NHL 09 was the best sports game of the year in 2008. By far. It was the smoothest, most realistic, and fun hockey experience to come our way since we made Gretzky’s head bleed back in 1993. How can they make an already outstanding game better? Easy. Add first person view fighting and physical play along the boards. NHL 10 looks amazing, plays amazing, and the only way this game would not top last year is if the NHL goes into another lockout and uses replacement players.
The demo is pretty straightforward. You do a quick and fun tutorial for anyone who has not played the game in recent years. You can’t skip it, but it can be done in 10 minutes and is worth it. Besides reintroducing the basic shooting, skating, and checking mechanics, you get to try out 2 of their new in-game features: fighting and forechecking. Fighting has been revamped completely. Imagine Fight Night but in first person view. I am not saying that the controls and gameplay are as good as FN, but it is cut from the same cloth. Use the RS to punch, LS to pull the jersey and LT to block. If you land a haymaker, the guy is going down. Forechecking is also added. On offense, you can pin yourself against the boards and move the puck with your skates. On defense, you can pin players against the boards and poke check the puck away. A great addition and it will make you wonder how you ever did without it.
NHL 10 is going to be a great game. That much is certain. Hockey probably can’t crack the top 5 sports in the country right now with everyone going bananas for NASCAR and golf. They have themselves to blame for a labor stoppage that made many walk away, but if people can get their hands on this game, they will love the fastest sport on earth again. I did not even mention all of the great facets from last year’s game. They are all there. Expect a review for this as soon as we get it and keep an eye out for NHL 10 this September.
ZOMG I have been playing the NHL series forever, I can’t WAIT for this.
Is it really worth it for added board play and first person fighting? I’m more and more leaning towards no. I love NHL 09 to death, but a few improvements (yes they say there are 200) isn’t really screaming “BUY ME NOW!!!!!”
I still have THE first game in the series.
must play demo now till game comes out.i still play 09 i forgot i downloaded the demo im so pissed thanks for the reminder
You can skip the tutorial at the beginning by pressing start and then Exit
I just want to say, Section 8’s demo is really awesome. Sorry this is not about NHL 10.
I will play this demo tomorrow and I can comment about it than.
i got it preordered at EB GAMES ( Im Canadian, Eh
) and i still play NHL 09.
You can skip the tutorial, just press start during a drill and quit. Game looks good, much of the same animations and voice overs, but should be good.
it could be improved if the fat drunk girl was added as intertainment between periods. the games, not hers..