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About Rainier

PC gamer, WorthPlaying EIC, globe-trotting couch potato, patriot, '80s headbanger, movie watcher, music lover, foodie and man in black -- squirrel!

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'Road to Sunday' (PS2) - Screens

by Rainier on June 29, 2005 @ 2:27 p.m. PDT

Built from the ground up, Road To Sunday incorporates innovative game designs, new Artificial Intelligence (AI) and graphics, a compelling story and a variety of gameplay features. Road To Sunday presents a unique, sequential, episodic storyline that will provide both sports and entertainment videogame fans with the first ever sports entertainment drama.

Road to Sunday introduces, for the first time in a football videogame, a focus on the individual position battles that happen every single play like in a real game ­ with Position Specific Gameplay (PSG), where players will have objectives they have to complete in any given game -- mission based football. Every play becomes a mini-game, so to speak, where gamers can select one player on the field and try to achieve football related objectives on the field. There are seven different positions that gamers can select and control on any given play including the QB, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Defensive End, Linebacker and Defensive Back.

PSG is all about controlling a specific player on the field and focusing on execution of that position's assignments. Each position has goals outlined for them going into each game. Gamers must achieve these goals in order to level up their player. Leveling up the player enhances their ability to succeed in the game on Sunday. There are four different levels a character progress through and each level represents a significant upgrade in performance. Not only will they increase the player attributes, which improves the player's chances of being successful in the football game, but they'll unlock signature moves for each position. The signature moves are more effective than your basic football moves. Gamers can also unlock special abilities on the field that will allow them to get a sense of what the opponent is doing on any given play. Gamers can use these abilities to exploit their opponent.

Gamers can increase the abilities of the football players by completing football "Missions" in practice, in the weight room, while fighting or during Sunday's big football game. Increasing the abilities or leveling up the players unlocks special signature moves and allows them to perform game-time goals with a higher success rate and eventually unlock "signature moves" that are virtually unstoppable.

As the WR, gamers will have objectives they have to accomplish during the game, including routes to run and getting open. Playing as the wide receiver, gamers will have the ability to run a pass route and call for the ball, or even break off the route if you see a "soft spot" (open area) in a zone and then gamers can press a button and "Call for the Ball".

The player development aspect is an integral part of progressing through the game. As gamers achieve mission objectives, they increase the players attributes through 4 different player levels. Reaching a new level significantly increases the player's abilities and unlocks new signature moves.

The Running Back has leveled up and unlocked a new signature Juke move. With this move the back can basically fake any defender out if the move is timed right.

KEY FEATURES

  • All-New Genre: Sports Entertainment Action– Defining the next evolution in gaming, Road To Sunday presents a unique, sequential, episodic storyline that will provide both sports and entertainment videogame fans with the first ever sports entertainment drama.
  • Off-the-Field Missions – Completing missions increases character attributes, ultimately advancing the story. Developing the attributes of seven players on the team is key to completing on-field and off-field missions.
    • Fighting Tournaments – Gamers can participate in fighting tournaments made up of characters encountered throughout the story. The fighting system features punching, kicking, grabbing and follow-on attack mechanism, along with blocking and escaping. Winning combat missions increase characters attributes and/or wins cash for the owner, which is used to pay off the mobster.
    • High Stakes Gambling – Gamers can play Texas Hold ’Em and Blackjack. Missions include high-stakes poker games, celebrity poker tourneys and back room gambling. Playing in high-stakes games enable gamers to win cash for the owner, which is used to pay off the mobster.
    • Sports Bookie – Gamers can place bets on upcoming football games including the over/under, winner with odds, money-line bets and bets on individual players performance. Betting tips are provided throughout the cinematic dialogue.
    • Work Out – Gamers can participate in rhythm-based timing weightlifting and running exercises to licensed music. Physical attributes are increased based on how well the player completes various weightlifting sets, improving overall performance during football and fighting missions.
  • Position Specific Gameplay (PSG) – To enhance gameplay and provide gamers with an authentic yet unique experience, Road To Sunday introduces Position Specific Gameplay (PSG), where, for the first time in a football videogame, gamers can play from the aspect of different positions. PSG will give the game player more position specific abilities and control then any other football experience ever before. From powering up the running back into a power runner and then hitting the hole with authority, to making the cornerback into a shut down corner and forcing a QB into making costly mistakes. PSG delivers the ultimate in football control to get through the season.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Attribute System – Each character begins with a predetermined set of attributes including power, athleticism, quickness, intelligence and attitude. By completing missions, a character’s attributes increase incrementally. New levels of ability are awarded based on success during on-field and off-field missions.
  • Player Development – Gamers can increase the abilities of the football players by completing football “missions” in practice and on game day and by achieving mission objectives while fighting. Increasing the abilities of the players unlocks special signature moves and allows them to perform game-time goals with a higher success rate and eventually unlock “signature moves” that are virtually unstoppable.
  • Down on the Field Presentation – Road to Sunday is the first ticket to the extraordinary sights and sounds of a football player down on the field. Gamers can experience the orchestrated chaos at the line of scrimmage; enjoy the art of intimidating “trash talking” opponents and more.
  • Realistic Football Experience – Road To Sunday delivers a fresh football experience unlike any other gridiron video game with authentic techniques and sound football fundamentals, offensive and defensive schemes, and incredibly smooth, realistic animation. Gamers experience, first-hand, the ferocity of violent collisions unlike any game before.
    • Adaptive Play Calling – A highly sophisticated AI system uses field position, time left in the quarter, half, or game, the down, distance, score, potential score, personnel on the field, and the types of plays that have been executed, to call offensive and defensive plays. The AI recognizes user tendencies so gamers have to mix-up the run, the pass and play action.
    • Explosive Offense – The offensive line play features both zone and man-blocking schemes, that form pockets on passes and use slide and fan protection to adjust to overloads and stunts. Run plays feature head on blocks, cross, load, reach, double team, and wedge blocks, as well as pulling and trapping. When the pocket collapses, the QB and WR’s improvise and the QB will spill out of the pocket, look for running lanes or buy time to get the throw off. Receivers “throttle down” in soft spots of a zone or run away from man coverage.
    • Dominating and Swarming Defense – Defensive schemes utilize coverage disguising, corner and safety blitzes, fake blitzes as well as zone exchanges to apply pressure and confuse the QB. Linebackers play run first, “fill” and “shed” blockers based upon their attributes and read and recognize run or drop into zones. Defensive Back behavior mimics professional pass coverage, including Cover-2, Tampa-2 Deep, Cover-3, Cover-4, Man, etc. Additionally, Road To Sunday utilizes man techniques like Inside-Shade, Head-Up Bump as well as the Trail Technique. All coverages feature realistic player reaction based upon player attributes.
  • Game Controls
    • New Passing Control – An innovative passing system allows gamers to accurately throw the under-thrown fade route, throw over the top of coverage or lead receivers to the soft spot of a zone, use the pump fake to a specific receiver to make defenders commit to a receiver, or bite on out and ups, in addition to other moves.
    • Innovative Defensive Controls – As a DB, gamers jam a WR at the line of scrimmage and use their hands to get separation to make the interception. Defensive Ends have a full arsenal of moves to put pressure on the QB and with Linebackers and even pump up their “adrenaline” to blow through the line of scrimmage.
    • Intuitive Offensive Controls – Power-up Running Backs to explode through holes and unleash devastating cut blocks to bring down a blitzing linebacker. As a Wide Receiver, gamers can perform evasive moves on a defensive back, adjust a route to find the soft spot in the zone and call for the ball, or even fight with a defender when the ball is in the air.
  • Sound Track – Incorporating a movie-like score for the story mode and new original music for the in-game experience, Road to Sunday will host a sound track sure to match the drama and excitement of the game.

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