NHL 2K2

"SCORE!!!!"

NHL games...so easy to make one that looks awesome, so difficult to make one that plays that way. NHL 94 for the genesis was one of the best and it only get better in '96. You had excellent gameplay, graphics that did the job and that was all you needed. NHL 97 went 3D on the PSX, Saturn, and the PC (but only the PC version was really any good) and EA seemed to lose a few steps. The gameplay was starting to get lost in the graphical race. Then the year 2000 came and SEGA Sports released NHL 2K. The game was a graphical achievement of detail in a console hockey game, and the gameplay was top notch. While using the analog stick to perform controls and special moves and the face buttons to perform shots, passes, and checks, the game offered simple yet fun gameplay. Many complained about the lack of a franchise mode and other options but SEGA had released a fine hockey game. 2 years went by and SEGA finally brought out there next hockey game. NHL 2K2 is the last game to be released on the North American Dreamcast, and it was well worth the wait.

GRAPHICS: 9/10

Treyarch did a wonderful job on the graphics in this game. I've seen some great looking games coming out of EA, but this one matches it pretty close. While maybe not quite as pretty as NHL 2002, the game has an incredible amount of detail. Player animations are excellent, the goalies especially. The replays look great and the whole arena looks sharp. The audiences are still a little bland but it doesn't really detract from the game. My one complaint would be that the ice looked a little better in NHL 2K. It seemed more reflective. Otherwise this game looks wonderful.

GAMEPLAY: (With Basic Controls) 8/10

Obviously I'm reviewing the game using both control schemes. The basic controls control well enough, just like the original 2K. The only difference is that the Dump button becomes a Deke button in the offensive zone. The players move fluidly and it feels like hockey. Line changes and strategy changes are performed via the D-Pad and coaching strategies are dependent on which zone you're in and whether or not you have the puck. My biggest complaint is that the basic control scheme can get a little frustrating, especially when trying to execute different moves around the Defenese or to stop the in coming offense. Sometimes pressing a button wanting to do one thing doesn't always do what you want it to. However, it's just like the original 2K control scheme, so if you're comfortable with that, you'll be at home with this.

GAMEPLAY: (With Advanced Controls) 10/10

Advanced controls have to be a godsend to this game. Taking the basic control scheme and allowing the L button to be used to modify the controls makes the game that much mroe involved. For instance, on defense Y will do a shot block. If you press just Y alone, you'll drop to your knee to block the shot. Y with the L button will do a diving shot block. Same with X: X alone does a poke check; X plus L does a hook. It's even better on Offense being able to choose to protect the puck with your stick or do a sidestep, not to mention choosing whether or not to do a slap shot or a wrist/snap shot. It takes a little to get used to, but once you do, you won't want to go back to the old way. You feel like you have total control over every little aspect of the game and it works.

Aside from the two control schemes, the game plays much like a real hockey game, unlike the more arcade-like direction EA sports has taken with their NHL franchise. The games are not high scoring i.e. over 10 goals for one team alone (unless you put it on rookie). The defense is top notch, especially with all the switching on the fly you can do between strategies with and without the puck, and offense takes some skill and some precision (with the analog stick on shots mainly). If you hold R and hit Right or Left on the D-Pad, you can change how aggressive or defensive your team is playing, which adds a lot to the game. If the opposing team is down by 1, they're going to come back firing and more aggressive, which in turn would make sense for your team to play more defensive and look for an opening to put them away.

EXTRAS: 9/10

There's enough here to satisfy me at least. You have your exhibition and season modes, as well as an instant action mode (basically exhibition but you don't pick the teams). Of course there's the create-a-player mode, but you're limited in the number of characters you can write for someone's name. Nothing major, but an annoyance if you have a huge last name. The North America/World teams are there as are the East/West All Star teams. There's a playoff mode as well as the tournament mode, but this is all customary. Again, there's no franchise mode, but I don't really see that as a minus. To me it's the same as the season mode in some wrestling games (namely the SmackDown series): it's not really needed and doesn't add to or make the game for me. But that's just my preference.

OVERALL: 9/10

If you like hockey, you'll love this game. It's one of the most realistic hockey games on the market, and one that is also very hard to find right now. If you own a Dreamcast and you find it for sale, buy it up. If you don't, just wait until this fall for NHL 2K3 on the PS2, GameCube, and X-Box. It looks EA's in big trouble this sports season and trouble's name is SEGA.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/25/02, Updated 06/25/02