NHL 10 AN EA SPORTS GAME

GSA OFFICIAL REVIEW OF NHL 10

2009 has been something of a golden year for EA Sports franchises with superb outings from all of its big hitters, and speaking of big hitters NHL 10 has arrived and it isn't about to buck that trend as it sticks out its chest and struts confidently into our gaming worlds.

When it comes to American sports ice hockey has always been deemed the most accessible and as with previous iterations you can jump right into the action from the outset and start dishing out pain within seconds. It may seem trite to refer to the unmitigated violence of NHL straight off the bat but there can be no more satisfying feeling in gaming than crushing an opponent into the boards and leaving him in a crumpled, dazed mess.

With this years title EA have built upon the success of last years multi award winning NHL 09 rather than attempting any radical changes which is by no means a bad thing. New to NHL 10 is the first person fight mode, bouts of fisticuffs have always been integral to the overall hockey experience and now EA have borrowed some of the physics from Fight Night by bringing a first person viewpoint to the proceedings. What this all means is that you get up close and personal with the deluded oaf foolish enough to believe he can take you out, and the intensity is multiplied as you flail and tug at each other like a pair of drunken yobs on a Saturday night at closing time. Some gamers may overlook the whole fighting aspect of the NHL titles but as an important part of hockey culture its nice to see EA give it the attention it deserves. Another more tactical addition to the series is the 'battle on the boards' mode which is almost a game within a game, you now have the ability to pin an opponent to the boards and wrestle for control of the puck with an entire control set devoted to this part of the game. It may not sound like much but it offers opportunites of dispossessing opponents beyond the usual bone crushing body checks.

Gameplay is as smooth and fluid as ever with play seamlessly switching from end to end without any noticeable glitches or camera issues and the pace of the game is as unremitting as ever. When coupled with the improved crowd animations it makes for an exhilarating, realistic experience. Visually NHL 10 is arguably the prettiest of all EA's yearly franchises with subtle touches such as the players reflections in the ice and scuff marks on the boards being particularly noticeable. Commentary is provided by Gary Thorne and Bill Clement and their informative,minimilistic voice overs never intrudes on the play itself, the whole package leaves you feeling like you're entering a bear pit as you emerge from the players tunnel. For the unitiated its certainly best to start off on the easiest difficulty level as many will undoubtedly be left chasing shadows on some of the higher settings, the intuitive nature of the right stick shot control may also not be apparent to newcomers to the series although if this happens to be the case there is always the option to revert back to the NHL94' controls which are simplistic and nostalgic in equal measures.

When it comes to game modes in NHL10 its safe to say that there is a plethora of options which will keep you busy from now till eternity, or failing that at least until NHL 11' anyway. Battle for the Cup mode allows to pick two teams of your choice from any league and play for the greatest prize in hockey, the Stanley Cup, this gives you a chance to get a taster for the big game atmosphere without having to trawl through an entire league season. The Season Mode itself follows the usual EA blueprint with the option to go full on simulation with all the trimmings or let the computer take care of things and let you concentrate on playing. The now ubiquitous Be a Pro mode is present and correct with the chance to purchase new equipment for your player as a reward for excelling on the ice, this brings an almost RPG element to proceedings as you strive to earn the latest upgrades in an effort to enhance your player. The actual play in Be a Pro doesn't differ from the normal game modes save for a lower camera angle and instructive arrows suggesting the best lines to take for your player. For the true NHL fan there's now the option to take charge of your favourite franchise in General Manager mode wherein you commandeer your club from top to bottom with your decisions proving pivotal to the outcome of the teams results.

The bulk of the online play in NHL10 is centred on the EA Sports Hockey League where you get the opportunity to team up with five friends and enter monthly leagues pitting yourself against the best opposition on Live. All the other regular online modes are available from standard one on one games to full on twelve player mayhem without the pressures of League play, its worth noting for the achievement whores amongst you that the majority of achievements are attained via online play.

NHL 10 is seviceable as a full on hockey simulation for the sports enthusiast or as a gateway to the series for a complete newcomer, its as polished and as slick as we've come to expect from EA with only minor gripes such as occassional AI issues and the unrelenting hard rock soundtrack causing irritation. EA have chosen evolution over revolution and its proved to be a wise decision.

RATINGS

GRAPHICS 9

SOUND 7.5

GAMEPLAY 8.5

LONGEVITY 9

MULTIPLAYER 8


OVERALL 8.5

Nice work.I love the EA NHL games and this one is definitely up to standard

Good review mate!

I am really looking forward to playing this myself very soon

Looking like a great game. I enjoy the hockey games because of the accessibility and it's nice to see this stays true with NHL10.

EA really are beginning to perfect the sports genre across the board and take the ground they haven't held since the late 1990's where their titles started to stagnate a little.

palindromic BOB wrote:Looking like a great game. I enjoy the hockey games because of the accessibility

Ive heard alot or people say this about hockey games, yet I dunno what it is, I find it the hardest of American sport xbox games.