NHL 10 - Review

Added October 6th, 2009 by Karmum

It’s difficult to build upon an already great predecessor, so when EA released NHL 10 this month, it was time to put up or shut up. NHL 09 was previously praised by multiple websites as the ‘Best Sports Game.’ Now that NHL 10 is here, NHL 09 is no longer the talk of the sports community. The minute changes to NHL 10 don’t make it an astronomical leap over NHL 09, but it does keep the same great formula and flash and will raise the bar, not only for hockey games but for sports game as a whole.

NHL 10 isn’t bringing anything new to the table, as did NHL 09 along with its dozen or so sports game of the year awards. This isn’t a bad thing, and NHL 10 isn’t making a side-track at all, but you shouldn’t be expecting to be blown away features wise with this latest installment in the series. Never fear hockey enthusiasts! The core gameplay is enough to keep you satisfied for another year.

Core gameplay and formula remain and in-tact. If the formula works, don’t change it. EA Sports followed that motto to heart, and I almost thought I was playing NHL 09 all over again. Everything changes from there however, because NHL 10 does bring some new gameplay tweaks to the table (or is it the rink?) which includes fighting for the puck on the boards. Sometimes it looks natural and fluid, while other times it just seems weird for the players to make the transition from skating to the boards. An extra depth of realization which will bring you closer to the ultimate hockey experience.

Fighting is back, and although it may be better than ever, that might be a slight stretch. I never found fighting in the first person perspective to work, and punches and blocking attacks never come off natural. Although I don’t have first hand experience in hockey fighting, I could almost be certain blood and bruises were always a part of the NHL fighting experience. Who else wants to see a broken nose? I do!

Some other subtle features include the ability to grab the puck from the air. Wen you do this, you will want to immediately score a goal. Although extremely difficult, it’s something you’ll want to try to accomplish, so you can upload it for the whole internet to see. Different new features including post-play interaction, which can range from just skating around the rink like a mad man, to pushing someone down, to causing an actual fight. For whatever reason, the referees seem to be oblivious to such actions, because it isn’t even fighting; it’s a free-for-all out there. Your chances of causing a huge ruckus are quite high, and the refs turn a blind eye to such trickery.

Although NHL 10 is the definitive hockey game on the market, it isn’t without faults. I’ve had the AI pass the puck back to each other when they’re side-by-side. Most of the players in the game are easily distinguishable, but there is always that one or two you’ll notice that have no resemblance to their real-life counterparts. These are things that need to be fixed.

In terms of new modes, NHL 10 doesn’t really add much to its previous core modes. Its “Fight for the Cup” lets you jump immediately to the Stanley Cup Finals. Franchise Mode is back. It isn’t really new, but “new” features that should have been in prior games are now present The other two modes that have packed the most meat are “Be a GM” and “Be a Pro.” Instead of just entering the NHL Draft as a rookie, you now can be any of your favorite NHL bad boys. If you decide to not take the latter route, you can always start out as a rookie and pave your career at first in the AHL league, and move up to the NHL.

“Be a GM” mode has returned and is better than before. New features include a cohesive and logical trade system. Long gone are the trades that allow you to shoot the feet of other teams. The reputation comes in place when you attempt to pull a fast one on a different team, and your reputation will begin to plummet because of your nefarious actions. Shame on you! Although both of these work pretty well, chances are you’ll have the occasional trade that you’ll need to accept, even if you don’t want to. Now, I feel like a true NHL General Manager!

EA Sports Hockey League is back, and allows you to team up with five other friends to play some good old hockey. That’s right, five different people, and the performance doesn’t not hinder either. I never had a problem with lag. Other online features include one-on-one matchups (I.e. shootouts), and the standard twelve-on-twelve contests.

NHL 10’s presentation largely remains the same. Some small tweaks include more rambunctious crowds and towel-wavers during the playoffs. You’re not going to find many differences there and on the broadcasting side, but that isn’t a bad thing either. NHL 09 presented itself well, and so does NHL 10.

NHL 10 is a lavishing sports game, that is for sure. You’ll see goalies flop around to make tremendous plays, and players grabbing pucks out of the air for potential highlight reel goals. The biggest problem with NHL 10 has to be its mediocre framerate. Stable for the most part, the game is hindered quite a bit whilst playing in Be a Pro, and especially during instant replays. Small hiccups during playtime also drop the overall quality a bit, but getting past that small fault remains a great visual experience. Gary Thorne and Bill Clement are back and broadcasting for NHL 10, and remain a solid duo. Audio wise, you’ll hear shouts for different line changes, and hits, checks, and everything between sounds great as well.

NHL 10 remains the definitive hockey game without a doubt, but let’s not beat around the bush. NHL 10 feels like a middle ground between trying to be somewhat new, and holding onto its safety blanket that was NHL 09. NHL 10 is a great game, but how much different is it from NHL 09? Anything that felt “new” were additions that should have been included in previous games, and the framerate remains a hinder. NHL 10 isn’t going to disappoint you, or for that matter, detract from your overall experience, but the miniscule changes to its gameplay and formula aren’t going to be reeling in any new fans