Sometimes you have to seek out an alternative to feed your craving. That's how life can be at times. For instance, take the National Hockey League. This year, there's an impending lockout as both sides (the owners and the hockey league themselves) try to reach an agreement and fail in each attempt. What's a die-hard hockey fan to do? Well, they can either go ahead and soak in the minimal action that the World Cup tournament is offering, try to find some independent hockey league (maybe even roller hockey) to fulfill their desires, or perhaps invest in a good video game where they can re-enact their own hockey world and forget about the greed surrounding the real one. Hey, they're not all happy alternatives, but alternatives nonetheless.

Sega has a great one for you. Like last year's excellent ESPN NHL Hockey, ESPN NHL 2K5 has the kind of offerings that can make a player salivate on demand. (Take that, Pavlov!) It's got gameplay improvements that seem to add a new dimension of precision hitting to the game, the visual presentation to make a player feel as if they're right there in Pepsi Center, watching the Avalanche kick the Red Wings back to Detroit, and deep, satisfying modes to savor for months at a time, perhaps even enough to cover what would have been the real NHL season.

The game is not perfect, however. Let's go ahead and address a couple of the problems that plague it, and get them out of the way. First, the game features a neat little face-off system where you can see the face-off from overhead while also glimpsing at the players on the side through a picture-in-picture presentation in the upper corner. This is a neat idea, but the slowdown involved somewhat hampers the chances of winning a face-off every time. It could've been tightened up a little bit. Also, the game does feature some ESPN tools of the trade like replays and such, but not nearly as often as they were featured in ESPN NFL 2K5. No post-game reports or interviews? No National Hockey Night wrap-ups? I thought this was an ESPN experience. Finally, something should be told about the game's AI. There are a number of difficulty settings available, but the defense and the goalies can sometimes still be cranked up to eleven, if you will. A goalie can block a huge number of shots, including one-timers, even when you think you have a wide-open attempt at the goal. Of course, that's not to say scoring is impossible, but some rookie players may find themselves frustrated over the fact that they can't score that easily. Personally, I favor a good challenge and not something that will let me score every five seconds, like, say, NHL Hitz.

OK, that's out of the way. Now let's get to the good stuff. Despite the fact that the game lacks what I consider the "ESPN touch", it's still got some very focused presentation. The graphics themselves look fantastic, with detailed player animations, excellent attention to detail, and small effects throughout. The two things that really sit aside for me are the ice reflections of the players and the overhead lamps that look sweet (but not to the point of distraction from what's going on in the game) and the spray of ice that comes up from your skates when you make a stop or a sudden turn. Wow. The replay system looks great as well, letting you run back and see what you did right (or wrong) on a play. The game looks soooo detailed and so pretty, it's almost like sitting there in an arena. The crowds could have looked a little better, but what's there isn't too bad and allows focus on what really matters on ice.

Sound-wise, I'm equally impressed. Gary Thorne and Bill Clement return to provide commentary, and while it can be a bit repetitive from time to time (and not nearly as deep as NFL 2K5's commentary), it still fits the game rather well, letting you know what's going on and even adding in a little clever bit now and then. The sound effects are perfect, even though the crowd noise can sometimes be a bit off in terms of timing (not so much it's distracting, however). The in-game music is decent, but you can configure it around your own customized soundtracks so you can add your own little victory tunes after each goal or even in the mini-games, which add to the mood. (Well, depending on your style of music- I'm not sure if Marilyn Manson can really pick up a party anymore.) Overall, I'm very pleased with the sound options.

Ahh, the gameplay. The element that either makes a hockey game excellent or breaks it. EA Sports' NHL series has been hampered year after year because the gameplay really hasn't improved too much (NHL 2005 is supposed to tell a different story, but we'll see). Fortunately, Kush Games and Visual Concepts have improved upon the already great gameplay brilliantly. The game features an option to skate backwards by holding in the left analog stick, allowing you more precision on poke checking and keeping an eye on forthcoming scoring wanna-bes and shutting them down before they can get past you. But what I really like is the game's Intense Contact Controls, which allow you to use the right analog stick in conjunction with your player's movements to really lay it on an opponent. Now, mind you, penalties can still come into play, so don't go all out and try to perform Bertuzzis on people all of the time. However, you can time your hits and even use selected hits to make the best of your game, and it's a fantastic touch. The Pass and Go system is also excellent, allowing you to set up for one-timers and key passes much better than before. Sometimes you'll still find yourself whipped up by the game's AI, as the offense and defense is tighter than before, so prepare yourself for that. This game plays very well.

Now let's get to the extras, the goodies that every NHL fan wants to dig into. First of all, the Skybox is back, with new items to collect and the same mini-games to play, including shuffleboard and air hockey. They can be fun, but do you really buy a hockey game to play little mini-games like that by themselves? Of course not. The Franchise Mode is worth talking about, thanks to the addition of a Live Scouting System, which allows you to recruit people via watching them take part in different tests (which, unfortunately, you have no hands-on with) and through assistant coaches. There's some slight quirks in Franchise Mode that could use some attention, but overall it works very well and will keep you digging into making a perfect team. Attention to detail is required, and those who can provide it will be promptly rewarded. The game is playable online via the Xbox Live network (it's online compatible with the PS2 as well), and works very well, as it's set up like a huge network. You can form leagues, take part in tournaments, check out other games in progress, and talk to your buddies via messaging. I was impressed here as well. There's also the Dream Team Challenge mode, allowing you to challenge teams made up by some real NHL pros, including Chris Drury, whom I am currently challenging. Man, these guys know their picks, both on offense and defense. This is worth spending time with.

Finally, I believe that the new Party Mode is most definitely worth mentioning. You can play this mode offline or online, with up to four people involved in the different match-ups. There's an arcade-ish offering of the real hockey game, along with several mini-games to tackle, including Scramble, an interesting little game where you have to be on particular hot spots by the time music stops in a round, or you lose that particular round. It's like playing musical chairs, but a bit different (no chairs). Like I said above, you can add your own music to the affair and challenge friends to different events. This itself makes for a great addition to the game, offering a loose attitude and allowing you to have some fun without really sweating the computer too much (unless, of course, you're playing solo, which isn't really the same).

Add in the fact that you get all this for the criminally insane price of under $20 and you have a game that demands an addition to your collection. ESPN NHL 2K5 isn't the perfect hockey experience but it's damn close, especially with the gameplay touch-ups that make it a much better game and the visuals to make you long for hitting the arena and feeling the cooling power of the ice. Throw in the kind of modes that will leave your butt planted in a chair or bed for weeks at a time, along with the reasonable price and sound options, and you have a game that simply cannot be denied. ESPN NHL 2K5, as it stands, is the coolest hockey game around.