Backbreaker News Post

Early Backbreaker Impressions (Pastapadre)

10:15 PM - May 28, 2010 by Steve_OS

Pastapadre has posted his early impressions of Backbreaker.

Quote:


	"All games have been played on Pro-Hard (the highest difficulty). Needless to say I�m not sure anyone will lose to the CPU even on the toughest setting. I don�t consider myself good at this game yet, I�d maybe say I�m decent, but if I played the CPU 100 times I�m confident I would beat them 100 times. The ineptness on offense even from the best offensive squads is startling. Being able to stretch out the quarters did seem to help as the CPU does not make mistakes at quite the same rate. The way the CPU threw INTs in the demo would have meant 10+ INTs in a game with five minute quarters. So far I�m seeing an average of about five INTs by the CPU per game with five minute quarters. The INTs were my biggest concern going in but along with that has been the inability of the CPU to move the ball on offense and put points on the board. The first full game I played was with a mediocre Seattle defense up against one of the best teams in the game New England. You can look at the stats below. Given it was my first time through I wouldn�t expect to be able to beat a good team on the hardest difficulty but I did so with ease. New England has one of the better offenses and threw seven picks. They got one big pass play when an AI controlled DB played a throw poorly and they took it the distance."

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

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Member Comments

# 1 mgoblue678 @ 05/28/10 10:18 PM

Well, that doesn't sound good at all. So much for holding out hope that the CPU might provide at least a decent challenge at times.

I wonder how many games he has played though.

The running stats for the Cpu are especially telling. 45 yards in two games from the two best offenses in the game is very alarming. At least the Philadelphia team put up a decent amount of yards, but it doesn't matter if the CPU makes dumb mistakes to kill drives.

I just wonder how the devs thought the CPU was good enough when testing it if that is the case.

My excitement for the game has been completely killed.

# 2 canes21 @ 05/28/10 10:22 PM

I must have a different copy of the game because in my demo the CPU can move the ball effectively a lot of the times and will stop me a lot on offense. Either I am just terrible or something. I just lost to Pittsburgh with Oakland 21-0 in the demo.

# 3 roadman @ 05/28/10 10:26 PM

7 int's?

That's in the Favre neighborhood. Wow!!!!!!!!!

# 4 mgoblue678 @ 05/28/10 10:39 PM

Not to mention the whole limiting the player to certain quarter lengths. Great, so now I would stuck playing 5 minutes quarters which are too short for me or 10 minute quarters which are too long for me. What are they thinking with this decision?

I don't understand their reasoning with some of the decisions they made. How can a game with customization as one of the things they are pushing, not only take away the user's ability to edit player ratings and then on top of that pigeon hole you into certain quarter lengths.

The quarter thing may be the final straw for me, on top of everything else, now I would be stuck playing limited quarter lengths that I don't even like.

# 5 allBthere @ 05/28/10 10:45 PM

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.

# 6 roadman @ 05/28/10 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgoblue678


	Not to mention the whole limiting the player to certain quarter lengths. Great, so now I would stuck playing 5 minutes quarters which are too short for me or 10 minute quarters which are too long for me. What are they thinking with this decision? I don't understand their reasoning with some of the decisions they made.

I don't either.

I fell in love with the game right away with the demo, but I started to notice how weak the offensive A.I. is and the clock management. I'm strictly an offline franchise person and the more I hear about, the more this game isn't for me, I'm afraid.

It's like peeling an onion, you don't know what you are getting until you start peeling off the layers.

Sounds like a great two player and online game. I wish people well with it.

He definitely is pro-EA, but he is correct about the games shortcomings. I don't think he brought up the camera once.

# 7 RaginCajun @ 05/28/10 10:52 PM

I thought the devs confirmed that the full version had full replay functionality? Guess we were lied too??

# 8 mgoblue678 @ 05/28/10 10:58 PM

I just wonder when you claim to have a game built on customization how can you not allowing editing of player ratings, have no create a player and not allow the user to pick their own quarter length? Don't claim "great customization" if that is the case. A fantastic logo editing and uniform editor by themselves do not equal "great customization."

The devs dropped the ball on what could have been an incredible game IMO.

# 9 TreyIM2 @ 05/28/10 10:59 PM

Yea, yea. I hear about Pasta's EA fanboyism all the time but some people just need to come off it. Many people complained of similar things in the demo and now that Pasta has the full game, it seems that it's virtually no different. I don't think it's fanboyism, at all. Sounds like what's in the demo is in the game which is disheartening because I was trying to give this game a smidge of hope and I have yet to try the demo since Sony is taking it's sweet time releasing the thing on PSN.

I wonder what people will say if the reviews, across the board, don't sound to great about this game? Will there EA fanboyism claims them? How about reversing that thought in regards to those who just want this game to be the greatest thing since sliced bread since there are so many EA and/or Madden haters out there? People need to learn to be more objective....and I "be needin'" to get my hands on SOME TYPE OF BACKBREAKER GAME PLAY so I can get my own "objectivism" on.

# 10 Anaxamander @ 05/28/10 11:12 PM

Come on guys. Even if pasta is an EA fan (and he is), it doesn't make what he's saying about Backbreaker false. He's not sitting there making this stuff up--he posted stat screens for crying out loud. I want to like this game as much as anyone on this board, but it should be clear by now that it has major issues. The sooner we all admit that, the better chance we have that a patch corrects some of this stuff.

# 11 mgoblue678 @ 05/28/10 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaxamander


	Come on guys. Even if pasta is an EA fan (and he is), it doesn't make what he's saying about Backbreaker false. He's not sitting there making this stuff up--he posted stat screens for crying out loud. I want to like this game as much as anyone on this board, but it should be clear by now that it has major issues. The sooner we all admit that, the better chance we have that a patch corrects some of this stuff.

Agreed. I am still ticked about limiting the quarter choices, I have no idea why they would do that. I like to play 7 to 8 minute quarters normally in other games.

# 12 RaginCajun @ 05/28/10 11:18 PM

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.

Re-tooling the AI and penalties seems like a major undertaking IMO.

# 13 allBthere @ 05/28/10 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaxamander


	Come on guys. Even if pasta is an EA fan (and he is), it doesn't make what he's saying about Backbreaker false. He's not sitting there making this stuff up--he posted stat screens for crying out loud. I want to like this game as much as anyone on this board, but it should be clear by now that it has major issues. The sooner we all admit that, the better chance we have that a patch corrects some of this stuff.

you don't get it. I know about those issues, I have brought them up myself and acknowledge them. I'm talking about his TONE and STYLE towards anything non-EA with VERY few exceptions.

If you want to know who he caters to, read the majority of the comments lol.

i had to check it out after seeing these responses on OS. "I can't believe anyone was dumb enough to think this game would be good" or somethign to that nature. - That is who he writes for. The language used compared to the language used for EA products is very different. He'll slam a game like backbreaker, then turn around and say things like " i dunno guys I'm really having a great time with NBA live this year" (during the abysmal years)

He writes with a clear agenda imo and it's just so damn pathetic to me.

IF backbreaker was more or less perfect ( it isn't ) reading his "review" would be mentally hilarious.

Anyway, I'm done with this - I"m more than willing to discuss the problems and successes of BB in other threads, but simply refuse to waste more time talking about PP/

# 14 Blzer @ 05/28/10 11:24 PM

WTF! I would have liked to play 7 or 8 minute quarters, not choose between 5 or 10.

The more I hear about this game, the more I see that they don't really have much outside of the physics and customization, as much as I'm looking forward to both of those. Not everything in this game can be patched, and this is yet again another thing that probably won't.

# 15 mgoblue678 @ 05/28/10 11:32 PM

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.

# 16 gr18 @ 05/28/10 11:39 PM

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.

# 17 Buckeyes_Doc @ 05/28/10 11:51 PM

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.

# 18 Hooe @ 05/28/10 11:52 PM

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.

# 19 CreatineKasey @ 05/28/10 11:56 PM

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.

# 20 roadman @ 05/28/10 11:57 PM

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.

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