Euphoria-based Backbreaker gameplay video is intriguing

by Justin McElroy { Apr 18th 2008 at 5:30PM }

It's far too early to pass any sort of judgment, but we're intrigued by this first gameplay video of the upcoming football game Backbreaker, which seems to be more focused on putting players into the shoes of the athletes than the godlike skycam view of most football titles. No, it has no license, but it does seem to be a different take on the genre, and really, isn't that just as important?

The tackles also look fairly realistic and with good reason: The game is powered by the euphoria engine, the same one used in The Force Unleashed and Grand Theft Auto IV. We're going to hear more about this game (slated for a vague 2008 release) in the coming weeks. As such, we just want to be the first to make this joke: Gridirons of War. ... We don't have a wider context for it, but when you see it start to pop up just remember who dropped that bon mot first.

Tags: backbreaker, euphoria, natural-motion

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Bluebrake @ Apr 18th 2008 5:35PM

That's awesome. And I can't stand football.

Good luck to them.

swmarc @ Apr 18th 2008 5:37PM

The shakey cam made me feel sick. Its ok in some games but not all the time in a sports game.

Tango Charlie @ Apr 18th 2008 5:38PM

That is some awesome animation.

Shame it's a football game.

Gbogdan @ Apr 18th 2008 6:01PM

Well it's a good thing this is being used in GTA4 huh?

ScallionN @ Apr 19th 2008 1:11AM

If it ends up being arcadey, or doesn't have a control scheme made for octopi like most football sims, I'll buy this in a heartbeat.

FemaleOrca @ Apr 18th 2008 5:45PM

I hate football games. But this is tickling my fancy. the shaky cam totally does it for me.

Godspeed to these devs. Sports games need a breath of fresh air.

Shignami @ Apr 18th 2008 5:46PM

Some of those tackles looked painful, kinda reminded me of eyeshield 21 for some odd reason.

Maybe a newer approach is needed to take the football game away from the EA fueled stereotype we all know and hate.

tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 18th 2008 5:47PM

It'll be awesome until EA buys them up

Kyattsuai @ Apr 18th 2008 6:00PM

I wonder how prevalent injuries will be - I'm hoping for "very"

mirage @ Apr 18th 2008 6:04PM

As someone who has been playing football games since the Atari 2600, this looks like possibly the biggest evolutionary step since they went 3D on the PS1. I can only hope that the actual game is quality!

Mr Khan @ Apr 18th 2008 6:17PM

Agree: This could be fodder for Sports Game of the Year if they get the rest of the elements together, a new perspective on the somewhat stagnant football genre

D_Average @ Apr 18th 2008 6:18PM

That looks awesome! By the way, why does everyone "hate" football so much?

Carrie @ Apr 18th 2008 7:25PM

Cause this is Joystiq, a blog (on the internet) about games (video games) and not sports (did you play football in high school?). Most gamers I know hate sports in general.

D_Average @ Apr 18th 2008 8:53PM

Eh, screw the stereotypes, I take the best of both worlds.

theturtle363 @ Apr 18th 2008 6:22PM

Wow, i hate football games and i cant wait to try this

Varone @ Apr 18th 2008 8:03PM

If I recall correctly, the same MGS4 article in EDGE mentioned above this post says that the game uses the Euphoria AI too. I don't think there is a game out that uses this yet, so I'm quite looking forward to seeing what it's capable of producing.

Automag @ Apr 18th 2008 10:12PM

I don't normally like football games, but this I like. I think this might be the kind of game that makes people football fans.

Schmobu @ Apr 19th 2008 2:07AM

I've been waiting 5 years for someone, to replace animations, with simulated AI physics, based movement, I'm glad it's shaping up the way it is, Next Gen Tech for sure.

Schmobu @ Apr 19th 2008 2:12AM

Oh Yeah American football sucks play a real sport, rugby, is way better and soccer is even better than that.

lfs @ Apr 19th 2008 2:19AM

That looks amazing! Developers, see what happens when you try something new?!?! This LOOKS like a next gen game finally. Even love the rendering style.

Of yea,, but it is football, american football at that, but I guess this seems like the perfect sport for the euphoria engine

greatslack @ Apr 19th 2008 3:03AM

"HUHN!"...CRUNCH

..I really hope they work on the sound effects before release.

spence @ Apr 19th 2008 10:03AM

They'd have to change the title.

commen-cents @ Apr 19th 2008 12:38PM

its amazing to see a game where they take into consideration real mechanics of football like pursuit angles... it was incredible to see some of the pursuers just run by because their angles were off which happens quite a bit in real life.

Odog4ever @ Apr 20th 2008 8:58AM

I don't hate football (played football in high school) but I never got into any of the video game versions of the sport.

This might tip the scales for me, just like "skate." was the first skateboarding game I ever purchased. Hope the game play shapes up.

Hopefully the next trailer adds some more realism like stiff-arms or maybe dragging defenders who don't wrap up... Man, I hope they don't fuck this up!