by Robert Workman on Friday, September 15, 2006
NHL 2K6 bugged me. Bothered me, even. 2k Sports, along with Kush Games and Visual Concepts, waved their magic wand and produced rabbit poo out of a hat instead of actual rabbits. The game wasn't a complete failure, but it came up short in a few areas, especially after ESPN NHL 2K5 had impressed so much the year before. And to spend $60 on a rush port for the 360? I think I'd rather sink my money into a junk bond for Flavor Flav. (Just kidding, Flav.)
So I approached NHL 2K7 with a great deal of caution. Upon its release, the game already has a great deal working against it, what with EA finally catching up on their next-gen development with NHL 07 and so much to get over from last year's letdown. Could 2K Sports do the unthinkable and pull off a mighty comeback? Well, actually, yes. While the game still can't match the utter beauty of 2K5, NHL 2K7 recovers aplenty, and wins this year's battle of virtual next-gen hockey.
Just to be forewarned, the gameplay really hasn't changed too much. Not that there was anything wrong with the gameplay to begin with, but those seeking significant change in their control scheme would probably benefit more from EA Sports' NHL 07 and the Skill Stick. Now, with that said, NHL 2K7 still plays boldly, although there are times you can see the game favoring one style of play over another. For instance, to score past a goalie, you have a far better chance of working on a one-timer rather than a straight-up shot. That's not to say you can't get a lucky breakaway and slip one between their legs when they're not looking. On the one-timer, the adrenaline picks up, and the chances for scoring open up a lot better. Also, the ability to try and get a goal on a wrap-around is pretty nice, as you can swerve around the net and try to sneak the puck in on the side. However, just pressing X to do it? I expected just a little more complication than that.
All these minor hassles aside, this game is balanced very nicely between offense and defense. Once again, you can press in the right analog stick and set up a pass play into a one timer with ease, and control your player formations with some on-the-fly coaching, courtesy of calls on the D-pad. Crease Control is once again back, and has a new area with Pressure Control, where you can have a teammate read a puck carrier and ready him for a body check that will free up the puck with great force. There's also the ability to "dump the puck" offensively, dropping it in play if you have a man skating right behind you, letting him pick it up for the quick scoring opportunity. The best part, however, is that you really don't have to take advantage of any of these to get into the game's great control scheme. You'll be pulling off checks, passes, and one-timers rather easily, even if you have no idea what Crease Control is all about. If you want to take advantage, however, it really does open a door on your hockey experience. Both the arcade and sim bases...er, I mean nets are fully covered here. I like a game that reaches to both audiences like that.
The Franchise and Online features are loaded, and have major advantages over NHL 07. While the Franchise mode probably pales a slight bit in comparison to 07's Dynasty mode, it makes up for it by introducing rivalries. Natural rivalries are assigned (Red Wings versus Avs, etc.), but you can also form your own rivalry, depending on actions that happen in your specific team. Each rivalry plays out with an unmatched amount of emotion and power, which adds some heft to the games being played. The Franchise mode also benefits from team chemistry, so you'll want to make sure your team is operating exactly as they should be, like a team, and without a singetary player sneaking off, trying to be a hero. Season mode is also present, if you just feel like going after a Cup without all the drama from your mama. (Sorry, mom.)
And NHL 2K7 has EA's number when it comes to online features. This game strongly supports an online community, complete with season sessions for multiple players, leagues that allow you to form a cluster of hockey geeks into your own team, and stat tracking, so you can keep a close eye on the best on the 360. Online play seems smooth from the little time we had with it, with only a minor hiccup coming interrupting the proceedings.
Party Mode once again returns, and a few new games have been added to please multiplayer enthusiasts. Some of the games are a little, um, weird (what's with all the barrels?!), but they all remain a blast to play. Pond Hockey also resurfaces here, for those of you sick of playing in licensed arenas. They are a little outlandish and outside the norm, but you have to admire an NHL-licensed game that can do that.
Then there's the Skybox, a lovely little place where you create your hockey utopia. Here, you can buy up nostalgic hockey jerseys, logos, and other goodies with earned points, show off your trophy collection (once it's put together), and play some fun mini-games, including a varied trivia game, a shuffleboard game, and a lively air hockey game. The controls are a wee bit loose for these games, but, once you adjust, don't be surprised if you spend some of your free time getting the hang of them. There's some nostalgia-loaded goodies here, complete with old-school Colorado Rockies stuff (not the baseball team). Wow, I haven't seen that logo in years. Some Gamerscore-boosting Achievements are also included, although most are repeats from last year. Still, there's a few new ones worth checking out.
As far as presentation goes, it's much improved over last year's unpolished product. The graphics look way better this time around, complete with transition animations that make the players look less broken and more life-like. The player models themselves, however, still need a little work. While it's great watching a player from afar as they get knocked on their keester, you can see that the detail is a bit lost when you get up close. Fans and coaches also need a little work. I mean, if players can look as amazing as they do in the NBA 2K games, then why not here? With that, the arenas also look impressive (love that floor reflection), and the game moves at 60 frames per second whenever it's in on-the-ice action.
Bob Cole and Harry Neale once again return to provide commentary for the game, and while their comments haven't exactly stood well over the test of time, they still manage to call each play as they see it, with great accuracy and professionalism. They just need a little bit more livening up- give them some beers. The licensed music in the game isn't really that much, but the sound effects more than make up for it, complete with banging sticks, player banter, and the typical sounds of hockey. Once again they're captured, without fail.
But what pushes this game into overdrive and ahead of the competition is the inclusion of the new Cinemotion feature. This is a nice new addition that advances the presentation to a higher level. Players can either choose from a typical, TV-style presentation, which is good in its own right; a Cinemotion commentary presentation, which has better camera angles and the free-flowing comments of Cole and Neale; or, my personal favorite, the Cinemotion Music presentation. What's so special about this? Well, the commentators shut up, the sound effects ramp up, and the whole thing gets backed by a moving orchestrated score, which changes depending on the tempo of the game. For instance, if you have a tight, tied contest, it'll remain at a fast pace until one team scores. If you end up in the losing column, it'll sound like the worst day of your life. However, if you win, a triumphant conclusive tune shines through, almost enough to put a smile on your surround sound system. That is, if your surround sound system could smile.
NHL 2K in itself still needs a little work to get back to absolute greatness. Put some more effort in the commentary and the player models, and maybe throw in a few more games in the Skybox and online, and you'll have a contender that would take years of revisions to defeat. For now, though, NHL 2K7 is a step back in the right direction, courtesy of the awesome Cinemotion feature and an online community so enriched, you'll probably find enough to do to keep you busy through the next NHL season. It's good to see that 2K Sports has learned from their mistakes and given us the engaging next-gen hockey experience we've desired since the Xbox 360 hit shelves. Hoist that Stanley Cup high!
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