GamersInfo.net

We football fans, we're in that rough time of year. The Super Bowl was over a month ago - a dimming memory even as I write this (unless you're a fan of either team that was in it, in which case it's still a glorious moment or a festering wound). The draft is a weeks away, which means until then it's just listening to Mel Kiper go on and on about the possible college recruits. And despite the weekend of the draft, it's still solid months before the preseason starts. The good news? The preseason has already started on my Blackberry with EFL Preseason, thanks to Enigma Games.

EFL Preseason is a straightforward play-calling game for mobile devices. First ,you pick your team from familiar divisions and cities (no, they're not labeled as NFL teams, but you'll recognize the divisions and cities). The game picks an opponent, and it's time to flip a coin.

On offense, you have several formations from which to choose. You pick a formation, such as the I-formation or the shotgun, and then either a run or pass. The defense does something similar, picking a defensive formation such as the 3-4 or a nickel and then chooses a pass or run play.

Then it's time for the announcer to call the results of your play. You might get sacked for a loss, throw an interception or fumble — or you might break a big play and run for a touchdown. You get hints as the announcer calls out things such as "one man left to beat!" But you won't get the results until the play is over.

The game is good for people looking for a quick football fix. The developers were smart enough to attempt to make EFL an action game; therefore, the often difficult controls on a Blackberry or other devices are avoided. As you play against teams, it becomes more and more a game of strategy as you try to guess how the particular team you're playing will react to various situations. Third and long? Most teams will pass, but if your opponent has been running constantly ...

There are a few problems with the game. You can't effectively pause the game to check e-mail or such; it's all or nothing. I ran into a bug or two, but Enigma Games has been diligently working to correct them.

The biggest problem I had was inconsistent announcing. The announcer (whose face I grew weary of — the graphics are solid but nothing spectacular) will make it sound like your team is having a huge play, then you find you've gained a mere couple of yards.

There's no continuation between games. You can upload your high score, but each game is on its own. After all, this is the preseason in which each game is on its own.

This is a great game for football fans who want a quick game on a mobile device. I'm particularly happy to see a game that replicates the pro game in the play-calling sense, since I'm not very good with arcade titles on mobile devices. I'm even happier to see the game coming from a non-EA source. EFL Preseason has definitely helped me get my football fix when I've got a few minutes free.