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Review

Release Date: 09.12.2006
Platform: PlayStation 2
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA SPORTS

Reviewed by Justin Fassino on 9.16.2006

Review Rating: 8/10

User Rating: 8/10

While hockey has entered the next generation of gaming in force, fans of the sport who haven't yet bought an Xbox 360 may be wondering what they can look forward to on the Playstation 2 and Xbox.

One option is the new puck offering from Electronic Arts, NHL 07. It doesn't feature anything majorly new or innovative; in fact, it would be reasonable to claim that NHL 07 is more of a patch to NHL 06 than a completely new game. But for those who have a good eye, and specifically hockey enthusiasts with an attention to detail, there are a lot of little changes to the formula that make this year's game much better than last year's.

At first glance, everything about the gameplay looks remarkably similar to 06: same engine, same graphics, mostly the same commentary, even many of the same cutscenes (though there are a couple new ones). However, the most drastic "addition" is the way you control the action on the ice. Taking a move from the next-gen playbook, NHL 07 features a dual stick control system that feels remarkably fresh. The face buttons on the controller have been mapped to do some of the more minor actions, like hooking, dekeing, and calling for support from a teammate. The shoulder buttons and right stick are where it's at. Players will move with the left analog stick. make passes with the right, and shoot with the R1 and R2 buttons (slapshot and wrist shot, respectively). It seems simple enough, but after playing a couple of games, it becomes apparent that this control setup offers a new degree of freedom and execution on the ice. Now players can skate in one direction and pass in another, giving you much more control of your team and allowing strategies like cycling down low and the ability to really move the puck on the powerplay, from the point to the halfboards or even ringing it around behind the net.

The defensive AI has also been vastly improved. Gone are the days where you could stand in a single spot and wait for one of the defensmen to get out of position before passing to the slot for a one-timer. The CPU will now challenge the puck carrier with the body, forcing you to make quick passes and use your entire team, not just the superstars. In fact, a lot of this game is about working to find your way into a scoring position. Since one-timers have been drastically reduced in power and efficiency this year, scoring with them is a very rare occurance, and you'll really have to set up the play to succeed. It's many of the little touches like this that have improved the solid but flawed gameplay of 06. It feels like a real game of hockey instead of pinball on ice (though if you prefer a more arcade style, there are a wealth of sliders to customize the gameplay).

On defense, EA has now mapped the poke check to the right analog stick, allowing you to get your stick into passing lanes and otherwise harass oncoming forwards. It feels great, and it's about time that this feature was implemented; it's one of the things the 2K series has done for years. Checking is no longer as powerful as it once was either, meaning in order to knock an opponent off his skates, you'll really have to line up the hit. Again, this small detail makes the game that much more realistic and closer to something you might see in the real NHL.

Goalies have been improved somewhat too, though not to the degree that you might have hoped, as they still occasionally let in soft goals (in particular, it seems all goalies are weak on the glove side). This leads to some balance issues during gameplay; if you play five minute periods, you'll usually end up with realistic scores, but a low number of shots on goal (which lowers goalie save percentage). Conversely, if you play 10 minute periods, you'll usually wind up with realistic shot totals, but unrealistic scores. It doesn't make too much of a difference, but it can be irksome when you realize it's one of the few areas that doesn't reflect a simulation-type game.

Elsewhere, dynasty mode has been made more intuitive and features several nice additions. As in the real NHL, a hard salary cap has been implemented, meaning you can no longer stock your team with all-stars, as you won't be able to afford them. Instead, you'll need to manage your budget to get the maximum bang for your buck.

Also added this year is the ability to send players on your team to the minors and have them develop before getting a spot on the pro club (again, this is something the 2K series has had for years, but it's nice to finally see it here).

Owner goals are still made part of dynasty mode, though they aren't nearly so silly as the ones found in the last couple editions of the game. Adding to the strategy, when beginning a new dynasty, you are asked to pick a GM type, and based on the type you select, your team will enjoy certain advantages and disadvantages. For example, a money-conscious GM will be able to sign players for less money, but will have higher expectations from the owner (namely: win now, not later). Other types include GMs that can get the most development out of their roster, but will make it difficult to upgrade the team in other areas (like injury resistance, skating ability, morale, etc.). All in all dynasty mode is more solid than last year's, and the few new options add a lot of depth.

There are some other areas where elements from the previous game have been removed or changed in illogical ways. The edit player feature can now only be used on free agents, meaning that if you want to change the attributes of a certain player (and believe me, you will; some of the attributes are downright ridiculous), you first have to trade them to the free agent list, then navigate to another menu to edit them, and then trade them back to the team they came from. It is a major headache and it's impossible to figure out why EA would change to this method after last year's edit player function was so solid.

All in all, though, the gameplay on the ice matters most, and NHL 07 nails it. It's not perfect, but it's fun and more realistic than it's ever been. Current-gen hockey fans don't want to miss this one.

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9.16.2006 - Screenshots (4)