<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
is	O
a	O
2002	O
sports	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Southend	O
Interactive	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Ubi	O
Soft	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
as	O
an	O
exclusive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
development	O
began	O
in	O
May	O
1999	O
as	O
an	O
online	O
PC	B-Device
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
2001	O
,	O
Southend	O
transitioned	O
to	O
an	O
Xbox	B-Application
console	I-Application
release	O
,	O
which	O
let	O
the	O
team	O
use	O
pixel	O
shaders	O
,	O
bump	O
mapped	O
textures	O
,	O
and	O
specular	O
lighting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
was	O
built	O
on	O
an	O
in-house	O
3D	O
game	O
engine	O
and	O
was	O
Southend	O
's	O
first	O
full	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
fictional	O
extreme	O
sport	O
Blitz	O
,	O
a	O
futuristic	O
full-contact	O
hybrid	O
of	O
hockey	B-Application
and	O
basketball	O
played	O
with	O
a	O
flying	O
disc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
supports	O
split-screen	O
and	O
System	B-Device
Link	I-Device
multiplayer	O
for	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
players	O
across	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
Xbox	B-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
received	O
largely	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
considered	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
concept	O
and	O
mechanics	O
similar	O
to	O
other	O
series	O
,	O
specifically	O
Speedball	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
and	O
TeamXbox	O
both	O
named	O
Deathrow	B-Application
an	O
Editor	O
's	O
Choice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
year	O
2219	O
,	O
where	O
Blitz	O
is	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
most	O
popular	O
sport	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
a	O
futuristic	O
rugby	O
,	O
the	O
sport	O
combines	O
elements	O
of	O
hockey	B-Application
,	O
basketball	O
,	O
and	O
full-contact	O
American	B-Application
football	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
compared	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
mechanics	O
to	O
Discs	B-Application
of	I-Application
Tron	I-Application
,	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
,	O
Blood	B-Application
Bowl	I-Application
,	O
Final	O
Fantasy	O
Xs	O
Blitzball	O
,	O
Blades	B-Application
of	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Speedball	B-Application
,	O
and	O
its	O
aesthetic	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Blade	B-Application
Runner	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
four	O
rounds	O
in	O
a	O
match	O
of	O
Blitz	O
,	O
where	O
two	O
teams	O
of	O
four	O
computer	B-Application
or	O
human	O
players	O
score	O
points	O
for	O
each	O
energized	O
Blitz	O
disc	O
thrown	O
through	O
their	O
opponent	O
's	O
hoop	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
eight	O
feet	O
off	O
the	O
ground	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
a	O
player	O
tends	O
towards	O
belligerence	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
will	O
compensate	O
and	O
exact	O
revenge	O
for	O
its	O
teammates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	B-Application
players	I-Application
on	O
teams	O
rated	O
with	O
low	O
teamwork	O
will	O
not	O
take	O
initiative	O
to	O
pursue	O
the	O
disc	O
or	O
to	O
help	O
teammates	O
in	O
need	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
supports	O
single-player	O
,	O
four-player	O
local	O
multiplayer	O
,	O
and	O
System	B-Device
Link	I-Device
with	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
players	O
across	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
Xbox	B-Application
consoles	I-Application
,	O
but	O
does	O
not	O
support	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
online	B-Application
play	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
has	O
a	O
futuristic	O
electronic	O
dance	O
music	O
soundtrack	O
and	O
over	O
3,000	O
words	O
of	O
voice	O
acting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
backward	B-General_Concept
compatible	I-General_Concept
with	B-Device
the	I-Device
Xbox	I-Device
360	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
use	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
controller	O
's	O
left	O
analog	B-Device
stick	I-Device
to	O
move	O
the	O
character	O
,	O
the	O
right	O
stick	O
to	O
strafe	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
main	O
buttons	O
to	O
jump	O
,	O
block	O
,	O
punch	O
,	O
and	O
kick	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
fully	O
charged	O
shot	O
called	O
a	O
Deathrow	B-Application
will	O
incapacitate	O
any	O
player	O
it	O
hits	O
,	O
while	O
overcharged	O
shots	O
electrify	O
and	O
stun	O
the	O
carrier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Southend	O
Interactive	O
and	O
produced	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Southend	O
began	O
Deathrow	B-Application
development	O
in	O
May	O
1999	O
and	O
expected	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
an	O
online	O
PC	B-Device
video	O
game	O
tentatively	O
titled	O
Blitz	O
Disc	O
Arena	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
idea	O
for	O
the	O
sports	O
game	O
descended	O
from	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
Speedball	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Quake	O
and	O
Unreal	O
series	O
,	O
and	O
Tekken	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Southend	O
's	O
nine-person	O
team	O
received	O
Xbox	B-Application
development	B-Application
kits	I-Application
in	O
June	O
2000	O
and	O
decided	O
to	O
move	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
console	O
in	O
early	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Southend	O
animator	O
Rodrigo	O
Cespedes	O
in	O
a	O
2002	O
TeamXbox	O
interview	O
,	O
"	O
Xbox	B-Application
was	O
the	O
only	O
console	O
that	O
would	O
allow	O
 [ them ] 	O
to	O
produce	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
originally	O
envisioned	O
"	O
,	O
adding	O
that	O
Microsoft	O
and	O
Ubisoft	O
encouraged	O
the	O
mature	O
direction	O
with	O
emphasis	O
on	O
blood	O
,	O
brutality	O
,	O
and	O
profanity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
move	O
to	O
Xbox	B-Application
led	O
to	O
greater	O
variation	O
in	O
the	O
team	O
personalities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
was	O
designed	O
for	O
the	O
Action	O
camera	O
view	O
,	O
but	O
Sports	O
view	O
was	O
introduced	O
to	O
expand	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
appeal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
was	O
displayed	O
at	O
Ubisoft	O
's	O
E3	O
2002	O
booth	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
18	O
October	O
2002	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
22	O
October	O
2002	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
as	O
an	O
Xbox	B-Application
exclusive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
include	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
online	O
multiplayer	O
for	O
want	O
of	O
development	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
Southend	O
had	O
no	O
plans	O
to	O
release	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
though	O
they	O
implemented	O
a	O
method	O
to	O
do	O
so	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deathrow	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
video	O
game	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
and	O
TeamXbox	O
both	O
named	O
Deathrow	B-Application
an	O
Editor	O
's	O
Choice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
won	O
TeamXbox	O
2002	O
Breakthrough	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
award	O
and	O
IGN	O
2002	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	O
Nobody	O
Played	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
runner-up	O
for	O
their	O
Xbox	B-Application
action	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Of	O
the	O
year	O
's	O
praiseworthy	O
yet	O
unappreciated	O
games	O
,	O
Deathrow	B-Application
alone	O
"	O
truly	O
blew	O
 [ IGN ] 	O
away	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
similarly	O
named	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
's	O
most	O
unfairly	O
overlooked	O
Xbox	B-Application
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
Hodgson	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
(	O
EGM	O
)	O
found	O
Deathrow	B-Application
European	O
origins	O
apparent	O
as	O
"	O
awkward	O
,	O
over-the-top	O
expletives	O
in	O
obnoxious	O
American	O
accents	O
"	O
were	O
paired	O
with	O
rugby	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hodgson	O
said	O
that	O
Deathrow	B-Application
struggled	O
to	O
show	O
grittiness	O
in	O
a	O
very	O
shiny	O
environment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
added	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
suffered	O
from	O
immoderate	O
violence	O
,	O
frustrating	O
fighting	O
sequences	O
,	O
lack	O
of	O
online	B-Application
play	I-Application
,	O
and	O
"	O
steep	O
learning	O
curve	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
William	O
Racer	O
of	O
the	O
Official	O
Xbox	B-Application
Magazine	O
(	O
OXM	O
)	O
praised	O
the	O
fast-paced	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
its	O
eye	O
for	O
detail	O
,	O
and	O
complained	O
about	O
the	O
camera	O
angles	O
and	O
difficulty	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eric	O
Bush	O
of	O
TeamXbox	O
complimented	O
the	O
computer	B-Application
opponents	I-Application
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
and	O
said	O
that	O
they	O
put	O
up	O
a	O
challenge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1UP.com,	O
OXM	O
Racer	O
,	O
and	O
IGN	O
's	O
Douglass	O
Perry	O
and	O
David	O
Clayman	O
recommended	O
Deathrow	B-Application
as	O
a	O
party	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
IGN	O
staff	O
specifically	O
recommending	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
System	B-Device
Link	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pittsburgh	O
Post-Gazette	O
Jonathan	O
Silver	O
thought	O
the	O
gameplay	O
was	O
too	O
frenzied	O
,	O
like	O
"	O
NHL	B-Application
Hitz	I-Application
on	O
steroids	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
noted	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
serious	O
attitude	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
very	O
gritty	O
view	O
of	O
sports	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
similar	O
to	O
hockey	B-Application
,	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
non-disc	O
action	O
was	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
nicest	O
aspects	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Goldstein	O
regarded	O
Deathrows	B-Application
profanity	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
best	O
use	O
of	O
endless	O
cursing	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
...	O
ever	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Edge	O
referred	O
to	O
Deathrow	B-Application
as	O
a	O
substance-less	O
and	O
"	O
contrived	O
clone	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
1990	O
Speedball	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
which	O
used	O
a	O
ball	O
instead	O
of	O
a	O
disc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reflecting	O
on	O
the	O
release	O
year	O
,	O
IGN	O
director	O
Peer	O
Schneider	O
said	O
that	O
games	O
like	O
Deathrow	B-Application
showed	O
the	O
games	O
industry	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
make	O
new	O
,	O
high-caliber	O
franchises	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
IGN	O
staffers	O
predicted	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
sleeper	O
hit	O
:	O
one	O
noted	O
the	O
sparse	O
press	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
quality	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
other	O
explained	O
that	O
Ubisoft	O
was	O
busy	O
promoting	O
bigger	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Lair	I-Application
3D	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Rayman	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
Complex	O
Gaming	O
listed	O
Deathrow	B-Application
13th	O
on	O
its	O
15	O
Most	O
Violent	O
Sports	O
Video	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scottish	O
developer	O
Ludometrics	O
described	O
their	O
2014	O
video	O
game	O
Bodycheck	O
as	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
Deathrow	B-Application
,	O
Speedball	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Skateball	B-Application
,	O
though	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
medieval	O
past	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
ultraviolent	O
future	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2004	O
,	O
IGN	O
listed	O
Deathrow	B-Application
2	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
its	O
five	O
desired	O
Xbox	B-Application
sequels	O
,	O
specifically	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
online	B-Application
play	I-Application
support	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
reported	O
a	O
month	O
later	O
that	O
despite	O
interest	O
from	O
Southend	O
,	O
Ubisoft	O
would	O
be	O
unlikely	O
to	O
release	O
a	O
forthcoming	O
Deathrow	B-Application
sequel	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
's	O
low	O
revenue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
it	O
,	O
Southend	O
CEO	O
Fredrik	O
Brönjemark	O
announced	O
that	O
"	O
now	O
is	O
the	O
right	O
time	O
for	O
Southend	O
to	O
manage	O
its	O
own	O
destiny	O
and	O
to	O
invest	O
in	O
its	O
own	O
products	O
"	O
,	O
of	O
which	O
Deathrow	B-Application
and	O
ilomilo	B-Application
were	O
examples	O
.	O
</s>
