505 Games

We’ve seen a lot of diverse locations for video games ranging from jungles, space, war torn cities and medieval forests. But for some reason we haven't seen a lot of game set around water, more specifically the murky depths of the sea. Aside from BioShock and the upcoming XBLA/PSN game Hydrophobia (which is awesome btw), video games really haven’t really explored taking the action to the sea.  But now we have a new deep sea action game with the just announced Deep Black.

After being a niche sport that was looked down upon as nothing more than brutal violence, mixed martial arts has finally hit the mainstream.  Thanks to the UFC the sport of MMA is now recognized as an actual legit sport that is far from the days where it was looked at as human cockfighting.  Of course with any popular sport that means the video games are going to roll in.  Last year THQ started things with the release of UFC Undisputed 2009 and last month the sequel was released.

It’s pretty obvious that I have some major issues spanning various parts of my personality. One such issue I have is that I can’t contain myself from breaking out in uproarious laughter upon seeing over-the-top or simply twisted violence. An easy example of this character flaw of mine is Naughty Bear.  Ever since it was announced the game has infected me with its silly yet brutal humor that while not high brow, still tickles my funny bone. Or maybe it tickles that part of my brain that’s responsible for violent tendencies.  Guess at this point I should be worried a bit.

On Friday Xbox Live Gold subscribers were lucky enough to enjoy the football offerings of Backbreaker thanks to a demo.  Those left in the dust for the time being (XBL Silver and PSN peeps) can spend their time watching this new Backbreaker video.

Focusing on the defensive side of the game, players can get a glimpse at how they’ll become a badass player in the vein of Reggie White. Just like the rest of Backbreaker’s core gameplay things are kept relatively simple. Check out the full range of defensive abilities offered in Backbreaker in the video below.

If you were on the fence about Backbreaker then you’re in luck as a demo is now available on Xbox Live.  Currently available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, the demo allows pigskin enthusiasts to play as six teams in the San Francisco stadium. The demo also allows users to get acclimated with things a bit as a training mode is also available. If that wasn't enough there's also the Tackle Alley mini-game where you can put your tackling skills to the test.  

A thing about Naughty Bear’s eyes is that they’re lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes.  When Naughty Bear comes at you he doesn’t seem to be living until he bites you. Once that happens you hear nothing but screaming, the sound of stuffing coming apart and eventually there’s nothing left but pieces of Naughty Bear’s prey.

This latest installment of Naughty Bear’s Naughty Nightmare trailers shows that there are no borders to Naughty Bear’s rage.  If you’re on the ground Naughty Bear will get you and if you think you’re safe at sea then think again.

Oh what’s this, a Naughty Bear video that doesn’t feature a horrific kill of some sort? Wow, at this point after seeing the various forms of Naughty Bear’s rage it’s somewhat strange to see an actual developer video.  But even without neck snapping or shotguns to the face, this video for Naughty Bear still manages to be entertaining.

Naughty Bear developers David Osborne and Ashley Pannell sit down to give us a brief overview on the history of the game. Things such as how the name came to be and the influences for the game are revealed in this short video.

This latest trailer for 505 Games’ Backbreaker gives us a much needed look at the most important thing in football: the running game.  With a behind-the-shoulder camera and Euphoria based animation and physics, the running game is unlike anything we’ve played before. 

Important moves like juking or doing a quick spin are easy to pull off in Backbreaker thanks to being mapped to the right analog stick. And thanks to the Euphoria implementation, your momentum is accurately depicted with each hurdle or dive you perform.

When it comes to sports I’m more of a fan of European football compared to American football.  The same goes with my sports video games as well.  But what the development team at Natural Motion is cooking up with their football game Backbreaker has caught my interest. With things like the Euphoria animation system, a unique 3rd person camera and an aesthetic different from Madden, Backbreaker is shaping up to be a football game that could make a stable base for itself in this Madden filled world.

Most of the time it’s rare for game trailers to top one another and consistently be entertaining. Surprisingly the trailers for Naughty Bear keep getting better and better, which can be attributed to the brutal violence that’s usually showcased.

At this point I think a slow clap is in order for 505 Games and the developers of Naughty Bear.  If you aren’t an avid watcher of movies from the 1980s/90s then the slow clap is reserved for awesome moments, most notably when the underdog is successful.  I wouldn’t say that Naughty Bear has completely been an underdog but it’s a new IP and we know how those usually fare this generation.

For awhile I thought Naughty Bear would be a niche game.  The whole “bear brutally killing other bears” premise isn’t exactly the mainstream friendly fair we’re used to seeing.  But it looks like Naughty Bear is finally catching on since the game has an EBGames/Gamestop pre-order bonus.