NHL Friday

[mlbtheshow]

Now its an exciting week coming up for all NHL enthusiasts as we have our annual 2 games released this week. The States get theirs tomorrow (officially) whilst our side of the pond we wait to that glorious Friday.

OK, so what are these 2 games - well firstly and probably more well known in the UK is EA Sports NHL Series, this year creatively called NHL 10.

Now NHL 10 is building on a 2 year period of soild games, 08 put the series back on track whilst 09 scooped up a ton of awards, introduced the popular EASHL (online 5v5 league) and improved its on ice gameplay.

This years version promises more of the same with a few tweaks, notably board play and improving the AI. Off the ice there is the new Be A GM mode which gives the franchise aspect of the game a new feel and with BAP getting further touch ups, could this series fail to deliver?

Well, the recently released demo was good, but lets be honest it was 09 with a a bit of polish. OK for a multi award winning game than can be seen as good enough, but if you played 09 (offline) for the past year the chances are 10 will not satisfy you. Online, well thats a different kettle of fish and imo probably EAs saving grace as the EASHL is a hugely popular option.

Link here for more details: http://nhl.easports.com/home.action


Without going too indepth on the EA series as everyone can make their own mind up, I would like to throw in a spanner in the works. 2K.

2K8/2K9 you will say (maybe), I agree both poor representations for a series that had held EAs by the throat for the best part of this decade. Now with 2K9 possibly the worst of the lot, a 5 month development cycle, the developers deciding not to patch the game... the fanbase took a hit in a bad way, so 2K10 has to be their comeback game.

Unfortunately due to financial constraints we didnt get a demo... but with the recent community event in San Jose and the release of various videos, 2K are back in the game and have... HAVE to be considered as the game to get if you are a serious NHL fan and interested in getting 'sim-hockey' out of your video games.

The game will have its problems, the game will require slider adjustments, but the fundamentals are already there in the game and that is where 2K will surprise many. The offline franchise has the potential to be the most organic experience yet.

Online modes are there, Online CO-OP franchises (invite anyone in to play any game in your franchise at any time), Online Franchises, 5v5 games... its all there... bar a BAP style online option.

Link here: http://2ksports.com/games/nhl2k10

I hope whatever game you pickup you will enjoy as for once, a sport has 2 developers genuinely exicted to bring out solid, quality titles.... each with its own positives and negatives. But if I could ask those out there to ignore the reviews and trust the sim gamers on sites such as Operation Sports, as you will then be able to buy the game that best suits your needs.

Ive waffled and I know most NHL fans will have heard of both series, but for those that havent (and rightly so as EAs series has been the flag bearer for 2 years) just keep an eye out on 2K10, you have 3/4 days to catch up on user opinions and at the end of it, will have 2 great games to choose from (maybe you can get both!).

 

[mlbtheshow]

Sorry, long post - but for me, im swaying towards 2K10 this year having been a 2 year stalwart for the EA series. Although the NHL 10 demo was decent, it was too samey for me, offered me little in improvements to warrant a pre-order.

2K10 has peaked my interest with a lot of good comments coming out of various sites, and although I will not fully make my mind up until tomorrows release and eventual flood of information, I am excited to be in a position that there are 2 good games for me to pick from!

 

[mlbtheshow]

Not that im saying either of you guys have chosen based on that review, but it was a blatant "We are arcade gamers, let us put the disc in and ooh look at the sparkles" review.

Faults already logged on NHL 10 include not having enough AI shots on goal, defence being easy as the AI offense backs out as soon as you block the lane... then instead of looking at other options, they wait for you to clear the lane... - now im not saying a patch and/or sliders could not fix this, but one of the top sim reviewers of the game is disappointed in that just playing simple defense, stops the AI flat and that they have no 2nd gameplan.

Now I cannot say 2K will be any different to this, but you just have to look at the slider sets (0-100) huge variety offered there both CPU/USER... also teams have sliders sets per line, per offensive formation... the minimal feedback on the sliders suggest that they do what you want... make the CPU dump and chase realistically and they will do that... turn it the other way and they become dumb (just as sliders should do).

Id stay away from 'major reviews' one site already gave 2K10 a 5.5 based on the dekeing system. Just because they liked EAs wide swaying and easy left/right dekes, 2Ks dekes are more refined and tighter which use a different animation... and reflect player attributes.

Now I could easily pickup EAs game for £40 on Friday, im not saying it will be worse/it is worse... but id advise people to think a bit, look more indpeth at the games rather than the major reviewers and if you like realistic sim hockey, to give 2K a glance (its what im doing, after being a EA NHL customer for 2 years straight) ... and @ 24.99 its not a wallet buster.

 

[mlbtheshow]

2K10 arrives tomorrow - its somewhere with TNT at the minute

Cant wait, its getting good feedback in the community which is all I can ask for.

NHL 10 also getting good reps as well.

 

[mlbtheshow]

Yeah I got NHL 10 coming tomorrow well looking forward to it. Why no NHL 2k10 demo this year mate?

Cool, be good to hear your thoughts - as I say, I had 08 and 09 and enjoyed 09 particularly but found myself left a bit hollow with their franchise mode (which is one of the pulls for me to get 2K10 this year).

As for no 2K10 demo, I believe their official line was they couldnt afford to dedicate resources on a demo... a risky choice really as they are so far behind EA in attracting more gamers.

 

[mlbtheshow]

2K10 is quality - the game has bags of untapped potential out of the box, its scary how good this game can and will be once the sliders etc have been nailed down.

I can understand why EA fans may not like it, its not arcadey, its not got 5 players a side doing wild dekes, its not got tape to tape passes rattling around the ice.... its organic. If you like the NHL 10 'so-called' puck physics, you will be in awe of 2Ks... it is a seperate entity, not like EA where by the puck will get magnetic in animations.

I might sound like im slagging off the EA game, but im not, I understand there are 2 markets. 1, which EA have cornered is the casual pick up and play gamers, whilst the other is sim hockey fans... if you are in the latter then you will not find a game better than 2K10.

 

[mlbtheshow]

Does 2K10 have online clubs/teams though ?

Playing against the CPU can only hold ones interest for so long.

Thats why the EA game is for people like yourself, casual hockey players.

If the AI is good enough, as it is with 2Ks game... it does and will hold your interest.

As for 2K online options, it has online franchise, online team play (5v5) but not using a BAP character and normal 1v1 ranking games. It also has CO-OP franchise, where by anyone can join your offline franchise for a game or more.

Im not arguing EA hasnt cornered the casual market, they have done it well... they game enhancements over shadow the glaring faults with the game as its primarily designed for multiplayer.

2K has fallen behind in that sense.. the Wii version is its attempt to get some sort of casual gamer to the series.

Its horses for courses... 2K if you are a NHL buff and want sim hockey (or as close to sim as you can) or EA if you like playing an arcade game online.