NHL 10 is so good it's only missing the ability to drive the Zamboni.
A couple years ago, EA reclaimed the NHL crown from 2K by delivering a solid hockey experience unmatched by their rivals. Last year, they upped the ante by not only creating the best hockey game, but in my humble opinion, the best sports game of last year. In NHL 09 they even introduced the “Be the Pro” mode that defined the best way to date to focus on one single player and their on and off game experiences. Would EA rest on their laurels, take it easy this year, and just rehash 09 knowing they had a good thing going, or would they take further steps in creating, yet again, another masterpiece. Well if you looked at my score first, you’ll know the answer. EA Sports and NHL 10 out did themselves and is now, again in my humble opinion, the best hockey game ever to grace a console. Will it end up being the best sports game again? I guess we’ll find out at the end of the year.
Now I will admit that EA did not reinvent themselves like they did in 08, hell they didn’t need to. What they did is take the best of the best of last year’s game and added new features, animations, and options that just make the experience better and more complete than last year’s amazing effort. I’m not going to go through the typical review on this one, as if you played last year’s game, you’ll know the visuals are stunning, commentary exciting, the game play is realistic, customizable, easy to play and harder to master, and the depth is unmatched by any sport game available. New additions such as precision passing, new spectacular goals, smarter goalie A.I., new crowd interactions such as chants, excitement levels, and even waving towels during big plays will get you pumped up on the ice to do them proud. There’s even a larger scale of authenticity that will allow you to position better and set up one timers or breakaways just like in real life. Knowing all of this, here is what to look forward to in NHL 10 that makes this, without a shadow of a doubt, a must buy for any hockey fan.
First off you have something that I can’t believe I missed these many years of playing a hockey title; battling on the boards. Now you can shield the puck, kick it to teammates, and even pin opponents against the boards to add the most realistic simulation of battling for the dump and pass seen in a hockey game to date. Sure it seems like a little thing, but the element of strategy and pacing it adds makes me wonder why I never thought of it being missing before. It’s nice that you don’t have to deliver a well placed check against the boards to free up the puck and play it clean for once. Of course you can still stick it to them with some well placed aggression, but that fact that there is an option now to really control the pace of the game is a welcome addition indeed.
If you want to get out your aggressions to pump up the crowd, your team, or just take out your poor performance, there are now ways to antagonize, instigate, or finish that check you want to unload on some jerk thanks to a longer gap in post whistle action. What’s more, if you want to start a fight with a player, not only can you poke at them, but other players will get involved, and little animations such as pie face and grabbing just set things up for you to drop the gloves and duke it out.
Which now will segway into my next new game play addition, the first person fighting engine. No longer do you have the rock’em sock’em robot style NHL fights from the past, as you take things up close and personal. Once the gloves drop you are moved to a first person view where you can punch, block, dodge, grab, and power punch your way to taking down the jerk who has been high sticking and tripping you the whole game. While still far from perfect, this new engine definitely involves you more into the fight than others have tried before. With a few new additions next year such as jersey pulling over the head, and even more free flow controls, this could prove to be a part of the game that the NHL doesn’t want.
New to the options themselves are a new Battle for the Cup Mode that focuses particularly on the playoff atmosphere, reliving rivalries, and creating new ones. Build a Stanley Cup Champion Mode is the new GM mode that allows you to trade, scout, draft, complete owner tasks, hire/fire staff, and do what it takes to be a Legend GM. The Be a Pro mode is back and better than ever, allowing you to earn your way onto a roster slot, draft to a team or choose one you want to play for. You can even play as the “tough guy” on the team who will help protect star players, fight when the need arises, and best off all finish business by checking unfair players against the boards and show the NHL who NOT to mess with. Of course, season mode returns with new multiplayer additions with up to 30 players able to participate in your season long journey to the Stanley Cup finals. Lastly, the EA Sports Hockey League returns online, but at the time of this review I was unable to check out how things will play out, but if it is anything like last year, it should be a good time for gamers even online.
Have I played the competition’s game at the time of this review? No. I will just to compare as part of my journalistic duty, but in all honesty, I can’t imagine 2K delivering not only a better hockey experience, but a better overall sports game. I don’t even think EA can top themselves after this year. So if you are a fan of the NHL or even just a casual fan of sports, you should do yourself a service and pick up a copy of NHL 10. In one word…Amazing!
