Backbreaker

 Xbox 360
Backbreaker Image
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 69 Ratings

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  • Summary: It's tackle football like never before. Backbreaker is taking sports video games to a place where the action is never the same and every hit looks and feels as realistic as a Sunday afternoon. Utilizing NaturalMotion's euphoria motion synthesis engine, the same technology featured in "GrandIt's tackle football like never before. Backbreaker is taking sports video games to a place where the action is never the same and every hit looks and feels as realistic as a Sunday afternoon. Utilizing NaturalMotion's euphoria motion synthesis engine, the same technology featured in "Grand Theft Auto IV" and "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed," you'll never see the same tackle again. For the first time in a sports game, this mix of technology, biology and tenacious attitude is turning the gridiron of past, full of canned animations and repetitious gameplay, into a dangerous form of self expression. Every unique tackle in the world of Backbreaker is an artistic exercise in hard hits and athletic skill. It's time to show your friends just how painful art can be. Through a combination of biology and robotics research, euphoria uses the CPU power of next-generation consoles to simulate the nervous system, muscles, and biomechanics of the football players in real-time. This is the first time this technology is being employed for a sports game. While conventional football games can only load a finite number of animations from a disc, Backbreaker's real-time technology will never allow the gameplay to become stale. Forget about prim and proper, Backbreaker presents a fast-paced, gritty gameplay experience that's more Burnout than Madden. [NaturalMotion]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 29
  3. Negative: 7 out of 29
  1. GamingXP
    87
    Backbreaker can‘t reach the likes of the Madden series because of the missing licenses and some minor gameplay glitches. Newcomers and fans alike may take a look or two.
  2. GameFocus
    70
    Backbreaker brings the fun first and opens up a door for the future. For a freshman effort, the final result isn’t perfect but it’s far from being boring. And please, don’t get this game with the intention of skipping Madden. This isn’t a Madden killer…at least, not yet.
  3. Gamervision
    63
    Backbreaker is an attempt to simulate real professional football from the player's perspective, but due to its lack of balance, constant turnovers, and brain dead AI, it feels more like a game of junior high school ball.
  4. Everyeye.it
    57
    Even if it has a great number of interesting game modes, Backbreaker simply does not work. The gameplay has some interesting ideas, but most of them are not appropriately used, while the graphical engine is barely sufficient.
  5. Official Xbox Magazine
    55
    The Tackle Alley mini-game is fun. [Aug 2010, p.77]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. IGN
    50
    As it stands, this game feels more like a beefy Xbox Live Arcade or PlayStation Network release searching for its identity than something that belongs on retail store shelves.
  7. Game Revolution
    33
    But among the worst of it all is the lack of presentation. Nearly every football player looks the same. Their uniforms look like they're made from plastic. Referees have been transformed into Jumbotron cut-scenes. There are no coaches or players on the sidelines. And the crowds are comprised of the same four people copied a million times over.

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 27
  3. Negative: 2 out of 27
  1. Hobsie
    Jun 7, 2010
    10
    The Graphics are far better than Madden, the game play is far more exciting than Madden, the entire feel of the game is far better than The Graphics are far better than Madden, the game play is far more exciting than Madden, the entire feel of the game is far better than Madden. As long as you can look past the lack of licensing (which just isn't that important for me) then this is the best Football game on the market as far as I'm concerned. And yes, I am sick fed up of being drip fed a 'new' Madden each year. This game is is such a breath of fresh air!… Expand
  2. MattG
    Jun 2, 2010
    10
    Great game, just needs playing for a bit.
  4. WalterR
    Jun 1, 2010
    10
    This game is AWESOME! Awesome tackles, simple controls and a camera that puts you down in the trenches. Football has changed forever!
  5. AaronW.
    Jun 4, 2010
    10
    Great all-around game from a company putting out its first product. Sure, it has its flaws like every game, but its definitely worth 45 bucks Great all-around game from a company putting out its first product. Sure, it has its flaws like every game, but its definitely worth 45 bucks and its the best sports game I've played since NFL 2k5. A+.… Expand
  6. RobbyG
    Jun 9, 2010
    9
    Backbreaker is the most fun I've had with a Football game since NFL 2K5. The animation engine is the smoothest (and probably most Backbreaker is the most fun I've had with a Football game since NFL 2K5. The animation engine is the smoothest (and probably most expensive) out there, everything is real-time, everything is just great. Although I agree there are a few bugs, just like any game, and the season mode is shallow, this game is a must buy for the price.… Expand
  7. MatP
    Jun 8, 2010
    8
    At its core, its an extremely solid game of football, at times it reminds me a lot of the fun I had playing NFL 2k5. Gameplay wise I'd At its core, its an extremely solid game of football, at times it reminds me a lot of the fun I had playing NFL 2k5. Gameplay wise I'd definitely say this game has it over Madden 10 which suffers from ridiculously broken tackling and ball trajectories that warp to the nearest player with the highest stats as opposed to, you know, obeying the laws of physics. Gamebreaker however does lack all the ancillaries that hardened fans crave. Essentially you have to weigh gameplay against licensed teams, deep team management and all the little touches that make Madden a more palatable experience (injuries, fatigue, stadium crowds, sideline action, commentary, subtle differences between players, etc). If you can find it on the cheap, its well worth a look. Otherwise I hope its a successful proof of concept that sells the Euphoria engine to Tiburon, and we'll see it included in Madden 12.… Expand
  8. TomY
    Jun 3, 2010
    2
    "Looks pretty" is not enough to make a football game worth buying.

See all 27 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010