NHL 2K7
Kush Games pairs the SIXAXIS with next-gen visuals and ends up with a killer game of hockey.
Published: November 30, 2006
Online play is solid, though from what I played it's just sort of there to provide an online component, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. In fact, outside of the franchise mode and the returning Party Mode that throws a handful of mini-games and mini rink offerings at you (all of which can be played online as well), and of course there are still challenges -- of particular interest to those looking to beef up their situational skills. Online leagues do indeed return, and are in top form, but like the core game, what's there is solid but otherwise unchanged.
This also means that, for the most part, you'll be playing matches like, well, an arcade game, which makes sense given how quick 2K's version of hockey has been. That's not a bad thing -- particularly for newcomers to the franchise or those that are usually turned off by overly technical sports games -- but it also means that so much of the game revolves around one-timers. Yes, plenty of goals are scored like this in real life, and goalies can make some fantastic saves, but it's a shame that so much of the gameplay boils down to a repeated two-tap/goal scenario.
The PS3 does bring with it a way of combating the sometimes droll feel of charging down the ice, however. Using the SIXAXIS, you can just shove the controller toward an enemy to check them, but the real fun comes in the form of Crease Control, where you have full tilt use of the controller -- first to point a vision cone at an enemy (keep them in the green area to make sure you're ready for a shot), and then after the shot when time freezes for a few moments (the amount of time is dependent on if you kept the shooter in your vision cone) a full rotational tilt to line up a save cursor with where the puck is headed. It sounds like a gimmick, and some may very well see it as that, but the rush of tracking players skating around you then jumping to save the shot with your hands really is fun.
I mentioned that some complained about last year's 360 version, and in all fairness to make the 360 launch, 2K really did just sort of touch things up with shaders and the like. This time around, it's obvious that the full year of development gave Kush time to really give the graphics a proper next-gen nudge; animations are incredibly fluid (particularly on checks), there's a real sense that weight is being transferred while skating around, the texture work is solid (though the modeling is still somewhat questionable, leading to zombie-faced players at times), the framerate is tight. In all it, just looks next-gen in motion.
The beefed up visuals are complemented by a camera that is surprisingly adept at presenting the action. If the Cinemotion approach is the slightly in-your-face aspect, the new camera, which sits by default at the same top-down aim as most, but is angled just so to allow you to see more of the animation work that went into the game, will actually zoom or wrap around the action as need be. It's an incredibly subtle thing, and it wasn't until someone in the office pointed it out that I started to take notice, but it's there, and it's certainly appreciated.
The audio, too, is nicely improved. It's not just the Sub Pop artists (they aren't the full soundtrack anyway, but I do enjoy some indie rock in video games, and if it has to be mixed with hockey, then so be it), nor is it the Cinemotion soundtrack, which again manages to lay just below the surface and builds in at just the right time. No, it's the way all of these things, combined with some great Dolby Digital separation, clean sound effects and general atmosphere all come together to make something that really feels dynamic and clean.
Nevermind the fact that it's the only option on the PS3 right now, NHL 2K7 is a quick, smart game of hockey with an insanely deep franchise mode, solid online play, serious SIXAXIS integration, a handful of terrific (if fairly minor) new additions and plenty of mini-games and challenges for newcomers. Thanks to great use of the controller and identical visuals to the 360 version, it ends up being the best hockey game on any platform (well, so long as you aren't addicted to Achievements on the 360, which is entirely likely).
If you were holding out to see how 2K Sports' PS3 efforts turned out, you needn't wait anymore, this is a fantastic way to blow $60 on a hockey game.
