Blitz: The League II (Review)

Release Date: October 13, 2008
Platforms: PS3, 360
Total Unit Sales (as of 5/12/09): 40,000

The Blitz series seems to be one of those games that spark the interest of gamers, but not to the point where the gamers purchase this title in droves. I admit that I was one of those people, and I didn’t purchase the game until Best Buy had their $9.99 sale a few weeks back. What I’ve encountered is game that gives me some hope that things will continue to evolve in sports gaming.

The campaign mode is what it’s all about. I immediately fired up a campaign, named by team the Los Angeles Trojans, and headed into season 1. The Blitz League is broken up into 3 divisions. The goal is to take your expansion team from Division 3 to the big time of Division 1. This is done by winning the division championship. Aside from compiling W’s and L’s for your team, you also create a “Franchise” player. You choose his nickname, position, etc. Throughout the campaign you are faced with choices on how to act towards outside influences, whether or not to use steroids, hook up with girls, etc. It’s really a mix of Grand Theft Auto and Pro Football.

When you’re not playing a football game, you can make use of your time by upgrading your training facilities, juicing up your players, and reviewing the stats in your league. Before each game you are given a goal for your franchise player (ie; get more touchdowns with your franchise player than the star player for the other team). At the end of each game you will see a list of all the things you’ve accomplished including in game bonuses and achievement points.

The gameplay itself is solid, and the first time you see somebody get a major injury will be an enjoyable visual experience. Visually the game is a breathe of fresh air.

As of this writing I have won both the Division 3 and Division 2 championships and have my first Division 1 game coming up.

The Blitz franchise has created it’s own football universe, and it’s easy to get sucked into it. Blitz takes us back to the days when games were made to be fun. You can find this game at Amazon for $19.99, and probably less at other places. If you are a football fan and want a difference experience, I highly recommend Blitz: The League II.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Damn it Manny!!

To say I was let down by this is an understatement. When I saw the news that Manny tested positive for a banned substance, my jaw literally dropped and you could see goosebumps on my arms…I’m serious.

My passion for the Dodgers and the Dodgers players has always been a part of who I am. When something like this happens to our organization, it just leaves a pit in the stomachs of fans like myself.

Earlier in the day yesterday I was excited that Manny really didn’t do something bad. I was thinking that he did take something for his “little problem” and it triggered this failed drug test. That was until I talked to some friends and read the reports that what he took is the very same thing that steroid users take to recoup their testoserone levels from previous steroid use.

I know we are grown men, but we still become enamored with our favorite players. We still get excited when they come to bat, and if we see them in a public setting we jump on our cell phones like high school girls calling all of our friends. It’s very disheartening when things like this happen.

I had this same feeling a couple years ago when I found out via the Mitchell Report that Eric Gagne used steroids and that Paul LoDuca was involved with that as well. I was so happy for Paulie when he splashed in the majors after seeing him trudge along the minors for so long. And Gagne, my goodness, this guy was one of my favorite Dodgers of all time. Right up there with Gibby and Hershiser. All the memories he gave us with the stadium entrance and the 80+ save streak means nothing to me because he cheated.

All of these years of hating Bonds for cheating the game. All of us Dodger fans yelling “Barr-roids” from the bleachers. Talk about putting a foot in our mouths.

Manny, you let me down, and you let millions of fans in Los Angeles and around the world down. We embraced you, and you lied to us.

It just makes me sick.

Whelp…

Dropped my cell phone in the toilet today.