Blood Bowl 2

Blood Bowl 2 is a recent edition of a game first released in 1987. Designed to parody an American tabletop fantasy football themed board game, it has certainly stood the test of time. This version draws inspiration from the the Warhammer Fantasy world for which this game's publishers Games Workshop are also responsible for.

Quality of graphics are noticeably improved particularly character animations and camera angles which mimic a televised American football broadcast, making it look like it's being screened live from the fictional Cabalvision network. To keep thinks fun and light-hearted, the title offers dry humour from commentators Jim and Bob, bringing some great puns to the pitch.

This 2-player is in the style of a tradition board game where actions are turn based. There is an AI element should you wish to play the computer. As this is both a tactical and sport game, there are plenty of strategic elements involved to satisfy the more technical gamer. At its heart, the game is simple, with a match based campaign, and as one would expect there's two teams and one ball. Carrying the ball into the oppositions end of the pitch scores a touchdown and the one with the highest score wins. How you direct your team to make the touchdowns is where Blood Bowl 2 gets interesting.

To get to grips with the style of play, the early stages act as a tutorial for players. New moves are unlocked as your team gains more experience amongst the 75 different skill levels, which range from running, passing, catching and blocking. To date, there are 8 teams which the player can control, comprising Dwarfs, Skaven, Dark Elves, Humans, Orcs, Chaos, High Elves and Bretonnia. Bretonnia is exclusive to this game. Each of these races has a distinct AI to make for more of a dynamic challenge in gameplay. There will be expansion packs available for more races alongside a marketplace for in-game purchases, which are centred around player and stadium customisation.

Blood Bowl 2 is rated PEGI 16, therefore recommended for players 16 years and over, and is available on the Xbox One and PS4 consoles.