"It’s
a good first-time effort, but good isn’t good enough against the
excellent NHL 2004 (from EA Sports) and NHL ESPN Hockey (from Sega
Sports)."
Following
its NFL Fever, NBA Inside Drive, and Inside Pitch series, Microsoft
finally has an NHL game to join them: NHL Rivals 2004. Much like the
other three games, NHL Rivals 2004 has a few features that establish it
as a viable option for Xbox sports gamers. But unfortunately, just like
the other three Microsoft franchises, it doesn’t have the complete
package that its competitors EA Sports and Sega Sports offer in their
respective hockey titles. It’s a good first-time effort, but good
isn’t good enough against the excellent NHL 2004 (from EA Sports) and
NHL ESPN Hockey (from Sega Sports).
Unlike the other “Big Four” franchises from Microsoft (NFL, NBA, and
Major League Baseball) NHL Rivals 2004 leans more to the simulation side
of the ice than to an arcade oriented style of gameplay. As such, you
will see a lot of low-scoring affairs (especially with the difficulty
settings increased), much like in the NHL itself, where netting more
than two goals a game is considered a potent offense. In single-player
action, there are a few modes to shred up the ice, including Season
mode, Playoff, Tournament, Pickup and even a Rivals mode that randomly
squares off two long and bitter NHL rivals. But just like its other 2003
first-time sports entry, Inside Pitch 2003, there isn’t a franchise
mode to be seen, which is a big issue when deciding on a possible
purchase among today’s hardcore sports gamers weaned on EA Sports
lineup of detailed 30-year franchise modes.
But NHL 2004 Rivals does have a major advantage that the NHL hockey
series from EA doesn’t offer Xbox gamers: online gameplay through Xbox
Live. As part of the fledgling XSN sports network, NHL Rivals 2004
allows you to create your own online leagues and updated rosters will be
available for download throughout the season. It’s online that NHL
Rivals 2004 can show off some of its best features, but also brings some
of its gameplay issues to center ice attention, too.
NHL Rivals supports full 10-player online games. Each player (excluding
the goalie) can be assigned to a single online player. Although
there’s a lot of teamwork needed in team matches to achieve success in
first-person shooters over Xbox Live, NHL Rivals 2004 with all the
hockey rules on (icing, two-line passes, offside) is a huge litmus test
for your working-as-a-team-and-not-an-individual skills. If you can find
10-player games online, then certainly join, because this is NHL Rivals
2004 at its best, especially compared to one-on-one matches that can
expose some of the game’s online weaknesses.
I won’t say that it’s cheating, because it’s not a player’s
fault that you can do it in an online contest. But some players can
almost score at will and your A.I. defense doesn’t have a viable
solution to shut it down. While the game is simulation-style hockey
offline, online it can turn into an arcade-type goal-scoring affair if
your adversary knows how to advantageously exploit the game’s uneven
online A.I.
What really is necessary, particularly online, is developing a scoring
touch, and that definitely is easier said than done. You can learn how
to score in the Open Ice mode, where you can skate and practice all of
Rivals’ moves while shooting five-on-none against Martin Brodeur of
the New Jersey Devils, only the best goalie in the league. This helps
hone your scoring if you practice long enough, but it takes earnest
gameplay sessions in a lot of hockey contests to still get good at
putting the puck in the net, especially when you account for five other
opposing players on the ice with the and less-than-sufficient controls.
There are a good number of available moves, including dekes, wrist
shots, slap shots, passing, dumping the puck into and out of zones, and
hitting. But it isn’t always simple to get the puck-handler to do what
you want him to do instantaneously. Harder is defense, where performing
efficient neutralizing moves against a rushing opponent without giving
up a scoring chance takes some practice. And good hits often result in a
roughing penalty instead of earning time on the highlight reel.
A couple of well-developed facets of the NHL experience show up in NHL
Rivals 2004. The faceoff system is similar to NHL Hitz in that you are
given a selection of faceoff strategies that will either counteract the
selection choice of your opponent or be counteracted. Rivals’ fight
system is good too, actually allowing you to decide if you want to fight
or avoid it completely (but let’s face it, you’ll most likely be
dropping the gloves every time).
The game’s A.I. helps give Rivals its simulation feel, but not in an
altogether good way. Up the difficulty setting, and even lowly goalies
turn into Hall of Famers, stopping even point-blank shots. The A.I.
usually provides sufficient defensive help for and against you, but
makes some boneheaded decisions on offense both ways. On clear-cut
breakaways with you trailing badly behind, the A.I. will unbelievably
many, many times pass the puck to a trailing A.I. teammate, giving you
the break you need to get back into defensive position.
Both the visual and sound presentation of Rivals are mixed. Visually,
Rivals is clean-looking in its arenas and realistic crowds, and to a
degree, the players themselves. But the facial features of the players
don’t match their true-life counterparts. And NHL Rivals 2004’s
on-ice player animations are weak, with only a few basic animated moves
for any player, nowhere near the total you’ll see in EA Sports’
latest offering. Sound effects aren’t near the high quality of again,
NHL 2004 from EA Sports, which is so realistic in its amount of sound
effects, you actually think you’re watching a television broadcast of
NHL hockey. The announcing tandem of Sam Rosen and John Davidson do
a decent job in their in-game analysis and commentary, but NHL Rivals
2004 could have used more overall interjection from its announcing team
at the appropriate time. The first period could almost be over before
they will even announce the team’s starting lineups.
Much like a NHL expansion team that does unexpectedly well in its
initial campaign but doesn’t have any realistic chance of competing
for even a number-eight seed playoff spot, NHL Rivals 2004 is a good
start for Microsoft’s hockey franchise, but needs many more superstar
elements to challenge its competition in the hockey game arena. But if
you already own more than one of the other 2004 XSN sports titles with
an Xbox Live subscription, you definitely may want to consider NHL
Rivals 2004.
