Backbreaker Demo Intriguing, But Flawed

For years 505 Games’ Backbreaker has been a buzz in the football gaming community, as it touted itself as the first truly physics-based gridiron experience. But will it live up to expectations? Earlier today the first demo for Backbreaker was released to the public, and there’s quite a lot we’ve learned about the upstart football game franchise.

Does the physics-based animation system really work?

A big concern early on among savvy gamers was that a physics-based football game would turn into just another ragdoll tech demo, and not provide any real immersion into the underbelly of professional football. However, if the demo plays anything like the full product, it’s safe to say that the game truly does deliver on its promise of physics integration.

Players collide, stretch and tussle about in a hyper-realistic manner. Positioning is critical to making plays, and often times you’ll find yourself running in directions to set up unwary defenders for your next move, or planning the route you’ll take to crush a running back poised to get around the edge. It’s not just your opponents you react with either — you can even find yourself getting knocked over by teammates, or impeding on one another’s interception attempts.

Perhaps most impressive is the collision detection system, which allows players to graze by the play without being locked into an all-familiar animation.

Backbreaker? More Like Blindside!

Unfortunately, following the action is one of the big shortcomings when it comes to Backbreaker. The camera system is supposed to of been designed to help players feel immersed in the action, however it’s a very Jekyll & Hyde-like relationship with the player. There are moments where you truly do appreciate the close-up tunnel vision that brings with it a level of unknowingness and sense of accomplishment with every successful juke, and then there are other times where you just feel lost in the action or hindered in your movements.

Unfortunately, at least from the playtest, the camera seems to invoke more of a sense of confusion than it does wonder. Often times, you’ll find yourself blindsided for no other reason than a lack of total control over your player. For a game that is so strongly based on positioning, it doesn’t quite give you the control over the player that its own system necessitates. This is especially noticeable when you try to position yourself for a big hit on a receiver hauling in a pass, only to see your player automatically extend his arms for a failed interception as your opponent takes off past you untouched.

Don’t get us wrong, the importance of punishing players for a failed interception is something that has been lost in mainstream games like Madden in recent years, and really is needed to accurately represent not only football, but the laws of physics as well. The problem stems from events like these occurring without your approval, and sub-sequentially burning you for what was supposed to be the safe decision of wrapping up the receiver.

When a pass is picked off though — and that was your intent — it can be a thrilling experience. This is especially so when you get a jump on a play that you can see unfolding, and you speed in the way of the pass in that oh-so-tricky tunnel vision to snag the ball out of the air without even seeing that it was ever actually thrown. In this way, it really does reward great instincts, and is one of the more entertaining experiences in sports games you’re likely to have in 2010.

Houston, We Have a Problem!

Behind the intriguing style and evolutionary push that Backbreaker vies for, lies a game that simply misses on a few critical areas. An early concern among critics following the development of Backbreaker, was that the game we would get wouldn’t be a game at all, but rather a glorified tech demo as a pitch to EA’s Madden NFL franchise. While I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing, it should be noted that it does feel that is the case.

There are simple errors to be found in Backbreaker that one might expect from a novice football game publisher, especially one that is so focused on showcasing its shiny new engine. First, players can stop the clock at will just by going offsides — an issue we’re sure will be corrected, but is an important balancing factor of any game that is naturally competitive. The second issue is the ease in which players are able to block kicks, and to a lesser extent, punts as well; simply rushing one extra defender between your defensive tackles is often times enough to disrupt the play entirely. The game’s A.I., it seems, isn’t quite as advanced as the body it possess.

Then there are less important, but other awkward aspects of the game: Players are treated to an invigorating kickoff to the tune of Backbreaker’s theme music, and it really serves to pump you up. Unfortunately, the very second the play is over, the music drops suddenly and you’re left with an underwhelming climax of imaginary crickets and game chatter. It’s only because of how contradicting this is to their original intent, that this is even worth mentioning.

The biggest problem however has more to do with an assumption, than it does any kind of reputable discovery. For Backbreaker to be truly fun, it has to be played with friends, and it has to succeed in the online arena to best accomplish that goal. But how will the jerky-camera and sometimes unresponsiveness controls feel across the internet where lag plays a factor? As an experienced online gamer, I think I can speak for many people when I say I question just how well such an erratic movement and camera system will be embodied across mediums like Xbox Live, or the Playstation Network.

So we’ve played it… but would we buy it?

A demo is only a demo, and that’s what everyone has to remember. In this case, however, Backbreaker has been marketed so heavily on its physics-based engine that once you experience it — in any limited fashion — you’ve got a pretty solid grasp on whether or not you will fork out the extra crash for a second football game this season.

While the physics integration is very well done, it simply falls short in a few areas as an actual game, but oddly enough I found myself coming out of this play test with more interest in Backbreaker than I initially had. It really can be a fun game, but for those seeking a competitive game to grow into, I don’t think this will be the title. Make no mistake — this is not NFL Blitz, this is a legitimate attempt at a football simulation, but the goals of the Backbreaker development team aren’t to recreate professional football and all its strategic merit, but to allow players to jump in quickly and have a simple but engaging experience.

There’s usually a place in every gamer’s shelf for just such a game, but we don’t expect it to take the spotlight away from the Madden franchise anytime soon. What do you think?

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