EA today took the wraps of a new sports-game IP, and let’s just say it’s not one we expected. The genre: boxing — arcade-style boxing, to be exact. The name: FaceBreaker. The platforms of choice: PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
With EA having recently deep-sixed the more-realistic Fight Night franchise, this arcade boxing game comes out of the blue like a left jab to the jaw. But it sounds like Fight Night wasn’t bad, just a bit too realistic for EA’s liking. After all, EA and EA Sports have devoted resources to making games that are more approachable and easy to pick up and play for casual gamers.
Coming to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii later in 2008, FaceBreaker is being created by the same team that developed Fight Night Round 3. However, where Fight Night was uber-realistic, FaceBreaker will offer “irreverent fun, immersive gameplay and eye-popping stylized graphics.”
FaceBreaker will have an arcade lineup full of ego-wielding characters, with each boxer having his own unique attributes and distinct personal style. Romeo, for instance, is a Latin lover known for his pelvic thrusts, while Molotov is an oversized Russian demolitions expert with a penchant for fighting dirty.
Players will also be able to add their own photo of their face to create a realistic likeness using Photo Game Face.