Blitz: The League

By Daniel Needham

For every other iteration in the long running Blitz series there has been the ‘NFL’ tag firmly placed at the beginning of the title. Well, not this year, thanks to certain contractual dealings by Electronic Arts with the NFL and their Players Association that gives EA Sports the sole possession of all things NFL. Most gamers were horrified by this news, which left most wondering if gamers would ever see a rival franchise step up to the plate. But fear not gamers, because Midway has risen to the challenge with Blitz: The League, which takes the tried and true method of delivering over-the-top football action, but this time with a very interesting twist.

As many know, the lives of NFL players are extravagant to say the least. They play hard and party harder. In this year’s Blitz offering, gamers will get the chance to experience the life of an owner and a professional football team completely devoid of any kind of official licensing or real player names, which can lead to some interesting situations.

The real twist to this year’s game isn’t in the gameplay, but Blitz: The League has an all new campaign mode, which is a story driven football experience the likes of which have never been achieved, thanks to the restrictions of the NFL license. The player assumes the owner role of a team that has been down on their luck lately, coming off yet another losing season. It’s time for a change and you’ll be the one pulling the strings to lead the team out of the cellar.

Players are basically charged with starting from scratch by creating a new team name, designing new players, creating a coach and, more or less, customizing the entire look and feel of the team. The season is also designed a bit differently than the standard football game. Rather than playing a sixteen game system like in the NFL, in Blitz: The League players get to experience a thirty-three game season through the use of a tier system similar to something you’d normally find in a soccer title. The more games the team wins, the more attendance, which equals more financial support from the owner’s box. This allows players to purchase new equipment in order to train and thus provides a boost in team performance and attributes.

Gameplay additions also include clash and unleashed moves, each of which bestow certain extra abilities to players that can help turn the tide of a game. The clash feature is represented by several meters which can be filled as players perform spectacular moves on the field. This may include making a vicious sack on an opposing quarterback or simply putting the ball in the end-zone. The clash juice can then be used in two separate ways. First and foremost, gamers can hold down on the L trigger (on the Xbox console) to slow the onscreen gameplay to allow for greater ease in making a catch or evading a tackle. The next use is on defense as clash allows for more severe hits that could sideline a few opposing players.

Blitz: The League has the right feature set to make it a serious contender to Madden’s crown for all of those players who are looking for some alternative action. We here at NZGamer will be sure to keep you up to date on this title if anything comes to hand.