Peep Your Yuletide Games

Blitz: the League II

In Blitz: The League II, not only are dirty hits and juicing (oops, I mean supplements) encouraged, but they are an integral part of success. Former coke-snortin' NFL bad boy Lawrence Taylor returns as the cover boy and spokesman for the sophomore installment of BTL and continues his role as Quentin Sands, the New York Nightmares' captain. While the ultrarealism of the Madden franchise certainly has its place (in every sports lover's gaming library), it's nice to break the tedious chains of reality and embrace the forbidden thrill of illicit behavior (virtually, of course). A little simulated anarchy never hurt anyone. The heart of Blitz II lies in campaign mode, where you play the role of talented megaprospect Franchise, who is just entering the league. You walk him through his first press conference, where you assign him his positions (he's a two-way player), player attributes, and personality. He'll only play for his home team, so I assigned him to the Austin Weirdos and chose appropriately Austintatious team colors. Then it's on to mastering the finer aspects of the game such as precision-aim tackles (for maximum injury-inflicting blows), late hits, and injecting hurt players with supplements on the sidelines. The backstory is a bit goofy yet still entertaining, and if you can get past Frank Caliendo's insipid John Madden impression, the surprisingly inspired gameplay and superviolent fun of Blitz: The League II is a great way to pass another holiday season spent with family and makes for an excellent stocking stuffer for kids old enough to handle the game's adult themes.