Blood Bowl 2

Blood Bowl 2 is a turn-based fantasy sports video game developed by Cyanide Studios and published by Focus Home Interactive. It is a sequel to the 2009 video game Blood Bowl, based on the board game by Games Workshop. The game was developed for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and was released on 22 September 2015.[1][2] A Mac OS X version of the game was launched in May 2016.[3]

Blood Bowl 2
Developer(s)Cyanide
Publisher(s)Focus Home Interactive
Director(s)Gauthier Brunet
Programmer(s)Aurélien Caussin
Artist(s)Thomas Veauclin
Christophe Live Tha Kine
Writer(s)Andy Hall
SeriesWarhammer Fantasy
Platform(s)Mac OS X
Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
ReleaseSeptember 22, 2015
Genre(s)Sports, turn-based strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

The game uses a new engine and removes the real-time mode found in the previous game, being turn-based only.[4] It also introduces the Bretonnian as a new playable race, which was developed out of a fan-developed rulebook.[5] The game features both a solo campaign and a multiplayer mode,[6] with the solo campaign featuring the human team, the Reikland Reavers.[4] Initially eight races are playable, but additional races were available as preorder bonus and downloadable content.[7] A sequel, Blood Bowl 3 is scheduled to release in 2021.

Gameplay

Several new and improved features have been added since the first Blood Bowl game. These new features include the new Campaign mode, Stadium Customization, Cabalvision, and the Player Marketplace.

Campaign Mode

In Campaign Mode, the player follows the story of the Reikland Reavers, a team in disgrace. It is the player's job, as the team's coach, to raise them back to their former glory. Beyond the standard game play that can be found in League and Multiplayer modes, Campaign Mode includes a number of scripted, one-time events, such as a goblin crashing a helicopter in the middle of the field. When these events occur, the player has to continue play around them.

Stadium customization

The base game includes five stadiums for customization. These are stadiums that originate with the Human, Orc, Dwarf, Dark Elf and Skaven. As players grow their teams, they can also grow their stadium. The stadium can be raised through four tiers, with 10 add-ons, for a total of 20 possible unique stadiums.

Cabalvision

Cabalvision is Blood Bowl 2's version of sports commentary. Play-by-play announcer (and immortal vampire) Jim Johnson injects his witty commentary alongside analyst Bob Bifford's forthright preference to sheer violence, providing the player with a colourful commentary based on the teams, players, and the action happening on the field.

Player marketplace

Because of the brutal nature of Blood Bowl, teams will often have to find more players to field—due to death, injury, or retirement—or to make some extra money. One way to do this is through the Player Marketplace. The Player Marketplace allows players to be both bought and sold from other coaches (both AI and Human).

Races

Eight races are included in the Blood Bowl 2 base game. These are the Humans, Orcs, Dwarfs, Skaven, High Elves, Dark Elves, Bretonnians, and Chaos.[8] There are also two races that are obtained as a pre-order bonus. The Wood Elves can be obtained by pre-ordering the game for Xbox One, and the Lizardmen can be obtained by pre-ordering the game for the PlayStation 4. If the game was pre-ordered through Steam, both races are available.

On December 17, 2015, Cyanide announced that they would be adding four new races into the game, starting from the Norse (released on May 2016), followed by Undead (released on July 2016), Necromantic (released on September 2016), and Nurgle (released on November 2016). Players who purchased Blood Bowl 2 on Steam before the release of these races received them for free as they were gradually rolled out. In February 2017, two new playable races - Chaos Dwarfs and Khemri - were released as DLC.[9]

Reception

Blood Bowl 2 has a score of 76% on Metacritic.[10] PC Gamer awarded it 60%, saying "Blood Bowl 2 is the flashiest iteration of the game so far, but its dice rolls are frustrating, and its ample ruleset isn't introduced well to newcomers."[11] IGN awarded it 7.8 out of 10, saying "Blood Bowl 2 is a smashy, satisfying, goofy tactical melee that leaves just a bit too much up to the six-sided dice."[12] GameSpot awarded it a score of 8 out of 10, saying "Yet overall, Blood Bowl 2 is a step forward. It's a much friendlier, easier game than its predecessors, with improved looks, a tutorial campaign, controller support, and the UI improvements. New players won't feel blocked off from enjoying it."[13]

References
  1. Purchese, Robert (11 June 2015). "Blood Bowl 2 release pushed back to September". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  2. Savage, Phil (11 June 2015). "Blood Bowl 2 release date announced with new trailer". PC Gamer. Future Publishing. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  3. "Blood Bowl 2 Mac version is now available". Steam. 17 May 2016.
  4. Macgregor, Jody (3 November 2014). "Blood Bowl 2 Interview: The Interface, Leagues, And DLC". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  5. Peel, Jeremy (13 June 2015). "It started with a writ: the unlikely origin of Cyanide's Blood Bowl". PCGamesN. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  6. "Blood Bowl II". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  7. Sampson, Aaron (5 March 2015). "Warhammer Sports Return with Blood Bowl 2". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  8. "Blood Bowl 2". Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  9. Sykes, Tom. "Blood Bowl 2 is getting four new races, free if you already own the game". PCGamer.com.
  10. "Blood Bowl 2 for PC reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  11. Davenport, James (September 22, 2015). "Blood Bowl 2 review". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  12. Hafer, TJ (September 22, 2015). "Blood Bowl 2 review". IGN. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  13. Griliopoulos, Dan (September 22, 2015). "Blood Bowl 2 review". GameSpot. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
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