Deathrow

"The Best Sports Game Ever"

This is the best sports game I have ever played. Traditional or oddball, none of them come close to Deathrow. It would seem strange that an offbeat, sleeper title of 2002 would manage to easily climb above the mammoth Madden and NFL2K titles and establish itself with authority. It is as addictive as any other game you will find on the gaming market today, and it’s as compelling as a game of chess, except you get to break people’s backs. There are no rules within the realm of Deathrow, no fouls, no out-of-bounds and no easy buckets. Tempted? You should be.

Deathrow’s theme centers around two teams consisting of four members each who are pitted against one another in various arenas with each team having a goal that are scored on by tossing a Frisbee-like disc through it. Players utilize the disc just as a basketball is used; it can be passed to teammates or intercepted from your opponents. The game is divided into four, two-minute rounds. The team with the highest score wins, and the losers are scraped off the floor like road-kill. However the most noticeable difference here is the fact that fighting is completely legal, and even encouraged. Anything goes in the arena, from kicking and punching, to body slams and clotheslines, all perfectly legal. In fact for those who find comfort in stomping a mud-hole in peoples’ backs, players can even be knocked out dealing a major blow to the opposing team making it now a 4 on 3 occasion.

There are 16 teams to choose from, each with their own strengths, weaknesses and fighting styles. Whereas teams such as the “Demons” are driven by adrenaline and prefer to fight instead of use teamwork, the “Sea Cats” play with fundamentals and lightning speed. Deathrow offers a wide variety of teams, so players should have no trouble finding one that suits them. Another item worth mentioning in Deathrow is the unusual amount of humor it boasts from its players who curse like a drunken sailor, to the various fines you must pay during the Season mode for your players who may have destroyed their hotel rooms, or slept with your sponsor’s daughters. With that being said, Deathrow isn’t exactly the game to get your ten-year olds, but any mature gamer should find it a killer app and easily one of the best Xbox games available; a must have.

Graphics- 9.5
Gameplay- 9.5
Sound- 9.0
Overall- 9.5

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/04/03, Updated 07/04/03