First people raged at Deadly premonitions low scores. After that came Alpha Protocol and now Backbreaker. Both the Gamespot forum and the IGN comments is full of people calling the reviewers Madden fanboys. 
Seems to be a lot of people disagreeing with reviewers this year.

I haven't played Backbreaker so I couldn't offer an opinion other then people are idiots and they will never seem to learn that a game review is exactly that: an opinion of someone who played the game.

I've not played either, but if you were making an American football game, and you had the option of either fancy tackles, or the licenses, I imagine the latter brings alot more to the table.
 
I know the games probably have more differents but they're the main things for both I'd say.
And are there many football games out there? I imagine Madden is the one you look to compare it to.

Dude people always hate reviewers, that is nothing new, your just paying closer attention than before.  And my two cents on Backbreaker, I really don't give a shit about Football (and I'm a redblooded American) but the action looks pretty cool in Backbreaker, it looks like a game and not a sim, thus I put it on my Gamefly.

I dont really dig the game, its ai is broken and online play is pretty much the same 3 plays that work most often

But the thing is that the IGN and Gamespot reviews for this game are crap. They make ridiculous complaints like: I throw too many interceptions or "Quarterbacks are horrifically inaccurate". Ok, that's because you suck at the game. Unlike in Madden, if you throw into coverage, you will get picked off. Sorry, no ball bouncing off player's hands here! People (like myself) are mad because they give Madden such high scores year in and year out and than slam BackBreaker. Makes zero sense.  
 
Look at metacritic: this game has a 54, yet the user score is a 79. The reviews where just way too low for this game. 
 
I also love how the IGN review says that the running game is the most authentic part of the gameplay while the Gamespot review blasts the running game for being the worst part of the gameplay. I know I am suppose to just let this all go and say:   "well it's just their opinion!" but the thing is these people are suppose to be "professional" reviewers.  Unfortunately consumers go to sites like Gamespot to look for guidance on what to buy. When they publish shit like the backbreaker review users have the right to be mad.

People that bought the game are going to say its good. That's why the user review score is always higher than the real one.

It looks awesome. It seems to toe the line between arcade and sim perfectly. For me, at least. 
 
Hopefully I can rent it and try a few games with friends. If all is well I'm sure I'll purchase it. 

Deadly Premonition and Alpha Protocol are both shitastic games. I'm sure backbreaker is too...

" @DanielJW: So you haven't played it? I thought the same thing until I tried it and, yeah the animations are great, but the rest is just sorta meh.  
@ManMadeGod: Playing against the A.I. on Pro is not the way you're supposed to play Madden. "

" People that bought the game are going to say its good. That's why the user review score is always higher than the real one. "

" @ManMadeGod: Bomberman is Broken. Sonic is broken. The A.I. in Backbreaker is broken. Madden, while not flawless, is not broken and saying it is, is just plain stupid. "

this game sucks and it confuses me to no end that people are giving it a pass. 
  
the camera angle is horrible. it's very nearly nauseating and it's not even a brand new idea.  NCAA Football 08 and Madden 2005 are the last two football games i bought (both for $20 or less each...so long after their original release) and NCAA has a comparable camera angle in its Campus Legend mode.  difference is you're not expected to control an entire team with it, just one player. 
 
as evidenced by my football library, i'm not a madden fanboy by any means.  i think the last time i played it was when i downloaded the 08 or 09 demo and deleted it after playing it for 10 minutes. 
 
it's simply a busted-ass game with an irritating soundtrack and a really unclear purpose.  it's not arcade-y or easy enough to be the new blitz and it definitely can't compete as a deep, realistic sim.  the playbook is simple and the controls don't seem robust enough. 
 
the lack of an NFL license has nothing to do with if i think this game is any good.
 
i can't imagine anybody will be playing this for more than 10 minutes at a time 3 months from now.  it's such a shallow game.  if it was on XBLA and priced accordingly, maybe it wouldn't be so offensive. 
 
it seems like people are just quick to defend it as the anti-madden when it's not even that.  it's just a bad football game.

" People that bought the game are going to say its good. That's why the user review score is always higher than the real one. "

" I've not played either, but if you were making an American football game, and you had the option of either fancy tackles, or the licenses, I imagine the latter brings alot more to the table.  I know the games probably have more differents but they're the main things for both I'd say. And are there many football games out there? I imagine Madden is the one you look to compare it to. "

" @Ineedaname said:

" I've not played either, but if you were making an American football game, and you had the option of either fancy tackles, or the licenses, I imagine the latter brings alot more to the table.  I know the games probably have more differents but they're the main things for both I'd say. And are there many football games out there? I imagine Madden is the one you look to compare it to. "

I would disagree. Since Backbreaker has a team customization it's almost like you can have the best of both worlds as long as you are willing to put a little effort into it. But the editor is really the thing that you would compare to the licence in that fight. 
@DevWil: You're going to call a game with the customization of Backbreaker "Shallow"? "

" @AgentJ said:

" @Ineedaname said:

" I've not played either, but if you were making an American football game, and you had the option of either fancy tackles, or the licenses, I imagine the latter brings alot more to the table.  I know the games probably have more differents but they're the main things for both I'd say. And are there many football games out there? I imagine Madden is the one you look to compare it to. "

I would disagree. Since Backbreaker has a team customization it's almost like you can have the best of both worlds as long as you are willing to put a little effort into it. But the editor is really the thing that you would compare to the licence in that fight. 
@DevWil: You're going to call a game with the customization of Backbreaker "Shallow"? "

But it's how many of the audience that buy madden are willing to put that effort in? "

" First people raged at Deadly premonitions low scores. After that came Alpha Protocol and now Backbreaker. Both the Gamespot forum and the IGN comments is full of people calling the reviewers Madden fanboys.  Seems to be a lot of people disagreeing with reviewers this year. "

" @Ineedaname said:

" @AgentJ said:

" @Ineedaname said:

" I've not played either, but if you were making an American football game, and you had the option of either fancy tackles, or the licenses, I imagine the latter brings alot more to the table.  I know the games probably have more differents but they're the main things for both I'd say. And are there many football games out there? I imagine Madden is the one you look to compare it to. "

I would disagree. Since Backbreaker has a team customization it's almost like you can have the best of both worlds as long as you are willing to put a little effort into it. But the editor is really the thing that you would compare to the licence in that fight. 
@DevWil: You're going to call a game with the customization of Backbreaker "Shallow"? "

But it's how many of the audience that buy madden are willing to put that effort in? "

It's for those people that Backbreaker exists.  "

It's one of these threads again...

I guess that explains why Jeff and Ryan like it. 

" @AgentJ said:

" @Ineedaname said:

" @AgentJ said:

" @Ineedaname said:

" I've not played either, but if you were making an American football game, and you had the option of either fancy tackles, or the licenses, I imagine the latter brings alot more to the table.  I know the games probably have more differents but they're the main things for both I'd say. And are there many football games out there? I imagine Madden is the one you look to compare it to. "

I would disagree. Since Backbreaker has a team customization it's almost like you can have the best of both worlds as long as you are willing to put a little effort into it. But the editor is really the thing that you would compare to the licence in that fight. 
@DevWil: You're going to call a game with the customization of Backbreaker "Shallow"? "

But it's how many of the audience that buy madden are willing to put that effort in? "

It's for those people that Backbreaker exists.  "

Nothing to do with them having the tech and being unable to get the license so having to go a different route? "

" @AgentJ:  what's team customization got to do with gameplay?  oh, nothing.  it's a bad game that doesn't fit into the current market.  there's tecmo bowl throwback and blitz the league for casual football fans (unless blitz is more complicated than i'm assuming) and the EA sports games for people who want a deep, sim-like game.  backbreaker doesn't do either well and it's not like it provides an interesting middle ground. "

I love NFL 2k5, and i have hated every Madden....except Madden 10. I thought Madden 10 was fantastic. The running game worked, the AI was good. My friends who didnt have an xbox could pick it up and play and have a good time. Backbreaker is ok. I enjoy it, i think it has potential but honestly without real teams or a fun backstory its a wash. Blitz atleast creates its own universe in a really fun way.

 
Every sports game is basically broken on some level. No videogame captures the nuance of the sports. Football is a nuanced game and it's hard to recreate. I enjoy sports games for what they are, competition and fantasy. (useless sidenote- love NBA street. captures the fluidity and creativity of basketball in a way sim games cant. Sim hoops games always feel to rigid to me)