Think of your favorite sport. Now crank the speed up and add gratuitous violence.
Deathrow is a game based on the futuristic (2219 A.D.), fictional sport called Blitz. Blitz can be described as a combination of many sports, but it primarily resembles frisbee, basketball, and mixed martial arts (street fighting). You control a team of four, with the goal of throwing a frisbee like object through the opponents ring. Each game is divided into four rounds, and once a round starts it does not stop until the end of the round, regardless of injuries.
What I Like:
* The gameplay. The gameplay is incredible, to say the least. You can switch between your players, or just stick with one of them if you wish. You have five degrees from which you control the pace of your team, from "heavy offense" where your team will focus on scoring, to "heavy defense" where they hang back near your goal and protect. The sport itself is fun, but Deathrow ups the ante by injecting a heavy dose of violence. You can outright pummel your opponents, causing injuries and, if you're tough enough, knocking them out of the round completely. But beware, because the opponents hold grudges and some times they're tougher than your team. Different teams have different characteristics, and some will try to avoid fighting, and some will retaliate heavily. If you're playing an aggressive team, there will be times when the "game" will devolve into one large brawling match, while the disc is lying somewhere all but forgotten. Attacks include punching, kicking, special attacks depending on your character, and even charging up the disc and wailing it at someone (called a Death Throw). It's also easy to accidentally give one of your teammates a nice punch or kick when everyone is charging for the disc, at which they'll respond with "watch it you *%^*#$% idiot!" or something similar. You don't score goals for beatings, it's mostly a highly effective defensive strategy. But you do get extra $$ for putting on a good show, and if you manage to K.O. the whole opposing team during a round, you automatically win. However, if you focus too heavily on fighting, the opponent will take advantage and go to town on your goal.
* The graphics. The graphics are great. You can choose between a "sports view", which is an overhead view of a large area, or an up close and personal view. The close view is much more fun, especially when fighting, and the controls are also more responsive. There are several arenas you play in, and all have unique features and are well detailed. The players, even those on the same team, all have unique features and are also detailed well.
* The sound. The graphics are a futuristic techno type music, and overall it's pretty good and memorable. The voices are pretty well done. There is a LOT of profanity. Usually profanity overkill is a turn off for me, as it makes the game seem like it's trying to hard to be "edgy". However, in this game, considering the environment and the punishments that are being dished out to these players, extreme profanity actually seems appropriate. And some of the lines are funny, especially the ones your players aim at themselves when they're losing.
What I would change:
*The depth. The "conquest" mode, where you fight your way to the top of the leaderboard, is very fun. Unfortunately it's pretty short, as well. While you're playing, you obtain unlock points, which allow you to unlock new teams. Since the teams are unique, replayability is high. But I was disappointed that some of the best teams aren't available for you to play in conquest mode, only single matches. I also would have liked to have seen a franchise mode, where you can keep your team after you complete conquest mode. But once you're done, you're done.
The Opinion:
Deathrow is one of the most entertaining games I've played in a while. Even though the game lacks a lot of depth, the replayability and the ability to just pick up and play the game after a slight learning curve is high. The fighting rivals any beat em up game, and the sports aspect is fast moving and non-stop, with fast comebacks and great opportunities for teamwork. Even the AI plays with some sense, and doesn't leave you to fend for yourself. You can focus on whatever you enjoy, whether it's scoring, defending your teammates, or just pummeling on your opponents, and your teammates will pick up the slack. If you have an XBox, this game is a must to have in the collection.