The sound effects (as I said before) are crunchy and powerful which is also nice, whilst the music is fine in menus, and has an appropriately dark yet comical tone. The game features the Vampire/Ogre combo of Jim and Bob on commentary duty, and whilst repetitive, I still enjoy their whimsical banter. On that note, sound is also quite good in BB2: LE although it never reaches especially great heights. For the sake of speed, I turn off the block animations, but if you do leave them on, there is a palpable weight of impact involved, and it is accompanied by a satisfying crunch of bone and armour. Remember, this is a board game, so it isn't especially flashy in any way, but the character models, stadiums and supporting graphics do suit the game world, and the detail and humour that permeates the original Games Workshop product is as strong as ever. Regardless of what is or isn't new, BB2 was always a fine looking game in the context of what it is. There really is nothing more satisfying that testing your wits against another human player, and whilst it can be frustrating to lose a key player to death or injury, it is just as likely that you'll be dishing out the punishment – after all, it's just part of the game. Injuries, deaths and player advancement are all elements of gameplay that are especially important in league, campaign and multiplayer modes, and playing online is where BB2: LE comes into its own. Bashy teams as they are known, excel in damaging other players and removing them from the game, and as a result, they score (assuming they can pick the ball up) by beating up the opposing team until they can't mount a useful defense. You never want to roll disadvantageous dice early in your turn because that will result in a turnover, and yet if you don't pick up the ball, or remove that opposing player, how can you hope to score?Īll of this is complicated by the fact that players can be knocked over, knocked out, injured or stunned, and there is a whole reward and level system for players that are proficient in hurting others, just as there is for scoring points with the ball.
This makes each game of BB2: LE a series of puzzles made up of multiple turns. When you decide to tackle (or block, as the game refers to it) an opposing player, you roll dice, and how likely you are to succeed depends on the strength of each player (plus variation for adjacent team mates or other skills.) Similarly, when you pick up the ball, you roll a dice based on your player agility, again modified by any skills. Each team consists of eleven varied players (plus one or more subs if you're lucky) that must move around a board based on rules – their movement allowance, where other players are located and so on. The game is a digital representation of a board game about an ultra violent interpretation of American Football. Stick with it though, and BB2: LE is extremely rewarding. Mastering the game is hard, and when you begin a game, it's important to realise that you'll probably lose a lot at first, and because each game is long, it can be frustrating. Gameplay remains the main attraction in BB2: LE, and where this version is concerned, all Cyanide have really done is layer more and more interesting features for players to explore. It does a decent job of introducing the style, humour and gameplay of Blood Bowl, and it remains an excellent starting point for any newcomes to the game. Whilst I didn't replay it just for BB2: LE, the base campaign revolving around the Reikland Reavers is a lot of fun, and it offers a fairly lengthy game over about ten or eleven games. The Eternal League isn't especially revolutionary to new players (who will have seen similarly expansive modes in FIFA, for example) but it is a big deal for returning BB2 fans, and it means that if you are a solo player, you will now have much more to compete for. Your team remains consistent throughout, and players can age (and retire) or gain skills and improve as games progress. In this mode, players can take any team (or create one to begin afresh) and will play through four seasons each year, each of which will comprise of a number of events of your choosing. The other mode is the Eternal League, which is a brand new mode that, erm, has the potential to last forever.
In this story mode, players control the Reikland Reavers, a legendary human team that has seen better days, and must guide them to glory. and believe it or not, there is indeed a story mode, although it is one carried over from the original Blood Bowl 2 base game. There are effectively a couple of ways to play a campaign mode in BB2: LE.