Backbreaker Demo Available, Post Your Impressions Here

[Cincyez]

I just love how close you are to the action. Love the POV.

[Jadre]

A few things after playing the demo.
1. You need stick skills to play this game well.
2. If you drop back too far, then it's harder to see down field.
3. I'm a terrible QB. I take lots of sacks and throw picks when pressured.
4. On defense I figured out that I can change players pre-snap easier by holding the LB button and move the LS. That helps.
5. I want to be involved so I anticipate the next play and select a defender that should be involved.
6. During a pass play I follow the QBs eyes, but I select the defender he's looking toward before the throw. This way I can get in position better. Easier said than done though.
7. My longest run has been four yards, but I haven't been running much.
8. I found some possible cheese. Onside kick: Tilt the camera down and use half power. The ball will bounce everywhere and I recovered three out of five on Pro-Medium.
9. Throwing to flats is hard for me. I've played exhibition three times and it seems like if I hold RS right or left the QB will look to the next target but won't keep selecting the guy after. I have to flick the stick for each progression. That makes it hard to select a HB in the flat after looking deep.
10. I love to play special teams! Sounds weird but it is so much fun barreling down the field either covering a kick or returning one. I returned a punt like eight yards and it was awesome! I felt like Barry Sanders! In real football there are core special teamers. Those guys have a fun job.

[sroz39]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

I really believe some of the wonkiness maybe due to 2 minute quarters. Particularly in the 2nd quarter.

I was about to say something related to THIS. Most of the wonky A.I. has happened in the 2nd quarter with me. Not to say there weren't INT's in the 1st, cuz there were, but the 2nd quarter really gave the computer A.I. fits.

It's not any better, as it means that the A.I. will run the two-minute drill as effectively as it did in 2K5 (awful), but at least it leaves me hopeful for better A.I. for the rest of the game. I had the computer score consecutive TD's on me with two straight possessions yesterday. One taking up most of the first, the second part of the first and part of the second (I threw an INT. Guess my A.I. isn't up to snuff ).

Final build will tell us all.

[StormJH1]

You know, after I put in the demo and played it for the first time (before reading anyone's impressions here), I started asking my brother what he thought of it. He was frustrated by it, but I realized that his complaints were almost identical to all the things I heard when 2k5 came out. Point being that we are so programmed to compare everything to Madden as a starting point, when I think the real question should be "Is this fun?" or "Does this feel like real football action?"

I'm still formulating my opinions, but so far, I'm really impressed by the demo. A good analogy for what it does well are how the newer racing games (like GriD, and NFS: Shift, for example) create a sense of speed and use the camera along with sensory cues in a way that the more stale, traditional racers (like Forza and Gran Turismo) do not.

I'm sure we'll find tons of problems with the game, and I doubt it will have much depth. But is there anything in Madden nearly as fun as turning the corner with a RB and heading to daylight? My brother complained about how the camera was so zoomed in, he couldn't see guys coming to tackle him. My response: I thought that was kinda the point. Real football players don't have satellite imagery fed into their helmets--this game does the best I've seen so far of actually putting you on the field.

[Methlab]

I love this demo. I am about to fire it up again. I played 2 games and my GF came over and said I looked like a 15 year old playing it.

Running the ball is not that hard for me. I play call of duty a lot and I am used to the sticks. So the people complaining that it is too hard may need to just practice and work on their stick skills. It is not that tough at all, and the view is awesome. It is very similar to how I felt when I played HB. Yes, you can not see everything on the field...that is how football actually is! So anyone who complains about that, it is tough for me to take that person seriously as a football game reviewer.

QB is hard, but I have thrown some beautiful TD passes. What helps me out is that I immediately go into focus mode to make reads. This helps me switch receivers real quickly. My question is this..how do you lock onto to a different receiver first before the snap? I know there is a way to do it. For now, I just hold LT after the snap and find that receiver real quickly.

Also,,,if you know how to play football, you know to read the safeties first when you play QB. What I like about this is that it is a lot harder to do that now. This simulates real life. In a classic view game, it was more about reading the safeties and then making the right decision by pressing a button. This is so much more like how it REALLY is. The safeties may pop to the left and you will need to look over there to see if they are doubling somebody..etc. This really helps show how hard it is to play QB.

Defense :

I love it. It also feels real. I like to play safety or MLB. Yes, you do not control the entire team like other games, but I think there is a fine line of when to switch players during a play and when not too. That will be the art form of defense in this game. I also believe that a solid way to play online is to overload a side of the field and test your opponent by seeing if they can switch to the opposite side real fast and make that read. That is a very real strategy in football.

Overall :

The game moves so fast. It is great. It seems like we will be able to play a game in 30 minutes. It also seems like you will always be in the game because TO's are easy to make. This is good...especially for a video game. I think we all remember last year playing "clock wh*res" who would just run the clock down. Well if you want to do that in BB, you better have nasty skills as a runner.

Controlling the ball in this game will be extremely satisfying because it is hard. And that is how it should be.

[linkboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Methlab

QB is hard, but I have thrown some beautiful TD passes. What helps me out is that I immediately go into focus mode to make reads. This helps me switch receivers real quickly. My question is this..how do you lock onto to a different receiver first before the snap? I know there is a way to do it. For now, I just hold LT after the snap and find that receiver real quickly.

Hold the L trigger and flick the Right stick left or right. If you're using the alternate control scheme, press the X button.

[Eski33]

The camera kills this game for me. Part of me thinks that the camera was implemented this way on purpose to hide AI flaws.

I think this game has a place with football fans if we could actually see what is going on.

[Methlab]

Quote: Originally Posted by Eski33

The camera kills this game for me. Part of me thinks that the camera was implemented this way on purpose to hide AI flaws. I think this game has a place with football fans if we could actually see what is going on.

Are you serious? Football fans maybe, but football players no. You can NOT see what is going on all around you when you actually play football. It is a lot harder to execute plays when you are on the field. Football fans have never had the experience of realizing how hard it actually is to make reads and throws. It is not hiding AI flaws, it is showing you how hard it is to actually play football. You have no time and you have to be able to make quick decisions.

You can easily "see what is going on" the more you play. I love this though. I really do. A lot of people will not have the skills to play this game and it should mean higher competition online.

Linkboy = thanks!