NHL 2005

"Good, but not solid."

In general, NHL 2005 is fun. It is not, however, what a serious hockey fan is looking for. The lack of a different option is the only reason that this is the best hockey game for the PC. Then again, Eastside Hockey Manager 2005 gives it a run for its money.

Graphics: 9/10
EA has always done well in this category and doesn't disappoint, especially at the higher settings. The game is still very nice at even the lowest, but some things are still left to be desired.

Sound: 4/10
The music is fine, but the commentary... what can I say? For one, it's always completely biased towards the team you're controlling. There's NO mention of the opposition's statistics anywhere, while the user's team is pretty much just praised throughout the game, even if you're losing 5-0 and are last in the NHL. I recommend turning the commentators off after a few games, you'll be a much happier person.

Options: 8/10
NHL 2005 has the basics and a bit more: Dynasty Mode, Tournament (called World Championship mode), Online, and Season (as well as Exhibition) are all there. The tournament mode really lacks, imho, as you can only play an 8-team one, even older versions of the NHL series have had more customization. The two "extras" are the Free 4 All mode (which is only useful when more than one user plays) and the Euro-Leagues. One hopes that soon a minor league system can be added, which would bring a better dynasty feel to the dynasty mode, so you can take a bigger role in being the GM.

Gameplay: 6/10
The gameplay is way too arcadish, which is ok for the average fan, but since the NHL fans are pretty much always the diehard ones, it doesn't pass the test. First, there are really only about 4-5 ways to score if not by accident, and the CPU has a much bigger arsenal of shots - no matter if you're playing on Beginner or All-Star. Next, the penalties that are called are laughable, at best. In all my time playing the game, I've only seen Hooking (too often), Charging, Roughing, and Fighting called. And this is on the highest penalty setting: anything below the middle is pretty much a penalty free game. This results in another big minus: the game turns from hockey into "who can check the other team and steal the puck". The lack of penalties also contributes to the breakaway problem. You're not going to get a chance to complete many. Oh, and when you do get a shot, the goalie will stop it 99% of the time. This brings us to major problem number five: the goalies can't play. If during a season, your goalie has above a 90% save-percentage, you're probably running in first, ahead of all the opposition - yet when you play an actual match, the opposition's keep will stop, on average, 92-95% of the shots.

Overall: 7/10
Buy or Rent? Rent it first, but since this is the only game available for the hockey fan, you might end up buying it just because. I still enjoy the EA Sports creation, but not how much I should. Combining Eastside and NHL should be the companies' only option. ;)

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/18/05