Minor design hiccup aside, Blood Bowl 2 is an otherwise resounding success that does enough to please fans of the board game while delivering enough in the way of exciting and accessible gameplay to make this a genuine option for those with no prior interest in the Warhammer brand.

It’s chock-full of Orcs, Vampires, Skeletons, Ogres, Trolls, Elves and Dwarfs, violence, and cheating.

It’s everything you’d expect in a Blood Bowl game, with a great tutorial for newcomers and a coat of paint, looking as good as the Citadel Minatures you’d see in the window of a Games Workshop.

For all its limiting devotion to the board game that inspired it, Blood Bowl 2 is far more of a touchdown than a fumble.

Despite some balance issues and long play times, Blood Bowl 2 is a bloody yet engaging sports strategy sim.

Blood Bowl II is a strategy game, far more than it is a sports title. It probably won’t have much crossover appeal to the sports fan. However, for those who are into methodical, turn-based strategic affairs, or anyone who was a fan of the first Blood Bowl video game or its board game, it delivers on exactly what it promises.

Whilst Blood Bowl 2's strict adherence to the franchise's rules may dissuade some from even trying this out, those that do take the plunge and stick with it will find that despite its faults, it can be a deeply rewarding and enriching experience. The AI isn't really up to snuff though, so expect to ride a long learning curve to be able to become competitive online - if you can find a game.