So I've spent some time with Facebreaker through the weekend, you can check out some video highlights on my profile page. I thought the game could have potential in the way that NFL Tour did, a fun (primarily) head-to-head experience and here with added community elements such as the Photo Face and video uploading.

I'll have full impressions up on pastapadre.com within the next day or so but thought I'd drop some quick thoughts on it right now here. For a game that is kicking off the Freestyle brand for EA Sports, a line of games meant to be accessible and directed towards a more casual group, the game is extremely difficult. Even on the easiest setting a novice will feel a great deal of frustration. I would almost expect a large percentage of people to give up on it within the first few bouts.

The action is so fast that I can't play more than one or two fights without taking a break as my hand painfully cramps up. Online seems responsive enough though I had opponents disconnect on several occasions. The head-to-head element that I thought would accent the fun of the game really didn't come through regardless. I still like the Photo Face but it loses a lot of value given the circumstances.

I'm just a little baffled in that it is being directed at casuals but is so difficult that it would likely turn those people off imediately. Granted after playing more your improvement becomes very evident but there is a lot of patience required to get to that point.

PS: Seriously p u z z l e s is a banned word?