The 20 year tradition is back for all Canadian’s and hockey fans world wide to purchase. That’s right, the leaves are starting to change colour, and that means only one thing: IT’S IN THE GAME!
Now this is where is all goes a little weird. I know right, what can they change or mess up in the very first minute of the game? Well you load NHL (pick a recent year) in your console and you expect “IT’S IN THE GAME” and a few mentions of producers and then BAM! The trailer starts up and next thing you know Andrew Ladd is racing down the ice, Roberto Luongo is flashing the leather, Pronger is getting a fierce hit into the wall, the arial views of stadiums like MSG, and in the end the chant’s of WE WANT THE CUP! as the Boston Bruins hold up the trophy of Lord Stanley and yet all of that is missing. Instead you load the game, it says the patent EA line and next thing you know you are playing the Winter Classic with the snow coming down and it is Pittsburg Vs. Capitals. Now to someone who has purchased the game for far too many years in a row, this is not really an issue. I mean picking up EA’s NHL year after year recently is like putting on a new shirt. You know what you are doing, all the motions are in the same place, just maybe this year the colours are a bit different, maybe the sleeves are a bit longer or shorter then they have been in the past, but a shirt none the less. So then why go out and buy another NHL game? Why produce another one? Let’s look into that as we get this review covered, and let’s show what is new in this version of NHL.
- Full Contact Physics Engine
- Full Balance Control
- Be a GM Mode
- Be a Pro Revamped
- Dynamic Goalies
- Goalie Fights
- Anticipation A.I.
- Presentation (Winter Classic)
- EA Sports Action Tracker
- Hockey Ultimate Team
- Legends in NHL’12
So lets look over the elements of the game one by one, and see if what they claim is true, starting with…
Full Contact Physics Engine:
This I have to say is a nice addition in the fact of how it adds a lot more realism to the game, but can be frustrating if your team was not ranked as high by those at the EA studios. For example, when I was playing as Boston with a series of larger players, then making hits on much smaller opponents was both fun and entertaining. As sticks would go here and there and if you got the right angle on a player the helmet would pop off, it was like a yard sale on the ice and all were invited.
Full Balance Control:
Now if you played as the Winnipeg Jets however (who at time of launch still had NHL blank jersey’s… but frustrating) then you notice that your players would not be able to absorb the hits as well, and spend most of the time trying to avoid hits or you were on the ice wondering where the train was heading for. Here is a hint, destination YOU! The fun of this really comes to life when you can take a larger forward like Bertuzzi, park him in front of the net, and laugh as the little defence man attempt to push and shove you out of the way.
Be A GM Mode:
Now the whole point of GM mode is to give you tasks, chores, responsibilities and make it so you feel more involved in the game, and increase over all play value. Personally to me it sounds like a lot of work, so although I like the concept, the more and more they put into the mode, the less I get interested. I don’t want to decide how much hot dogs cost, and how the ticket prices are, if i did I would buy SIMS. For those out there who love the Be a Pro mode, you will be happy to know that they have over hauled the engine that runs the mode and means that things are smoother, more authentic and allow for a more genuine feel. From rookie salaries, to tracking of injuries, playing with retired jerseys, improved A.I. for trading and better visuals the mode is a lot more enjoyable and because of this I have for the first time in a few seasons started this again, and will log my progress on my twitter as time passes.
Be A Pro Revamper:
The biggest change here is the ability to sim. So with the Be A Pro mode they took a chance and made it so that you are able to make a player, or choose a player and when you are not on the ice, you are on the bench and you wait your turn, like a real hockey player. This time around instead of just jumping back on the ice as soon as you can, be it your energy is low or not, you can text sim (see the box score) or straight out SIM till it is your next time to go out on the ice. If it is near the end of a period, it comes back with a few seconds left so you can hear the buzzer for the end of the period. The amount of time and boredom this saves is IMMENSE! I think this is a great addition, and if you want to see what you missed there are replays. Another great feature is that you can migrate your player from NHL’11 to NHL’12. As I personally had not played NHL’11 on the GoodGameMedia XBOX account, I have not yet tested the feature, but I will be doing this soon as it is said to give you bonus to your skills and ranks, and gosh knows if I am going to play for the Jets, I am going to need all the help I can get.
Dynamic Goalies:
The goalies are finally coming into their own. I am a huge fan of goaltenders in the world of hockey, so to see them more realistic is fantastic. You can now crash a goalie, you can bump them and push them, but you can also get called on more penalties because of it.
Goalie Fights:
Ron Hextall would be so proud as you can now fight with your goalie. That’s right, you can drop the gloves and give’r like you were Dan Cloutier, or Patrick Roy. The nice thing is too they have finally changed some of the generic goalie between play screens. Not all of them mind you, but some.
Anticipation A.I.:
This is one of those items that you can tell is there, and working but you notice it more or less depending on the teams you play as, and the players you play against. Basically what EA focused on was be it the Offense, Defense, Offside, or Support A.I. that you were in for as real a game play as is currently possible. I would say they have made a lot of moves to make this true in the game, but that can be both bad and good. When you charge the net and the guys jump into position, and are ready in the slot, setting up the points, and watching the defense looking for that break out the opposite way, that is a good thing. When you are trying to make passes and the opposition is so aware that you cannot get a single pass through, that is a frustrating thing. That being said, practice makes perfect, and the changes made are appreciated.
Presentation:
From the winter classic forward, the look and feel of this game is truly fantastic. The snow in the skies of Pittsburg, the grounds crew working around the field all adds to the element of being there.
EA Sports Action Tracker:
The stats in this game are intense as it tracks near everything you do, and the highlights are simply awesome. Now when between periods, you can watch the top hits, shots, goals and more. They will play from different angles much as if you were watching hockey on TV and they were showing the “after 20″ segment.
Hockey Ultimate Team:
This mode adds a rather fun, and innovative element to the already rather large sports game. So you can take your team and make pre-sets, allowing you to be ready against any other team when you are defending the faster skaters, or a charging line of forwards for the defence that sits back and waits for your charge. As well you can have different line-ups to prepare yourself for different teams or tournaments may be best played by a different lineup of players. What better way to know all this about your opponent, then to go into the Club Scouting where you can view the stats of each of the human players on teams and finally, and one of the greatest options is 24/7 play. You can play against other teams, even when they are offline. This means a ton more opponents are available at any given time.
Legends in NHL’12:
They took what already worked in the ability to play with or against great NHL Legends and made it even better. Now in the Pro mode you can play an NHL Legend and attempt to break milestones. You can also unlock videos that are hosted by one of the NHL’s greatest legends, Wayne Gretzky. In the Ultimate Team mode you can earn a Legendary card and make the ULTIMATE dream team.
So with all of those great options the big question is, is it fun and worth picking up? I myself picked up a copy at the launch party in Vancouver BC and I am very happy I did. This is the first ever version of NHL that makes me want to go back and play a previous year, only so I can have more points in the current season. Unlike Madden, EA has added a lot more to the crowd and elements that add to the over all enjoyment. When you play in the NHL stadiums and arena’s there are more unique jersey’s, crowd calls and energy. I found that when I scored my third goal as the visitor in another location the fans were not only boo’ing but truly looked upset in the seats. For the Canucks fans, after a huge save hearing the crowd yell out “LOOOOUUUUU” adds that perfect touch to the game.
The gameplay is smooth and fun, and I for one cannot wait to take on the next opponent be it going for the Memorial, EA, or Stanley Cup. Online, or offline I am looking for the next break away to roof it off the post and in, while rippling the twine.
^GG
9/10 PRESENTATION
9/10 GRAPHICS
9/10 SOUND
9/10 GAMEPLAY
9/10 LASTING APPEAL
9/10 GG
NHL’12(360)
Release Date: Sept. 13, 2011 (North America)
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Canada
Genre: Sport
Game Play: Single Player, Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
Platform: xbox 360, PS3
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