Backbreaker Vengeance

SCORE: 60

Backbreaker Vengeance is the sequel to the Backbreaker football simulator/arcade title from developer Natural Motion. While gamers will recognize the presentation and gameplay similarities from the original Backbreaker, little remains from the original. Backbreaker Vengeance strips away almost all resemblance of a football game and slims down to little more than an obstacle course in football pads. The popular Tackle Alley mode from the original is the focus of Backbreaker Vengeance, which is available through Xbox Live as an arcade title.

For those not familiar with the original Backbreaker and/or Tackle Alley, it is a series of stages where you control the ball carrier as he runs towards the endzone. The goal is to make it to the endzone without running out of bounds or being tackled. The stages increase in difficulty as you progress through the game – proving more tacklers and smaller fields of play. The original Backbreaker spawned an iOS hit for mobile gaming. With the enthusiasm for Tackle Alley by football and arcade fans alike, Natural went back to the drawing board to bring us Backbreaker Vengeance.

The new twists include the increased difficulty, changes to the stages and the ability to now be the defender chasing the ball carrier. Football fans may be disappointed in the lack of actual football influence in the game. The lack of football influence and application is not necessarily a bad thing. The goal of the game is to rack up as many arcade points as possible and unlock the next stage (as both the runner and defender). There is a group of gamers that this style of gameplay will appeal too. And when they have mastered the offline mode, they can then take their game online to battle against their friends.

Online gaming was fun at times. But there was some lag time in the controls that became frustrating and lead me to going back offline. Since there are no teams to create and edit, you will have the opportunity to create your player from some provided uniforms and colors - nothing fancy or over the top, but enough for most. Other than that, just run, tackle and run some more. I can see this being a game for fathers and sons to use in competing with one another and spending time together – as with the original Backbreaker. Perhaps with the next sequel Natural Motion can provide a few more game modes and provide some additional football application to the game.
- Alan

Graphics: 66%
Sound: 54%
Replay/Extras: 58%
Gameplay: 55%
Family Friendly Factor: 68%
System: Xbox 360 (Live)
Publisher: 505 Games
Rating: 'E' for Everyone

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