NHL 2K8

by Jack Of All Games

Product Features

• Puck handle, deke, make spectacular defensive plays and battle for face-offs like never before with Full 360 degrees analog control of your stick
• Exploit your opponent's defensive weak spots by executing breathtaking combo moves
• Properly position your player's stick to swipe at the puck and win critical late game face-offs
• Goaltending has been completely overhauled with instinctive AI, entirely new animations, and situation specific behaviors
• Completely redesigned player models with accurate equipment brands and updated player faces bring you the most realistic hockey game to date

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000REZ84C
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 11, 2007
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,291 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #4 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Sports > Hockey

Product Description

Platform: PlayStation2

Product InformationThe top rated NHL franchise returns with a NHL experience featuringrevolutionary right stick controls all-new goaltending a ground breakingface-off system and stunning next-gen visuals highlighting redesigned playermodels and animations. NHL 2K8 features true to life combo-based moves givingyou the excitement from breakaways and shootouts. Superstar Moves are added withthe help of NHL legend Igor Larionov rounding out the wide array of gameplayfeatures. NHL 2K8 showcases completely revamped goalies under the guidance ofstar NHL goalie Marty Turco. The all-new goaltending includes significantenhancements to goalie logic and decision-making. Goalies will now realisticallycome out and challenge guard the posts and perform spectacular butterflysaves. Bolstered by hundreds of new animations these improvements makegoaltenders in NHL 2K8 the most realistic yet. Edit-a-Player mode that allowsyou to modify every facet of your hockey players' appearance including stick andleg tape patterns Franchise mode complete with realistic CBA features such aswaivers two-way contracts restricted and unrestricted free agents and salarycap management NHL 2K8 Soundtrack featuring Bloc Party Korn Quiet RiotPriestess Stellastarr Early Man Tokyo Police Club Les Savy Fav and more.Product Features Puck handle deke make spectacular defensive plays and battle for face-offs like never before with Full 360 degrees analog control of your stick Exploit your opponent's defensive weak spots by executing breathtaking combo moves Properly position your player's stick to swipe at the puck and win critical late game face-offs Goaltending has been completely overhauled with instinctive AI entirely new animations and situation specific behaviors Completely redesigned player models with accurate equipment brands and updated player faces bring you the most realistic hocke

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You can't be everything to everyone but this is close enough!, September 12, 2007

By 

Mike (Here and There) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: NHL 2K8 (Video Game)

So I went to the store yesterday to pick up my reserved copy of EA's NHL 2008 title and left with this one because that game wasn't delivered yet by the time I was there. Considering that the game has a slew of new features and the price tag is STILL $20 for the PS2 version, I figured I'd get both.

Well, for the past two years, I've said that the gameplay alone is worth picking it up. With the exception of the new Superstar moves (special combo moves that talented players can pull off while skating towards to goalie) the gameplay remains the same, with the pro controls, goalie controls, and enforcer features still around. So in addition to new Superstar moves, you still have all the features that made playing the game last year rated A for awesome. A glitch I noticed was that the controls are hesitant to actuate in the offensive zone, whether or not this is due to me using a memory card as opposed to the PS2 hard drive is something that can be debated. If you turn the Fighting up to 100, expect the fisticuffs to fly!

As for the Franchise mode, WOW! I was heavily critical of EA's NHL 2007 because they were making claims of having a Franchise mode that featured 2 way contracts and waivers, but only included these features for their next-gen gaming systems, rendering them absent on the PS2 version. 2K Sports DID incorporate this into the Franchise mode and made certain to include it into their PS2 game. You can now sign players to two-way deals, buy out contracts, negotiate contracts with a free agent's agent (and raise your owner's blood pressure by doing so), and place players on waivers in order to be assigned to the minors or be picked up by another team and vice versa. They've even established a system that determines who's eligible to clear waivers and who must be assigned to waivers (pretty darn sweet if you ask me.) Not every player is spot on in regards to who has waiver eligibility and who doesn't, but man alive, it's close enough! (I haven't gotten as far as the draft system yet, so again, I'll edit the review in the future and let you all know how that works.)

The soundtrack is actually pretty good for a videogame, and has featured more mainstream bands than in the past such as Bloc Party, Korn, and Quiet Riot. A lot of the bands are in the vein of the indie punk/hardcore movement such as Comeback Kid and Kane Hodder. In terms of overall soundtrack, this is the best one featured for a 2K Sports game, though Dozer is still my favorite band they've ever had on a game (NHL 2K7).

So lets recap my review: The gameplay everyone's come to love is still here and slightly revamped, the franchise mode is the deepest I've ever seen in a PS2 game, and the soundtrack will rock your socks off. The game isn't perfect, but considering how many different facets of the game it covers, it's probably going to be the closest thing anyone can get to next to actually being in the NHL.

If you're still reading this and have $20 to spend, do yourself a favor and click that button on the top right of your screen that says "Add to cart." You'll be pleased with the results.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Full of features, yet ultimately disappointing, February 13, 2008

By 

Andrew Peterson (New York) - See all my reviews

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: NHL 2K8 (Video Game)

I purchased this game a month ago, around the time I got my PS2. I had always been an EA Sports NHL loyalist, from '94 to about 2004. I had previously played those editions on numerous platforms, from Genesis (yay!) to PS1, then PC.

After suffering through numerous crashes with the PC version of EA's NHL 2004, I figured the time was right to change. I avoided the 2005/06/07 editions of EA because 1) I didn't have a dedicated, STABLE platform like a PS2 at the time, 2) the software glitches of EA's 2004 turned me off from them big time, and 3) many reviewers and buyers complained that the quality of EA Sports, and in particular, the NHL franchise, had gone downhill...or so I had thought, but more on that later.

I read the Gamespot reviews and studied the features of the 2K line and was "wowed" by all the bells and whistles: the super deep franchise mode, supposedly realistic gameplay, yada yada yada. Being a hockey geek, I decided to take the plunge and pay my $20.

During my first few times playing the game, I couldn't get over the rather steep learning curve. Ironically, the gameplay features were in fact TOO deep - I takes two finger motions, not one, to take a slap shot, for instance. Having to change defensive pairs whilst simultaneously changing lines was a chore (and with the line change option set to semi-automatic, my 3rd and 4th lines hardly saw action. Grrrrr!). The dynasty mode had some curious quirks, with numerous players of mine getting claimed off some invisible waiver list (I later learned that due to a design flaw, said list was available on the PC and PS3 versions of the game, but not PS2. Yet, the CPU would still steal your players at whim. WHAAAAT?!?!?!).

Also, dynasty mode was a drag, full of file corrupting glitches and a tough-to-follow interface. The fact that you had to MANUALLY practice your team everyday was time consuming, and the various menu options were unwieldy. The all-important "fun factor" dissipated quickly.

While walking through my old neighborhood, I found a pawnshop selling used PS2 games for about $5 a pop. One of them happened to a copy of EA's NHL '06. After purchasing it ("what the hell," I thought), I took it home to give it a test spin.

Low and behold, it was a much more ENJOYABLE game. An easy to follow interface, INTUITIVE controls (one button shots! Yay!), and, surprisingly, a much better presentation. AND IT'S STABLE, with NO APPARENT GLITCHES!!! Folks, this is important; you can have all the features in the world, but it don't mean jack unless it WORKS. Also included is a fully playable version of the old Genesis era NHL '94!!!!

So folks, the moral of the story is to not get wowed by all sorts of esoteric "wow" features designed to distract you from what really matters in a hockey game. Of course, your mileage may vary, and yes, the newer games have updated rosters. But as far as enjoyment, 2k8 fell waaaaaay short.

Caveat emptor.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Some good, some terrible, November 5, 2007

By 

Brian P. Westhoff "hockeyfarmer" (Denver CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: NHL 2K8 (Video Game)

Well I bought the game because I'm a huge NHL fan, and the price was right. Maybe I'm too picky, but I notice tons of things wrong that are just stupid silly errors.

First off, the last hockey title I bought was 2k5. I loved the gameplay of that (which is similar to 2k8) and the commentary of Gary and Bill. Bob and Harry know the game and they are a familiar sound to any who know Hockey Night in Canada. But after ESPN lost the NHL, the presentation has fallen way off. The text on many screens is too small and sometimes I can't even read it when I get up right next to the TV.

We all know that makers tend to carry over lots of aspects of a game from year to year. That being said, there are things in this game that they decided to change--for the WORSE!!! Like the helmets--very authentic looking in 2k5-terrible in 2k8. And the players' hair coming out the back--if it's long, it looks like a flared piece of cardboard, just tacky! And in the generic cut scenes--whether or not the goalie catches left or right, they always are shown skating as a left-catching goalie--terrible!! Also, it is now impossible to dump the puck out or in using the glass--the highest it will get is mid-way up the boards. So, 2k, why can't you carry over the stuff that works and change the stuff that doesn't!!

It's an ok game for gameplay, but I just expect more for an NHL game.

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