Backbreaker Xbox 360 Demo Impressions

No NFL license? No Problem!

Backbreaker is an 11 on 11 football game where the main hook is dynamic tackling. Through the use of Euphoria technology, tackles are animated on the fly instead of being pre-programmed. The tackling is pretty, violent and satisfying.

The camera is located over the shoulder and to the right of the player you are controlling. You can still zoom out to see the field, routes and coverages but the camera placement is more immersive. It's not first person football a la ESPN 2K5, but it is much much better. Icon passing is out also. You toggle your primary target with button presses and the right stick is used for passing. This takes a little getting used to but I like the idea of using fewer buttons.

This is also the first football game that makes playing defense fun. The camera and the Euphoria technology combine to make it worth your effort to learn how to play effective defense. To see your defender spin, swim or rip their way to the quarterback and make a crushing sack is worth the effort.

Since it is a demo, I don't have much to say about other standard features like CPU AI, in-game commentary, season and franchise mode except that I believe those features are there. Customization of teams is a given without the NFL license, but I believe that you can't clone teams or even players. So no Boston Patriots or Tim Brady. This also makes me wonder, how would the game know unless it had team and player information baked in? That's a discussion to have when the game is released.

Is this a Madden killer? Absolutely not? Is this a game changer? Absolutely! The slick presentation and revolutionary physics will give Madden a run for its money and force EA to do much more with Madden 12.