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Platform: 360, PS2, XB Genre: Sports Publisher: 2K Sports Developer: Kush Games/2K Sports ETA:
September 2005 (360, Q4 2005) Review: Gretzky NHL 2005 (PS2)
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NHL 2K6
For the last year or so, I haven’t given a rat’s ass about NHL hockey. At first I was disappointed not being able to turn on the TV and watch some hockey – any hockey – after work. Then I found other things to do and it didn’t seem all that bad and it wasn’t too long after that I completely tuned it out. Even with the recent lockout, EA and 2K Sports went ahead and published hockey games, but even more incredibly they’re both publishing hockey games for 2005-06! The upcoming season will be one of trying to rebuild interest in the sport and get the crowds back (particularly below the 49th Parallel) so now’s the time for both hockey franchises to kick it up a notch or two. At E3 I got to see NHL 2K6 in action (and even play it a little) and I was impressed, which in itself – being impressed – is amazing because most sports games that feature yearly iterations mostly illicit yawns. The problem is that there is an expectation that somehow the developer will reinvent the wheel every year. What 2K has done with NHL 2K6 is put a great-looking hubcap on it and rework the tread to grip the road during icy conditions. When this generation of hockey games hit the ice, you could squint and almost believe you were watching a game. With NHL 2K6, you can leave your eyes comfortably open and the illusion won’t broken. But let’s take a look at the facts from 2K Sports: On-the-Fly Coaching - Play your style of hockey at both ends of the ice by calling team strategy during the action. Control your offensive flow by effortlessly crashing the net, screening the goalie or pinching your defensemen. Then, counter the attack by clearing out the crease, setting up a break out for an offensive rush, or clearing the zone. |
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NHL Caliber Animations - Hundreds of completely new NHL quality animations including goaltending, checking, shooting, and passing--bringing you the most authentic on ice action to date. Franchise Perfection - An unsurpassed franchise experience hinges a team's success on your ability to schedule workouts, scrimmages and manage team chemistry. The Online Experience - 2K Sports continues to lead the online gaming revolution as |
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NHL 2K6 features seamless online play and the most comprehensive online feature anywhere, including completely online stat tracking, buddy lists management, and online leagues.
Should all that information make the casual gamer care? Probably not, but fans of the series and hockey in general should take note. The bigger question is what will NHL 2K6 retail for? There’s also the question of how the Xbox 360 version will be different from the Playstation 2 and Xbox versions. While the 360 version is likely to have slightly smoother graphics thanks to the extra horsepower, will there be any 360 specific features? Whatever the answers, it will be the only hockey title available for the 360 – EA seems to have given it a miss. With only a brief hands-on, the controls felt sharp and responsive. I didn’t really get a feel for the On-the-Fly Coaching, but anything is better than pausing the game and setting strategies manually. It can only streamline the experience. The new NHL season is scheduled to start this fall and NHL 2K6 will be ready just before that in September. - Omni (July 21, 2005) |
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