Customer Reviews

NHL 07

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

First off I will say that the game play is pretty decent. That is it is pretty decent after playing for two weeks to figure out the new game controls. Once you get used to them the game is much more enjoyable though they are still somewhat "numb".

That said all there really is to say regarding this game is poor quality. I could review the game play and talking about all the features though I won't waste your time. The only thing you really need to know regarding this game is two things.

(1) The online play is great when people are not cheating which is about 1% of the time. The online play has a nasty glitch allowing people to reset the game back to the last face-off. This "feature" allows players to void goals, penalties, and just generally prolong the game. This along with other bugs in the online play effectively ruin online portion of the game.

(2) Ok, so there is always franchise mode. Franchise mode has a wonderful glitch that doesn't allow the players on your team to improve from season to season. The bug is discussed on the EA message boards and I have experienced it first hand. Nothing like playing an entire season and going to start season 2 only to find that all your players improvements are lost. This bug effectively ruins franchise mode.

So whats left EA? I am left wondering why I wasted my money on this game and most of all wondering why EA does not offer a patch to fix these blatent game problems. Overall this game is fun to play though the major game problems override the good with the bad. I would not recommend purchasing this game.

It's about time someone finally stepped up to the plate, or the blue line in this case, and changed the way we play our hockey games. EA's skill stick lets you use the right analog stick to basically control every movement of your player's hockey stick. When you're on defense you use it similar to Madden's hit stick. Your fingers never have to leave the analogs unless you want to change lines or initiate fights. The control scheme is nothing short of genius. You use nothing but analog and triggers to shoot, pass, check, hook, block, dive, and switch players. For those who are not comfortable with the change, you can switch it to the familiar setup.

Graphically the game shines and really shows the power of the 360. Players look like their real life counterparts, jerseys have fantastic detail, player equipment looks very authentic, and arenas are well represented although I'm not quite sure they are authentic because Cleveland does not have a hockey team so I have little chance to catch NHL games. The crowd is a huge improvement and while looking somewhat basic, they stand when goals are scored to cheer you on and seem to have some knowledge that good things are happening on the ice. It was just nice to notice that when I scored a goal. Most of the time I pay little attention to the cardboard cut-out crowds but the 3-D crowd is more noticeable. Players animate well though most of the animation is recycled from NHL 06 from the current gen. The AI has been changed so that finally players aren't glued to their position. For example, last year if you witnessed a loose puck on the ice you had to manually change to a player and chase it down because the players were too busy covering the opponent or playing their zone. And, finally, they have toned down the one timers. I cannot stress enough how difficult it really is to nail a good one timer in real life and it should never have been that easy in video games.

Goalies have been given all new animations which are extremely welcome. When you play the position in real life, you tend to become more critical towards the realism and effort in games - so naturally I notice every year what small changes are made to the net minders. Making butterfly goalies finally play like butterfly goalies brings a HUGE smile to my face. No longer are the goalie's pads glued to their legs like all previous hockey games (2k series included... even this year's). They will show the full face when in the butterfly on the ice. Also new this year, goalies limbs move independently. This basically means the goalie isn't locked into one whole body involving animation. They can move their arms while still in the butterfly to make glove saves or kick one leg out to knock the puck away. The end result is a much more realistic and life-like representation of the position.

All of the features we've come to know and love are included in this game. As Xbox 360 owners, we know how in the past, our sports games have skimped on the features and game modes to give us more graphical wow. I'm seriously happy EA decided to skip making a watered down version of NHL last year because you all know how the rest of the sports lineup was for '06. You can play single games, Dynasty, World Tournament, and Shootout. Sadly they have removed the single season game for those who are not interested in micromanaging a hockey team. The Dynasty mode has all of the basics of managing your team such as trades, contracts (which now include negotiations and 1 or 2 way contracts), upgrading team and facilities, line management, and messages. The interface has changed for the better and much needed update. It will take players a while to familiarize yourself with the new layout but it's still basically the same.

Now, I'm not strictly an EA fan and into glorifying their games. Every year since NHL 2k came out, I've been buying both because each game had its pros and cons. For the first time in years, I believe EA's NHL 07 is the closest we're going to get in a while to perfection in the gameplay department. And, I usually buy a hockey game for the game play, not mini games or shootouts or practices or skills competitions. I want to strictly play hockey. This year they've tightened up the AI, changed the way we play our game with the implementation of the skill stick, and the sound and graphics are very impressive. Despite NHL 2k7's online dynasty mode and plethora of game modes, I still feel as if I'm playing the same game as last year with only extremely slight changes. This is not enough to warrant shelling out another $60 for 2k. And for the first time since its release, I will not buy the 2k game. It's almost like EA and 2k has switched when discussing which is realistic and which is arcade. I feel EA has finally given the gamers what they want and that's realistic hockey that makes you feel like you're actually part of the game.

Skill stick is an improvement. But everyone knows about that part of the game.

AI is horrible. I've noticed 3 of my team's AI controlled players standing still at once. Goalies don't get back into position, let in horribly soft goals, and have no concept of controlling rebounds. There is apparently no way to get defensemen to pinch reliably. I have yet to see a player anticipate a play. Defensemen don't clear out players around the net.

Passing is hit and miss, at best. There is often no way to tell if you have other players onside, and it is difficult to reliably direct passes to a specific player if two teamates are about the same angle from the puck carrier.

I understand that it may be difficult to program AI for a sport with play as spontaneous as it is in hockey (i.e., unlike football with set plays,) but it's disappointing that hockey games are at least 5 years behind football games. The 2K series has better passing controls, but 2K6 at least has similar difficulties with AI.

This game is horrible. Your team's ai is must have came to the game in the short bus because they are stupid. Whenever I skate up the ice, my own players get in my way and I end up losing the puck. And they can't defend worth anything, I can't count how many times my computer controlled defensemen were caught out of position resulting in an odd-man rush. The opponet's ai is able to pole check and read passes way too easily. The hit stck is just a joke, it's not accurate and when you miss your player is pretty much screwed because he just stands there. And what is with the players poke checking, does EA not realize that you can move and poke check at the same time? The manual shot aim is worthless, most of the time it ends up being sucked up right into the goalies glove. And the computer scores on the softest goals but you actually have to work for a goal.

With its new controlls, crisp graphics, and life-like gameplay, this is the best hockey game of all time. While the XBOX 360 has continued to disappoint me with its lack of titles...this game really unlocks the system's capability. It may take you a few times to get the controlls down (because it is such a new concept). Once you do, the controller will not leave your hand.

BTW- Gary Thorne is the MAN!!

This game produces the dreaded 'rainbow' effect on my Samsung 62" DLP TV. I haven't seen this problem with any other xbox 360 games, only this one. Maybe it's the slow frame rate or something that causes it. If you have a DLP HDTV set, beware you may have the same problem!

Note that I said 'one of' and not "the" worst sports video game.

Things I like
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. It has all of the current NHL players on it, as well as minor league players.

. The ability to edit finances with dynasty mode.

. Being the general manager of an NHL team and getting mail from the NHL, your team's coaches, players, etc.

. Gameplay is good, but not great.


Things I don't like
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. What you can edit in finances (should have more options)

. The controls are VERY hard to get used to, it must have taken me 10 games before I could actually control the player's fairly well, and it usually only takes me a couple of hours to get used to a video game's controls. (whereas this took something like 5-6 hours)

. Limited controls as goalie, especially when you set it to play only as goalie. Otherwise, whenever he gets the puck, there isn't much you can do but use the right trigger to pass (unless the puck was dumped in the zone).

. Unless viewing in HD, good luck reading the numbers on the statistics. I played it in HD on our 60" Sony and could read it perfectly, however, when moving it to the 32" Sony and not in HD (just by choice at the time, moved it after this) it was hard to see the numbers on the statistics, especially when you are going to trade players.

. If you trade a lot of players, and then go to "Roster Moves" and you are over the limit, you won't be able to get out of it without moving the required amount to your minor league team. (unless you saved the game before going there, in which case you can just turn the XBOX 360 off and then go from there) So if you got a player that isn't very good, but has good potential, good luck not having another team take him when you send him to the minor leagues because he has a 1-way contract and not a 2-way. (you should be able to go to contracts and change it, then move them to the minors) And it even says the the NHL doesn't allow you to have more than 23 players active, and that you can't play a game. Well don't let me play the next game, but let me get out of "Roster Moves" to edit a guy-with-a-lot-of-potential's contract!

. The visual settings for which way you view on the ice is absolutely unfunctional. It has the option of: "Always Down", "Always Up", "Alternating". Well, first off, the "Always Up" and "Always Down" options don't even make sense as if you set it to one or the other it will be different when you are at a different rink (I find myself having to switch it as soon as I see the first faceoff at the beginning of each game). I guess the "Alternating" option works, but I don't know as I haven't tried it. I don't know how they made this game and somehow didn't get the view perspective to be consistent.

. They don't have a goalie named "Backstrom" on there, he is one of the league leaders of goalies this year.

. They use the same cut scenes at the beginning of each game over and over, and usually just only change the side the 'camera' is on.

. They don't show any intermission entertainment, it just plays music.

. You can't pick what music you want to hear and what you don't want to hear. EA Games has done this at least two times with the latest games from the Need for Speed series.



Things I would like to see
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. An option so that if you have XBOX Live you can keep up with your team. As in if you love the Atlanta Thrashers, for example, and you want to have the exact players that are on the team, you should be able to just connect online with XBOX Live and have an update for the teams on your NHL dynasty mode saved file that will update all of the teams with the most current rosters. It might even be cool if it updated with injuries too. It would be great for fantasy league fans that also play this game.


Tips
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If you want to change your goalie during the game, you have to hit "Start" on the controller as soon as a whistle blows, and then you can change him. For some reason, EA doesn't tell you this.

Like a lot of poeple, I was completely and totally frustrated with this game at first. My first few attempts with the shoot out Demo had me wondering what the heck EA was thinking with the whole "Skill Stick" control. I downloaded the Shootout Demo from X-Box Live and found that after a while the "Skill Stick" really does a great job of giving the player the MOST CONTROL EVER in a hockey game.

The problem was that I played the shootout demo until the thought I had a shold grip on the control mechanics. Once you get the game and fire up a five on five game, it's a whole new game.

If you get this game, give it between 10 and 20 exhibition games to get comfortable with the new control scheme. My first few games I was out shot by the Computer AI teams around 100 to 1. But at about ten games I was outshooting the AI and by 20 games I was producing spin moves, deking AI players out of their jocks, scoring five-hole wrist shots, and putting one-timers past the goalie.

Speaking of the goalies... These are some of the best, most reactive, most responcive AI goalies I've ever seen. Playing a game with the Red Wings and putting Hasek in goal resulted in the kinds of saves I'm used to seeing Hasek make in his prime! Seriously, you'll stop play to watch AI goalie replays... The goalies really do seem to play the puck. They come out to cut off the angles and challenge the puck on a breakaway.

As to complaints, the fighting system sucks. The Hit Stick needs to go, it's just a lame excuse for a defence, and like a few of the reviewers before me mentioned, the AI is a bit questionable at times. There are times you will get an offsides call, but that happens all the time in the real game, so what do you want?

This is a great move forward for Hockey video games!

First of all, this game looks better than any hockey game I've ever played. But it doesn't sacrifice gameplay. It still feels fast and smooth. I really like the new skills stick too. I didn't think I would at first, but it's really intuitive. It didn't take me long to pick up the nuances of the new controls. I don't even really like hockey that much, only playoff hockey. So I was fairly surprised I liked it so much.

The game it good, graphics are good and it's easy to find things and set up games, franchises and such.

I don't know why people are complaining about the controls, if they didn't want to take up time by having to learn the new controls there is a feature in just about every game that allows you to change the control in the seetings menu in game where it says "Xbox 360 Controller Setup" which I switch from default to classic where x= wrist shot and b= slap shot. The good thing about it is that you can still use the right analog stick to do stick fakes and other moves. Also it does still allow you to shoot with it as well which at times will happen when trying to do a move to get around a guy.

One thing about the game is that (I'm not 100% sure whether you can or not) the rosters aren't up to date. For instance Petr Sykora is still on the Rangers although in real life he is on the Edmonton Oilers. Also i don/t know fi it's a glitch but he also is on the Capitals, atleast in my game he is. EA might have online roster uupdates which would come in handy so they could re-evaluate players like they did in Madden 2005, but it would only effect the players if you were starting a new franchise.

Amazon is usually a good place to buy games and such but I bought this game at Best Buy for $30 and I'm happy with my purchase. So if you are looking for a good hockey game this game is definately wirth a look, it may not be perfect but then again there aren't any other hockey games that are perfect taht are released for xbox 360. Hope this helps out.