NHL 2K2

"A Frustrating Game"

I am writing this review because this game annoys me, but it is still a playable game.

It was the last ice hockey game released for the dreamcast and has recieved good reviews, but in my opinion it isn't as good as the first game ''NHL 2K'', because of one ''flaw'' in the gameplay and some annoying aspects of the game that detract from the overall enjoyment of the game that the player has. I will start with the negative points of the game then list the games good points, because it does have some very good points for a dreamcast game; it is almost one of the best sports games on the Dreamcast, if it wasn't for the faults that it has.

The ''major flaw'' is in the gameplay, and it is to do with the fact that the puck ''sticks'' to the player when they posses the puck when in an offensive position, ie when a player is about to shoot. So you are there, trying to shoot or perform a one-timer, and the puck sticks to your player and he won't let go of the puck. And this happens alot, and it can be frustrating, and you lose goals because of it. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it happens enough to be annoying.

Ok, on to the other negative points. When I buy a new ice hockey game, I usually find the game annoying and hate it because it isn't ''realistic'' enough or as good as the last ice hockey game that I played, until I get used to it.

I found this with NHL 2K, and I also found it with this game. But, because I have paid for it, I try to have an open mind and see the good side of the games quirks or negative points, which I could do with all of these negative points, apart from the ''sticky puck syndrome''.

Firstly, the game commentary is annoying and repetitive.
NHL 2K has alot better commentary than this game (even if it is bland in comparison to EA's NHL 99, another game that I have). The color commentator will chip in with a comment, at the beginning of the match or during a face off, and most of the time he is ok, but the play by play announcer is just plain annoying and he will repeat phrases like ''he was hit hard'' or ''like a freight train'' several times during a game, even with periods set to five minutes a game, and even with the commentary option set to the lowest amount in the game options screen. But sometimes the commentary is ok, and you can ignore it, but sometimes it annoys the heck out of you. But you can turn it off if it annoys you.

Secondly, the player animation annoys in comparison to NHL 2K. In NHL 2K, the graphics were not as good as this game, but the best thing about it was that you got the sense that you were part of a team, and that your team mates were supporting you. In NHL 2k2 the players are alot more individualistic. Some people may call this ''Bad AI'', where a player will go off on his own instead of supporting the player who has the puck. In this case, how I see it is that the games designers have improved the animations since the first game, so a player in support of the puck handler will over skate or turn wide on a ''D'' and miss the puck that is being passed to him on a one timer or as part of a power play. You get used to this annoyance after a while and take it as the games style, but it doesn't feel like you are playing as part of a professional hockey team as much as you do in NHL2K, because the players don't feel in support of you always. Added to this, it is noticeable, more so than in NHL2K that your player won't always pass to the right player that you want him to! but you get used to this.

Thirdly, the gameplay annoys as well. In NHL 2k, you play like this, you take the puck down the ice, get past the defense, shoot and if you miss your team goes into a rebound scramble, and sometimes the defense will take the puck off you before you get a chance to shoot for goal.
In NHL2k2, the defense on both sides has been improved, and i have read it being described that ''the puck is constantly robbed from you when you are in possession''.

What this actually is, is that the opposing defense are good and will take the puck from your offense when they are in a scoring position, alot. Your defense is also very good, but they are better than your defense most of the time, and mostly the puck will get through your defense to the goal tender.

So, in NHL2K you had great, hard goalies to get past which was superb, in this game you have hard defenses to get past, which is just different, and not really annoying, but taken with the other annoyances can detract from the game because you are ''constantly robbed of the puck!'', it depends what mood you are in when playing the game.

The bad points about the sound, the skating on ice sounds like someone has sampled chalk being written on a black board!

Now onto the good points of the game, at last!

The graphics, very good for a dreamcast game, I use the side cam alot, but still the players are fuzzy looking and not clearly defined, with, I suppose, ''jaggies'' present, but they are just not clearly defined, jersey number are fuzzy for example, but the graphics are good and so is goalie animation. In NHL2K, the players look like hunchbacks in comparison. The crowd also looks good, even if they are only animated in the bottom tier of the rink and are only sprites, the top tier of the rink are just dots.

The game's interface, very good, very in depth and user friendly with lots of options, very ''visual concepts'' and the best part of the game? the point where you can change tactics using the D Pad as you play instead of having to access a menu, which is great, but 10/10 for the interface and alot better than the NFL2K1, interface. NHL2K's interface is also good, but not as good as this.

Another good point about the game is the way you score a goal has been improved and looks alot more realistic, as have goalie animations, which also look alot more ''realistic''. It is also easier to score against these goalies, but the hard goalies of NHL2K are a challenge rather than an annoyance. You feel more reward for scoring in that game.

Finally, no franchise mode either.

In conclusion this is a flawed game, but great for the graphics, if you buy it second hand get a copy of NHL2K as well, it is alot better to play as a solo game than this is, but NHL2K2 is great to pick up and play sometimes, until it begins to annoy you after a while.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 04/28/03, Updated 04/28/03