Game Title: NHL 09
Platform: PlayStation 3 (also available on Xbox 360, others)
Studio: EA Sports
Rating: E-for-Everyone
Score: 10/10
THE REVIEW:
Gameplay
I'm not really a hockey fan. I probably have a bit more experience with the sport than the average gamer (a beginners' class in college, a handful of Utah Grizzlies games and a semester of covering the BYU team for the university newspaper). But I don't follow a team, I rarely watch games and couldn't name more than a few of the most famous players. I mention this because I want everyone to understand where I'm coming from when I say that "NHL 09" is the most fun I've ever had with a sports game.
The main reason for that statement, and my score, is the game's "Be A Pro" mode. Sports games usually include a "create-a-player" option, where you form your own character, choose his attributes and place him on a team of your choice. But these modes don't do much, aside from giving a small thrill of seeing a player with your last name score a goal/touchdown/slam dunk.
"NHL 09" changes the formula by forcing you to control your player, and only your player, at all times. The camera follows you, not the puck. That includes when you get subbed out of the game and have to watch from the bench. So instead of having ultimate control over the entire team, you must be in the right place on defense, pass the puck and get open. If you're out of position, a large blue arrow will appear on the ice showing you where you should be. If you blow a defensive assignment and get scored on, the coach will let you know on the bench. In this way, the game actually teaches players how hockey should be played, and how each player fits into the team.
"Be A Pro" mode doesn't even start in the pros, though. You'll begin as a third-string player on a minor-league team, and you'll have to follow your coach's feedback to make an impression and improve your play. Eventually, you'll get called up to the NHL and work your way into the starting lineup. As you progress, you'll earn points you can spend on increasing your player's skills, like shot accuracy, checking and speed. The process is slow and arduous, but the payoff is worth it.
If that doesn't sound like fun, "NHL 09" includes all the other sports-game standards, from grabbing a quick game online to building a franchise from the front office. Online play is smooth and especially fun when playing with friends. You can even take the "Be A Pro" concept online and play with four friends on the same team, with each person controlling one player at all times. With downloadable rosters and custom teams, there's plenty of replay value.
As far as the on-ice action, it's intuitive and fun. Most actions are performed using the right analog stick, from slap shots to body checks, while the left stick moves the player and aims shots. The goalie AI is excellent, which makes it frustratingly hard to score at times. But careful passing and movement can catch goalies out of position. Computer opponents have a tendency to score late goals to artificially keep games close, but it's not overly noticeable. The rarity of goals makes each score a thrill, and you'll be just as happy to assist another scorer on your team.
Graphics
While the camera is too far away to catch a lot of in-game detail, the action moves very smoothly, and there's a lot of attention to detail. (My favorite bit: At the start of the period, reflections from the arena scoreboard are visible on the ice, but toward the end of the period the ice looks dull and in need of a Zamboni.)
Audio
Players on the ice constantly cheer each other or call other players' names. Often an audio cue like this is the best way to figure out when to pass or make a substitution. In-arena organ music during stops in the action are a nice touch.
THE WRAP-UP
Parents' take
Hockey is a physical sport. Players are able to body check each other pretty brutally at times, and it is possible to get into fistfights, but there's no blood or overt violence. If you would let your child watch a hockey game, there's nothing to object to here.
Final word
I stumbled across an NHL game on television the other night. Normally I would have surfed right past it. Instead, I found myself enthralled as I watched the players perform strategies I had just attempted in "NHL 09," and I saw new techniques I couldn't wait to try out in the game. I wasn't a hockey fan before "NHL 09," but I just might be now. The "Be A Pro" mode is that revolutionary. "NHL 09" is the best hockey game ever made and possibly my favorite sports game of all time.