Last year 505 Games and NaturalMotion released Backbreak, there first installment into the football genre. Though football is not new to consoles, the point was to stand out by having natural looking, real hits. Instead of canned animation, that you’ve seen a million times, in many games; NaturalMotion’s engine “euphoria” calculates 3D animation and collision on the go. Making each hit look real, hard, and unique to only that hit.

Backbreaker: Vengeance is an XBLA off spin from this retail game; meant to draw in even the most anti-football fan. One of the mini-games is called “tackle alley”; where you, the ball carrier, must run a course of defenders, in order to reach the in-zone. Tackle alley adds style and pain to this mini game with hard, back breaking hits and style points for how you get to the end. Using your right analog stick you will juke, jump and even slide, both over and under hurdles or defenders, on your path for the goal. Depending on what moves you make, you earn more and more points; there are also point pick ups on the board ranging from the 500 marker and up; depending on where they are located on the board. Showboating is allowed, encouraged and rewarded, but should be used with descretion as the “euphoria” engine is always at work.

With a release scheduled for later this summer, this is one XBLA title that we will be keeping our eyes on.

Footage of gameplay in motion, this is one of the later levels where you are given a path that you must run inside of.

Source: Destructoid