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Platform: Xbox Genre: Sports Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: EA Canada ESRB: E (Everyone) Released: Q4 2004
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NHL 2005Score: 6.7 / 10 |
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Pros: - Excellent visuals - Open Ice Function - Online play - Two button shooting - World Cup of Hockey
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Cons: - ESPN NHL 2K5 is a better game in almost everyway - Commentating seems recycled and uninteresting - Default settings will need to be tweaked the first time you play - Plays extremely similar to last year’s game - Free 4 All mode can’t compete with the Party mode in ESPN NHL 2K5
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"This year’s hockey title from EA Sports hasn’t changed much from last season." |
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This year hockey fans seem to be shortchanged with a lockout in place. There seems like there won’t be any season at all this year. Thankfully there is no absence of hockey titles. EA Sports hockey series has always seemed to suffer from the “odd year jinx”. As far back as NHL 99, the series has struggled to make drastic improvements in the 1999, 2001, and 2003 versions. This season is no different as NHL 2005 doesn’t feature nearly as many improvements as Sega’s hockey title.
The game still plays like an arcade version of hockey, at least when compared to ESPN NHL 2k5. The first thing you’ll notice about this year’s game is that the default settings need to be tweaked. There are almost no penalties called at the default settings, so you can basically get away with everything. The gameplay and most game modes from the last year are relatively the same with a few minor tweaks here and there. One of my biggest gripes with last year’s game was the lack of open ice play. Every two seconds you’d find your player lying on the ice from hit after hit. It got to the point where you’d feel like your playing NHL Hitz. This year one of the biggest additions to the on ice play is the new open ice function. The open ice function allows you to take control of a player without the puck when your team is on offense. You can then position your player however you’d like. The open ice function works pretty good, but take time to master properly. Also when you switch players when you’re on offense that camera still remains focused on the player with the puck so at times you won’t be able to see exactly where your player is.
Another welcome change to the on-ice gameplay is the switch to a two shoot button feature. There are two separate shoot buttons: one for slap shots and one for wrist shots. The game has also placed a heavier emphasis on face-off strategies. Before each face-off you can position your players in a certain fashion. Taking a page out of NHL Hitz Pro from last year, EA has included a new wrap around button. When you go behind the opposing team’s net and press the B button your player will attempt to do a quick wrap around. The wrap around button increases the goal variety in the game, so it’s a nice addition. Last year’s widely popular Dynasty Mode is back and it features some nifty new upgrades as well. One of the coolest new additions has to do with editing your lines. There is a new team chemistry feature. In previous editions of the game, you could usually just stack your lines with the top goal scorers and have success. Well now, different players will display chemistry with one another. Rather than stacking your lines with goal scorers you could have a goal scorer, play maker and a heavy hitter on a line and still have great team chemistry. Like last year’s game there is also a large financial aspect to managing your team. You’ll also be fairly in touch with your team’s management as there is a new email system that allows you to see news from around the league and emails from your team’s owner. At the beginning of the dynasty mode you’re given a series of goals that your team must accomplish, such as making the playoffs or winning the Stanley Cup. If you don’t successfully accomplish your goals then your Dynasty mode is over. However, there is no option to turn these goals on or off. So if you don’t enjoy this aspect of the Dynasty Mode, then you’re better off playing the Season Mode.
If you’ve played ESPN NHL 2K5, then you’ll know that there is a game mode called Party Mode. The Party Mode consisted of sixteen mini-games testing your passing, hitting, shooting and skating skills. EA’s answer to this is the new Free-4-All mode. The Free-4-All mode can be played with up to four players. The game is one on one and the winner is determined by who scores the most goals. There is also some nice customization to this mode, such the inclusion of AI controlled defensemen to make things more interesting. Unfortunately, the Free-4-All mode comes nowhere near the fun and innovative experience as ESPN’s Party Mode. Last summer, the only hockey available involving real NHL players was the World Cup of Hockey. This year’s game features the World Cup of Hockey. You’ll get to play as all the teams that played in last summer’s tournament. For the second year in a row Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson provide the play-by-play and for the second year in a row it proves to be a disappointment. ESPN NHL 2K5 has set the bar for what a sports game’s play by play should sound like. Lots of Jim Hughson’s lines sound recycled from the previous years, while Craig Simpson just doesn’t have a whole lot to say. This year’s hockey title from EA Sports hasn’t changed much from last season. If you own NHL 2004, then you’re not going to find many new features in this year’s game. You’re better off picking up ESPN NHL 2K5 because for the third year in a row Sega’s hockey series takes the Cup as it’s made the furthest leap forward in improvements. - Siddharth Masand (November 11, 2004)
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