The NFL regular season is just around the corner and, as always, promises to deliver plenty of hard-hitting action on each week. What about the days when there are no games on? How will you get your pro football fix? If you have an iPhone, you can do so with the NFL 2011 app. It's not the perfect game by any means, but Gameloft did make some improvements to this year's title that make it an option for those who simply do not like the Madden series.

Considering just how popular the Madden name is when it comes to football gaming, Gameloft was smart in releasing NFL 2011 first.  Many hardcore football fans likely could not wait to get their hands on a new football release, and by hitting the download circuit quickly, NFL 2011 likely earned some new customers. 

The game does offer realism in the way of acquiring a NFL license that provides gamers with actual rosters and player names. All 32 teams are available, with over 2,000 players, so you can take control of your favorite squad and pretend that it's an actual game day. There is also an extensive playbook to choose from.

The game's graphics are about as good as one could expect, and they pack the iPhone screen with plenty of the color and liveliness that one would hope for from an NFL game. Player models not only look good, they move realistically and provide crisp animations. Gameloft employed motion capture technology in the game, and animations look great whether you are making a tackle, running for the goal, or celebrating after a game-clinching touchdown. Out of all the animations, tackles on defense seem to be the most impressive.  

Although Gameloft really improved NFL 2011 over last year's predecessor in terms of its looks, it is a bit lacking in the gameplay department. You do get some interesting features, such as the ability to make big hits on defense, and accelerate and juke when you have the ball. However, there are other parts of the gameplay that are disappointing. 

The passing game in particular can be frustrating, as many times you will tap on a receiver to pass to them and you will get a delayed reaction. This results in either a quarterback sack or your previously-open receiver being covered all of a sudden. Trying to pass the ball can get tiring, making one more dependent on the running game and being one-dimensional on offense. Defensive lapses also occur when you sometimes try to select a player to make a tackle and you get a delay, causing you to give up big yardage.

Besides the mediocre gameplay, the biggest disappointment in NFL 2011 is the lack of a multiplayer mode. Considering how frustrating it can be to play against the computer, the inclusion of a multiplayer mode would have been a huge relief.  After all, sports games are most fun when played against a human opponent.

NFL 2011 is a hit and miss. It looks great and is improved over the 2010 version, but the gameplay issues could be hard to overcome for many. The same holds true for the lack of multiplayer. If you are anti-Madden for some reason, NFL 2011 could serve as a substitute. Otherwise, it deserves a pass.

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