Violent ground-acquisition games get a kick in the pants with the delightfully named Backbreaker.
Here, the cutting-edge Euphoria physics engine ensures all movements in the game are rendered in real-time, which means that no two in-game tackles or dislocated knees will appear the same. Euphoria technology has seen action in Grand Theft Auto IV, where the protagonist Niko has rocketed through many a windshield and then skidded, rolled, or bounced off the concrete, and will also be seen in the Stormtrooper-tossing simulation Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
Backbreaker, for now, rides on the strength of its gimmick. But it's an admittedly good gimmick: recently released trailer, showed a lone runner dashing upfield past a horde of enemy defenders. It remains to be seen, too, if Backbreaker will live up to its name in terms of injuries. But it's hoped the game will include them — as well as these five football staples:
- Some kind of draft mode.
- Online play -with the inclusion of Tackle Alley playable as either the rusher or one of the defenders.
- A disabled list to add emphasis to the game's realistic tackles.
- Real-world teams. Even if it has to be Canadian Football League (CFL) teams.
- Create a character mode.
