Very Ambitious Game with lots of potential. Worth it's Money!!
Difficulty:
This game is not for your standard button masher or simple minded gamer. If you want to enjoy this game you have to factor in a lot of information. The Camera angle forces the user to see things from the players(football player) perspective. That means YOUR VISIBILITY WILL BE LIMITED. That is not a bad thing actually if you think about it. That forces you to analyze the defense or offense and make quick decisions. If you don't you will suffer with a high number of sacks or interceptions. Especially since the CPU Defense has great hands (they rarely drop the ball). If you enjoy a good challenge then this is for you. If you like a bird's eye view of the game then you will not enjoy this at all.
Controls:
The control scheme is a very different approach but once you get a good feel for the controls it works out quit well. For those who don't like the default view you can switch to the more traditional alternate button scheme/mapping.
Realism:
I've often questioned this category since you can't really ever compare a football video game to real football. In Madden you can destroy an AI opponent by 100 points and 500 yards per game on average. In this game the sacks and interceptions are more frequent than any other game so you will see 5 Ints and 10 sacks in one game. If you want a game that is realistic then you probably wont enjoy any football video game. Especially this one since there still a lot of work to be done in future releases. Otherwise if you accept the game as is and not compare it to real NFL football then chances are you will enjoy it.
Franchise Mode
Barebones Franchise mode. Definitely something they will have to build on in future releases. The game does have Franchise mode but it only has the basics and will not compare to Madden or NCAA Football. Aside from comparison the Backbreaker mode in the game does have a new spin on a multiple season mode and will keep your interest for at least a couple seasons.
Presentation
The games presentation is good during introductions and during the game. The Menu system is also smooth. The Statistics screens have limited functionality and do not allow you to easily sort through screens. This is something they will have to tweak in future releases once the demand for stats and football management become a priority for the franchise.
Also, the replay system, im sad to say is useless. You can't use free form nor can you call an instant reply via a button. You either have it reply every play or disable it and run it manually.
Graphics & Sound
In my opinion the graphics and the sound are incredible and one of the features i enjoy the most of this game. The crowd is loud and the sound effects make you feel like your in the game. Plus, there's no repetitive commentating during the game. In fact there is no commentating in the game at all. Just an announcer giving you play by play. Watch the videos.
Bugs
This game does have its fair number of flaws but that is to be expected from a company's first attempt at a complicated sport like football. The biggest ones tha affect most is the high frequency of ints and sacks. Doesn't seem to be any drop passes in the game. Ratio of drops to INTs is 1 to 10 but that is suggestive. If the publisher commits to patching the game over time i believe this will make the game more enjoyable.
Overall
Ambitious game but like most ambitious game it comes with its problems. The game is almost there. It's enjoyable and frustrating at the same time. Even without an NFL license the game can become enjoyable once you gain experience playing the game and become fluent with its mechanics and controls. I would highly recommend this game for football game enthusiasts and those who enjoy a challenge.