EA Sports NHL 09 Review for Xbox 360 and PS3
Acclaimed Next-Generation Hockey Video Game Continues to Impress
Feb 2, 2009
Superficially, NHL 09 doesn't appear to be much of an upgrade at all to the critically acclaimed NHL 08. But on deeper inspection, players will soon realize the below-the-surface tweaks have brought this game much closer to hockey perfection.
NHL 09 Continues to Shift Away From Its NHL 94 Roots
The first seemingly minor overhaul in the game is speed - the most recognized facet of the coolest game on Earth.
NHL 09 continues to eschew its arcadey NHL 94 roots – a path competitor 2K Sports seems to be embracing this year with NHL 2K9.
In doing so, NHL 09 slows the gameplay down to a much more reasonable clip. There's still no speed burst button. But plays form and develop naturally and players get to pucks first based on positioning.
Shots have also thankfully been toned down - you can actually follow shots to the net this year, as opposed to missing the puck in a blink of an eye.
The second nuanced change can be felt in the controls. Not everybody shoots with Ray Bourque-like accuracy in this year's game.
Players WILL miss one-timers based on their positioning, and a shot is thankfully no longer a sure-fire bet to hit the net.
The developers also eliminated the oft-abused "slap-pass" feature, so online players will have to find a new method to cheap out goalies.
The new stick-lift and protect puck buttons add another dimension to the gameplay (although there are already fears these features will be abused in online play).
The one-handed deke move is also a neat addition, but it will likely take several hours of practice before you actually score a goal using the move a la Peter Forsberg.
EA Sports' Hockey Sim a Graphical Marvel
The graphics in NHL 09 have also received a relatively minor touch-up - which isn't a bad thing given NHL 08's graphical leap over its predecessor.
A nice sheen coat of lighting appears to have been added to the player models, and the majority of the faces bear a striking resemblance to their real life counterparts - which can't be said for the creepy mannequin-like faces of 2K9.
But it's the bevy of new animations that help add the visual oomph to this year's installment.
Laying a well-placed check on a player against the boards will result in a satisfying head over knees flip-and-flail effort by the victim. Needless to say, the effect can be a bit over-the-top, but it's a welcome change to last year's checking animations, which seemed muted and repetitive.
It’s still disappointing to see there's no hat parade after a player scores three goals. This is one of the more loved hockey traditions, and it’s baffling how a detail like this continues to be left out.
The Verdict on NHL 09
When looked as a whole, it’s the smaller changes that help elevate NHL 09 above its predecessor. A revamped multiplayer and a new “Be a Pro” mode, which allows the user to rise up the ranks by taking control of one star, only add more value to what is already an excellent hockey game. On its core gameplay alone, the improved NHL 09 plays a style of hockey that has never felt this natural or this "real" on a video game console ever before. A definite pick-up for hockey fans.
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