Customer Reviews

NHL FaceOff 2001

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

 

 

FaceOff 2001 is a great game for anyone who likes the FaceOff series or hockey games in general. The games AI is greatly improved from last year's version. On Pro settings, you're looking at games like 5-3 (as opposed to last seasons 20-1 blowouts.) The models and audio, are near carbon copies to last year's version, but they were already great. All the new teams and jerseys are here - plus the rosters are updated fairly well. The shootout and draft modes are a nice touch. This is definitely a great hockey game, and a huge improvement over the dismal FaceOff 2000.

Now the reasons I didn't rate it 5 stars: as mentioned, the audio and player models are carbon copied from FaceOff 2000. The stats are somewhat limited. Classic teams would have also been nice. Plus, player creation is fairly weak. And lastly, the presentation could use some work - player intros, more in-depth commentary, etc.

But overall, it's a great game. Also, I'd also check out EA Sports 2001 or Fox Sports' hockey title - it's a good year for PS hockey.

Here we have yet another in a long line of half-hearted attempts by 989 studios. Sony just cannot make good sports games, as we have seen in pretty much every version of X-games, Faceoff, MLB, and NBA. It's obvious they take all, and by 'all' I mean ALL, their ideas from EA Sports, leaving the originality and innovation up to someone else, as usual. Stick with the original and best hockey available, EA Sports NHL 2001. Heck, NHL '94 on my Genesis is more fun than this.

NHL Face-Off 2001 is a great game. It seems like you are controlling a real game. You have a good selection of shots and the sound effects are killer. I have to say this the best hockey game on the market.

Well, quite frankly, the character design, the puck control, and the arenas look exactly the same as they did in NHL Faceoff '99. There are some new features, but nothing far too important. Everytime the puck hits the post, if you're lucky, you'll hear a "It hit the post!". Otherwise, the character design looks like it was rushed, the goaltenders look as bizarre as they ever have, and the commentary has been all the same.

Otherwise, this game is just really fun. You can create some really neat plays. Slapshots, dekes, tip-ins, one-timers, it's all there.

I hope that this version for the PlayStation2 has more effort added to it. Because quite frankly, it isn't really fair to leave out the PSX like that...

I recently played NHL Faceoff 2001, and was sadly disappointed by what I saw. The gameplay is basically the same, and the season option isn't worth anything. One season? What can you do in just one season. Like I said, the gameplay is basically the same , but unfortunately not improved. trading players is nearly impossible, and once you do figuer out the puzzle, the other team opposes it most of the time. If you want to play a REAL hockey game, try NHL 2001.

Hockey titles on the Playstation just aren't too good this year. NHL 2001 by EA Sports was not a good title. 989 Studios has finally bested the hockey battle this season, but that's not saying too much.

The good. It's hockey. The gameplay is done very well. Control is excellent, goalies are very realistic, line changes are unique (there's a button to change your forwards, and a different button to change your defensemen). Scoring goals is realistic where if you have a defensive breakdown, you're going to give up goals (you let someone wind a slapshot in the slot and your goalie will most likely get beat). However, great goalies do cover their own with some amazing saves after they give up bad rebounds--whereas lesser goalies will most likely give up a rebound goal with no defensive help. The play-by-play is done well with one of the best in Mike Emerik. There's even Zambonies bewteen periods and the three-stars-of-the-game and introduced when the game ends.

The bad. Well, this game looks terrible. With the exception of the "C" and "A's" on certain jerseys, the players and goalies look underdone and blocky. Player animation is beyond chopy, and the sounds are the worst I've ever heard in a hockey game ("Go Baby, Go"??? And hitting the post sounds pathetic--sounds similiar to a coffee mug being tapped with a spoon). Line changes are unique, but they are done poorly and slow--Every player exiting the ice during play uses the trap door? Not to mention the puck usually goes out of play along with the players going to the bench via the trap door. One of the biggest problems is the sim mode when in season play. You had better turn off injuries or you'll eventually be in trouble. How? You are only allowed 17 players on your roster! There's no "dressing" and "scratching" players for games like in EA's NHL series, you need to sub injured players with players already on other lines. How stupid is that?!? There are so many player missing in this game, it's upsetting. Also, color commentary is poorly done. Darren Pang is one of the best at doing this, but it's just not done well in this game. As for the voice acting? Just try to ignore the public address announcer--the worst I've ever heard next to Faceoff '97. The fighting is terrible in this game (guys who NEVER fight are dropping the gloves on a regular basis. I've gotten in fights against Paul Kariya--what's that all about?). Winning face-offs is a breeze (this game needs EA's NHL '99 feature of kicking out centers from the faceoff spot when a player cheats by tapping the faceoff button too much before the puck is dropped). This game even has those annoying "hot spots". Winning offensive an offensive face-off to your winger in front of the net for a one-timer is almost a sure goal. Too many weak penalties, and that ref needs to be either more detailed or removed (I've tried to hit him with a breakaway pass more than once--DOH).

This game may be the best to play because it's the least annoying. This years PS1 hockey titles are weak. I hope to get my hands on a PS2 soon to try it's hockey titles in hope for a near perfect hockey game. I've tried nearly every hockey game on the market for the PS1. Here's what I've found out so far: Best Gameplay: Faceoff 2001 Best Graphics: NHL 2000 Best Sound: NHL '98-2001 Best PA Announcer: Powerplay '98 Best play-by-play: Faceoff 2001 Best Color Commentary: NHL '98-2000 Best Options: NHL '99 (see above about the faceoffs), NHL 2001

I feel that all hockey games this year were not done too well mainly because the attention went to the PS2. So, with that said, NHL Faceoff 2001 is this years best PS1 hockey game, but that is NOT saying much at all. I still say that the best hockey games are on the Sega Genesis (EA's NHL '97, '98).

Gee, it's Hockey time already... time to watch the greats and play as them with your favorite game; Bure, Roy, Demitra, Hull... and in this game, they are done NO justice.

The game itself is fine... for FaceOff 2000. IT'S THE SAME GAME!!! You would THINK that for probably the last PlayStation hockey game by 989, they'd go all out. Nope. Same graphics, same modes, same horrible commentary. I agree, it's a good game, but could EASILY have been improved upon. The controls, camera, AI, everything's the same as last year; which is not necessarily bad, it's just not good enough to call iteslf a sequel.

RATINGS: out of 5

Graphics: 4.5- good, but outdated as well. NHL 2001 blows this one away. Sound: 0.5- this kills the game. Somebody, shut the announcers up!! Control: 4.8- very tight and responsive; the best part of the game. Fun-ocity: 4- the anouncing and few improvements still don't outweigh the fun.

OVERALL: 3 Stars. for die-hard fans only.

this is the best hockey game i've ever played for playstation. even better than all of the new ones, although i havent tried any ps2 games yet. i would recomend buying THIS hockey game for playstation, and not the others. its got good graphics, and really good controls. u can choose from any NHL team.

I'm a huge hockey fan, and wasn't disappointed with this title from 989. EA is the king of sports for sure, but 989's product will satisfy all but the hard-core gamer. Gameplay, stats, and updated teams galore. Only serious drawback is the annoying commentary, especially Darren "Panger" Pang who offers nothing more compelling than cliches.

so so graphics and gameplay.......ea sports hockey is still the best!!!