Aug 22

Written by: Brian Wray
8/22/2008 10:33 AM

Game: NHL 2K9 Release date: September 10 Previewed by: Brian Wray		I recently watched a video showing NHL 2K9 in action, I this got me excited about the game. The video showed very fluid movements and fast paced gameplay that is missing in other hockey games. So it was with great anticipation that I downloaded the new NHL 2K9 demo on the Xbox Live Marketplace.
The demo allows you to play one short period of hockey as either the Detroit Red Wings or the Pittsburg Penguins (the two Stanley Cup finalist for those living under a rock). 2K Sports has made a great deal of commotion about how they rebuilt the NHL series from scratch for the new generation of console. While the game may be new, it does not feel very new. The game presentation is nice, but somehow the game looks underwhelming. There is nothing that truly stands out as amazing. For some reason the rink feels too small, the ice not “cold” enough, the boards bland, the crowd empty, and the sound hollow. The sound could be because there is no commentary in the demo. I reminded myself that this was a demo and the final product will have a bit more polish, but I have been playing games long enough to know that rarely does the final product differ from the demos. I had gone from hopeful to somehow disappointed in less than a minute, and I did not even play the game yet.
The game was OK, but not special. The controls have taken a step back from last year’s offering, but that is a good thing. The controls in NHL 2K8 were so complicated that even after half a season of playing, I could still not control the puck most times. I took to the “old” controls like a fish to water. Why break what works. This allowed me to realized just how good the button controls are. Do not get me wrong, I like the NHL 08 dual analog stick control mechanism, but too many times I accidentally shot the puck when I was trying to outmaneuver the opponent. This does not happen with buttons. After having played my first game (well one short period) of the new NHL 2K9, I could not help but feel that I played a beta. The game play was fine, but felt a little arcadish to me. The game does show good potential, and could be ready for primetime in NHL 2K10 or 2K11, but no way this game is ready to contend for the 09 cup (kind of like the Toronto Maple Leafs). I was resolved to forget about this title. After having played Too Human for a few hours (wow that game is good), I decided to give the demo another try. This time my expectations were not high. I was not looking forward to being blown away, but just wanted to enjoy some hockey. Maybe it was because I was not looking for glitz and flashy graphics, but for some reason this time the game was way better. There was something about NHL 2K9 that just struck me as different as special, but I could still not put my finger on it. I played 3 more games and then it struck me, it was the physics. It was an epiphatree (Homer style). I was like Neo, who had learnt to see the Matrix. The game’s physics engine was quite obvious to me know. I played another couple games marveling how the game players picked up speed and dished out hits according to actual momentum, and how the recipients of there hits did not all fall in a generic pre-defined animation, but would react to the actual contact. I track a puck as it flew in a very satisfying unpredictable fashion, having deflected towards the net off a defending player, fooling the goaltender just had already committed to moving in the wrong directing leaving the net wide open, just to watch the puck bounce off the crossbars and then to fall back in play. Now this was hockey. Be it on purpose or by accident, but 2K Sports did a good job of releasing a demo without utilizing any flashy animation or rocking music. Too often we see developers using such trick to distract gamers from the fact that the game itself is void of any real substance. 2K Sports opting to let the gameplay sell itself. I am once again excited about this title. -Brian William Wray

Copyright ©2008 Brian Wray

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