tory
09-19-2006, 07:44 AM
i see a few other threads for the other hockey games, but i just thought i'd give this game a little personal review, and share some of the details while i have a few minutes before work. if anyones thinking about picking this game up hopefully i'll be able to help a little w/that decision.
anyone familiar w/the EA hockey games in the past 3 years, not much has changed aside from the controls. the graphics are the same, the speed of the game is the same, and the dynasty mode is pretty much the same. the controls are very different. the right analog stick now controls the passing on offense, and on defense it is a poke in the direction you move it. the speed burst has moved from R1 to L1, and R1 has become a slapshot that you can charge up, and R2 is your wrister. not too big a deal i guess, but very frustrating to say the least, when getting used to... imagine running a slap shot when your trying to speed burst up the ice . the online play is pretty much the same. not nearly as many stats as madden has for football, but enough to give you an idea of how you play, or what type of opponent your going up against.
hockey now has the players salary cap, however up to this point in the game i have yet to experience it's effect. this is the only difference in dynasty mode. you still have the ability to make the franchise upgrades, but instead of the upgrades coming when you win home games to make more $ to spend, it's all dependant upon owner approval. once you earn enough of the owners trust, (a little meter bar that fills as you win) you get more upgrades. you can upgrade your salary cap... that being said, i'm about 15 games into the season, and i've signed a 4 mil. a year free agent, and traded away my first couple draft picks for some other key defensive acquisitions of players rated 90 or better and have not hit the wall yet.
slapshots appear to be easier to block, or stop (maybe i'm too slow) and one timers are definately harder to hit. aside from that the goalies tend to poke check alot more when you get in too close which is a good thing. also the a.i. will check you into the boards when you get into their zone along the edges, something else they didnt do very effectively last year. the defenders also poke check alot when you go for one timers making that another reason they are more difficult. if you play w/the manual aim on prepare to not score alot at first. this i am having the most trouble with. when setting up one timers you pass w/ur right analog stick, then before it gets to your other player (the pass) you have to charge the slap shot (or wrister if you prefer) while moving the left analog stick in possibly another direction in a matter of 1/2 a second. not too big a deal, but if your other player is moving in to the goal to pass towards another player, it's alot of quick movements in opposite directions more often than not and since i havent mastered this control yet most of my one timer shots tend to go right into the goalies chest (standard middle, as if you didnt aim at all)
all in all it's the same NHL EA game as last year w/updated controls and rosters. it's only 30$ so if your a hockey fan i guess it's worth your while. from what i've read of reviews on the EA Xbox 360 version is outstanding. i look forward to getting that when i have 500$ to spend.
anyone familiar w/the EA hockey games in the past 3 years, not much has changed aside from the controls. the graphics are the same, the speed of the game is the same, and the dynasty mode is pretty much the same. the controls are very different. the right analog stick now controls the passing on offense, and on defense it is a poke in the direction you move it. the speed burst has moved from R1 to L1, and R1 has become a slapshot that you can charge up, and R2 is your wrister. not too big a deal i guess, but very frustrating to say the least, when getting used to... imagine running a slap shot when your trying to speed burst up the ice . the online play is pretty much the same. not nearly as many stats as madden has for football, but enough to give you an idea of how you play, or what type of opponent your going up against.
hockey now has the players salary cap, however up to this point in the game i have yet to experience it's effect. this is the only difference in dynasty mode. you still have the ability to make the franchise upgrades, but instead of the upgrades coming when you win home games to make more $ to spend, it's all dependant upon owner approval. once you earn enough of the owners trust, (a little meter bar that fills as you win) you get more upgrades. you can upgrade your salary cap... that being said, i'm about 15 games into the season, and i've signed a 4 mil. a year free agent, and traded away my first couple draft picks for some other key defensive acquisitions of players rated 90 or better and have not hit the wall yet.
slapshots appear to be easier to block, or stop (maybe i'm too slow) and one timers are definately harder to hit. aside from that the goalies tend to poke check alot more when you get in too close which is a good thing. also the a.i. will check you into the boards when you get into their zone along the edges, something else they didnt do very effectively last year. the defenders also poke check alot when you go for one timers making that another reason they are more difficult. if you play w/the manual aim on prepare to not score alot at first. this i am having the most trouble with. when setting up one timers you pass w/ur right analog stick, then before it gets to your other player (the pass) you have to charge the slap shot (or wrister if you prefer) while moving the left analog stick in possibly another direction in a matter of 1/2 a second. not too big a deal, but if your other player is moving in to the goal to pass towards another player, it's alot of quick movements in opposite directions more often than not and since i havent mastered this control yet most of my one timer shots tend to go right into the goalies chest (standard middle, as if you didnt aim at all)
all in all it's the same NHL EA game as last year w/updated controls and rosters. it's only 30$ so if your a hockey fan i guess it's worth your while. from what i've read of reviews on the EA Xbox 360 version is outstanding. i look forward to getting that when i have 500$ to spend.