Customer Reviews

NHL Eastside Hockey Manager

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For years now, I have been playing graphics based Hockey games from Sega, ESPN, and EA Sports. Frankly, I'm bored with controlling the skaters and playing an actual hockey game. So, I spent more and more time managing the team: re-signing players, signing free-agents, drafting, trading, etc.

If you're in the same boat, you should try out EHM 2005. The General Manager functions are 10-times better than those other games. Developing your team is much more challenging with this simulation software. You have to manage not only your player roster, but your team personnel like the Assistant GM, Head Coach, Ast. Coach(es), Scouts, and Trainers.

It is extremely addictive though. In the game, I chose not to coach each game and will leave that up to the Head Coach. A typical season takes about 10 hours to manage from Draft to the Stanley Cup.

Players skills or their "reputation" gets better or worse based on how much they play, etc. Your players in the minors don't just get better either. They get better based on playtime, etc as well.

All-in-all, a completely awesome game. I just have to find some time to sleep after my daughter goes to bed and before work the next day...

This game is the in-depth hockey managing game that many true fans have been waiting for. This game is very very in-depth with all the different transactions and options available like a regular general manager would have in any league. The statistics and player ratings are far more realistic than graphic games like the EA Sports line or ESPN games. If you ever thought you could be a better manager than the one for your favorite hockey team, this is the game to buy.

The company that makes this game is based in England, which shows why the NHL is shown as a different way of business. It is different than the way European Leagues do player transactions (players are bought and sold rather than traded for other players or draft picks) and relgation and promotion (teams the fair poorly or win the league move down a league or up a league).

The reason the primary farm league is not the AHL is because Sports Interactive (the developer) was not able to get the licenses for the AHL or the ECHL.

However, I am pleased to say a new version of this game is coming out, at the end of May in Europe and In August or September in North America (with up to date league and competition rules, hopefully the NHL will sort things out by then). Players will be able to play as the NHL if its lockout does not get ended, but it will be as it was before the CBA expired. The AHL and ECHL will be in the game, as well is the DEL (German league) and the Slovenian league.

Go to www.SIGames.com to find out more and play the Gold Demo

Being a Hockey fan, with MS, I was seeking a more cerebral game to play that did not require fast hands to play. This is just that type game. It has many limitations such as making you fiscaly responsibile yet unable to make but a few changes in that category. That form of limit can be found elsewhere too. This is more a business game than a hockey game where the actual game is not as important as the team management. It even has you in some control of the minor league affiliates. Over all an addictive game that requires the player to be the GM of a team over a period of years. Yes, you can be fired.

First off, this title is available as a dual PC/Mac CD-ROM. I have only run the Mac version.

To start, the manual leaves a lot to be desired. First, it promises that the installation instructions are in the installation file. The file is just a .dmg archive with no installation instructions. Dragging the folder to the Applications folder seems to be an adequate way to start. The user interface is clunky and not very intuitive. I guess it takes some getting used to. Instead of scrolling lists, one needs to page thru screens. Ugh! This is not the '80s, scrolling lists are pretty easy to code nowadays. For a title with the NHL as a prime focus (it is in the name) the manual seems to treat the NHL way of business as the "different" way of doing things. Though research into the players seems to have been a major effort, team details are just plain wrong. The arena names are wrong, the minor league affiliates are often wrong. For example, the New York Rangers play at Madison Square Garden (not NY Rangers Place) and their minor league affiliate is the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL (not Connecticut Whalers of the AAL).

I'll need to spend more time looking at the game to comment on the actual "game play", but it seems as if it will be a steep learning curve. In some places in the interface you need to click what looks like a button. In others, clicking the button like indicator does nothing, you need to drag a player name to a button below. In yet another screen, you cannot drag the player name, you need to click the number and then click on the target line. One needs to constantly keep clicking "Continue Game" to keep the game moving.