Blitz: The League II
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Blitz: The League II |
Blitz: The League II is a football video game developed and released by Midway Games as a continuation of the NFL Blitz franchise. Launched on October 13, 2008, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms, it follows the original Blitz: The League. This edition features five newly introduced teams: the Los Angeles Riot, Houston Riders, Vancouver Beavers, Milwaukee Hounds, and Atlanta 404, along with four teams that have been relocated from previous iterations. Former NFL legend Lawrence Taylor returns to voice the character Quentin Sands.
The game weaves in allusions to actual NFL controversies, including Michael Vick’s "Ron Mexico" episode, the New England Patriots’ "Spygate" affair, and the Minnesota Vikings’ boat party incident, contributing to its provocative storytelling style.
Plot
The narrative revolves around the league’s expansion with two additional teams entering: one created by the player and the Los Angeles Riot. The Riot are captained by linebacker Bruno Battaglia—who was part of the player’s squad in the earlier game—and are supported by commissioner Clive Hanson. Hanson’s strategy involves placing the Riot in Division 2 with top-tier players to guarantee their championship victory.
A central storyline element is Kid Franchise, the anticipated first overall draft pick, opting to commit solely to his hometown team rather than joining the Riot, igniting a rivalry with Hanson’s preferred squad. Franchise is distinctive in that he plays on both offense and defense. Early in the campaign, a pre-season interview determines Franchise’s dual-role abilities based on player choices, which impacts gameplay tactics.
Division 3
Due to the large number of teams, gameplay spans across three seasons corresponding to three divisions. To prevent the player-created team from advancing easily, commissioner Hanson assigns New York Nightmare linebacker Quentin Sands to block their progress. However, after Game 2, Sands switches allegiance and joins the player’s team. To qualify for the Division 3 championship game, players must secure at least five wins out of seven divisional matches. The championship pits them against Conrad Damon and the Milwaukee Hounds. Upon victory, a cutscene reveals Sands tampering with Franchise’s drink.
Division 2
Before entering Division 2, Franchise is incarcerated at Milltown Correctional Facility for breaching league drug regulations. Milltown has its own football team, and the warden offers early parole if Franchise leads them to triumph over their rivals from Super Max without sustaining injury. After achieving this goal, Franchise rejoins the player’s team competing in Division 2. At this stage, the team is allowed to draft one captain from Division 3. Meanwhile, the Riot strengthen their lineup by acquiring wide receiver Justin Jonas from the Cleveland Steamers. A cutscene exposes Riot captain Bruno Battaglia accusing Sands of spiking Franchise’s drink, igniting a conflict that persists throughout Division 2.
Again, advancing to the Division 2 championship requires winning five out of seven games. Unexpectedly, the Riot fail to qualify; instead, Miami Hammerheads secure their place thanks to MVP Julius Williams (unless Franchise earns MVP honors). Following this success, seven members of the Minnesota Reapers perish in a boating accident, leading to the team’s dissolution. As a result, another team besides the player-created squad progresses to Division 1. In a seemingly random selection process, the L.A. Riot claim the second spot in Division 1.
Division 1
During the off-season, Karl Tirpitz, who previously captained Super Max, becomes a member of the player-formed squad. Although their promotion sparks some debate, the L.A. Riot are considered strong contenders for the Division 1 title following the acquisition of Washington Redhawks’ captain and rookie quarterback Clayton Wescott, along with Kelvin Diggs and Tyrell Price from Kansas City Crossfire, Justin Jonas of the Cleveland Steamers, and Kimo Talofa from Atlanta 404. To advance to the League championship, the player must secure victory in at least five out of seven matches; the Riot maintain an undefeated record unless bested by the player’s team.
Throughout division competition, the player encounters Quentin Sands’ former squad, the New York Nightmare. Sands suggests putting aside their rivalry to defeat his old team and then confront the Riot for the championship. They collaborate with a plan to uncover the commissioner’s corruption. Sands offers to become captain of the Riot in return for confidential information—fabricated claims that Franchise is suffering from an Achilles tendon injury and will perform poorly on game day. The commissioner consents and directs associates to invest in Riot stock; Sands covertly records this exchange.
Following the player’s victory over the L.A. Riot in the League championship, authorities arrest the commissioner on charges of insider trading, money laundering, and extortion—marking the culmination of the player-created team’s journey from Division 3 contenders to League champions.
Reception
According to review aggregator Metacritic, critical response to the game on both platforms was mixed or average.[1][2]