is proving what many have feared, this game's priority is to platform Euphoria. It's not about football, it's about exploiting this new physics engine.

You can't do that. You can't put the core of the sport on the back burner and rely on some other peripheral to lead the way.

# 73 turftickler @ 03/03/10 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	turftickler - yeah and just because Madden does it with one camera angle doesn't mean that we shouldn't ask for a user cam. Vision of the developer? BS man. Every football game needs a user camera angle IMO. I already see guys in this thread giving this game passes they would scream bloody murder about if it it was EA. I understand it's a first year effort but excusing only one camera angle, and a bad one at that (IMO), is not what we should be encouraging here. We should be asking why the game isn't trying to better Madden in areas like this, not equal them in poor choices. That is the only way this game can survive for further iterations. It's not good enough for this game to be as good as Madden in many areas, it's going to have to be far better in as many areas as it can be. And one camera angle is simply a poor design choice, not a technology or programming limitation.

I wanted a Broadcast Camera, but they were set on not giving me one. Just as Backbreaker stands now, it is better than Madden all the way around in the gameplay department (according to the videos anyway).

I hope they shut doors on the Madden NFL development team after reading what Peter Moore said.

Here is the link.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/107/1073240p1.html

# 74 TracerBullet @ 03/03/10 07:40 PM

After watching the videos (did this before reading the preview), this game has me less pumped than i was before. Tackling looks great but we've known that for awhile. The rest of it just seems lacking to me. I'm one of the people who really doesn't need the NFL license for a game to be fun so I could care less about them having that license. This was never a first day purchase for me but I am still going to rent it no matter what. Hopefully I get a different feeling when I actually play it becasue right now it seems to me like this game is all about Euphoria (which is great technology) and not much else. I just want something fun and I'm still optomistic that they can deliver that at least.

# 75 boooey @ 03/03/10 07:48 PM

I have been saying this all along.. I doubt this game will be great, but it doesn't have to be.

This game is showing you what EA & Tiburon doesn't want you to see, and that is real time physics in a football game.

All this game has to do is get a real sports game developer like 2k or SCEA to pick up this engine and get it into their own football game, OR put enough pressure on EA to finally dump their outdated animation engines for Madden.. Either way, we all would be the winners in the end.

I would love to drop my $60 for a Madden with this real time physics engine in it.

# 76 LingeringRegime @ 03/03/10 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boooey


	I have been saying this all along.. I doubt this game will be great, but it doesn't have to be. This game is showing you what EA & Tiburon doesn't want you to see, and that is real time physics in a football game. All this game has to do is get a real sports game developer like 2k or SCEA to pick up this engine and get it into their own football game, OR put enough pressure on EA to finally dump their outdated animation engines for Madden.. Either way, we all would be the winners in the end. I would love to drop my $60 for a Madden with this real time physics engine in it.

This engine + 2K Football = Never having to buy another football game again.

# 77 SageInfinite @ 03/03/10 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEFTFUNDAMENTALZ


	This engine + 2K Football = Never having to buy another football game again.

If they included a decent franchise I totally agree!

# 78 t11 @ 03/03/10 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	A bad decision in game design is a bad decision regardless if the company is a startup or the biggest game developer in the world.

That would of course, be your opinion

# 79 RGiles36 @ 03/03/10 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turftickler


	Just as Backbreaker stands now, it is better than Madden all the way around in the gameplay department (according to the videos anyway).

WOW! Crowning BB gameplay king without touching the sticks is a little premature, eh? I'm not surprised, as you've had BB on a pedestal for a long time now. Heh.

One thing I can say is that the animations are not over-the-top as some of us thought they would be. It was cool to see less-impact tackles.

# 80 LeonM @ 03/03/10 09:13 PM

Quote:


	Backbreaker is all about putting you down on the field so the camera rests nearly right behind your player. I'm told that they've actually pulled it back a bit since my play session. When I called a running play, the camera dropped so low that it was nearly impossible to see would-be tacklers coming off of the edge of the offensive line. I've been told that they've since fixed this problem, but I won't really know until I play it for myself when the game is released.

This is from The IGN article. Just read it.

Ok where do I start. First thing to remember is that the game that was "previewed" here was not the final build. The camera has been pulled back to give the player a better on field view of the field.

Ok next, The whole point of Backbreaker is to be different from every other football video game ever made. The Euphoria engine is set up for on field play. The game is intended to be played from the player perspective. No doubt, For the lifelong football video gamer, The on field view is going to take awhile to get used to. I never liked first person football on NFL2K or superstar mode in Madden. I too have been skpetical about BB's decision to go to an on field player camera. I differ from some people here in that I was pleasantly surprised at how well the game looks like it plays at that level. I personally love the fact that the camera is going to be pulled back a bit to give the gamer a better view of downfield. Once you get that camera angle correct. You don't need any other view in my opinion. Should the developers have put in multiple camera angles? I don't think so. This game is not trying to be like Madden or any other football video game, We have ever seen before. Playing at The BB level is going to take some time to get used to.

I have always been a fan of The Madden series. I have 2010 and play it regularly. I have never seen Madden as a bad game. Just not a great one. What has always frustrated me and some is that Madden falls short of greatness. With The NFL license and next generation engine. Madden should never just be an average game. That being stated, I will be there for Madden 11.

As far as Backbreaker. I have already pre-ordered and I will state why. I am a huge football fan and I like what I am seeing and hearing so far. This isn't a gimmick arcade game. It's pro football with a whole new perspective. I believe in the euphoria engine and this game looks good and has the right features that I am looking for in a football video game.

I personally want an alternative to Madden and I am glad to be getting one. I think that it is unfair to judge Backbreaker so harshly so early with out having seen the final product or playing the game. I like what I have seen so far. I am on board.

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