2K Sports Hockey celebrates its tenth year in 2009 and has been the only franchise to stay the distance and give EA a run for its money on a yearly basis. This is the American equivalent of Pro Evolution against FIFA and whilst there are always a handful of fans who will stay loyal to one of these two regardless of what tweaks and extras are added or modified, the rest of us usually have to have a look under the hood before parting with the old hard earned, especially during this recession time.
Looking elsewhere on the site you’ll no doubt see that NHL 10 got a very impressive 8 out of 10 when we reviewed it a few weeks ago, so the 2K effort for this season is going to have to up its game to maintain the level of competitiveness we’ve seen in recent years. So let’s take a look and see if the new roster is up to scratch.
There are certainly enough options available for the lovers of the puck based sport. Franchise allows for a multiple season play through with your favourite NHL Team, as well as the other more regular season and quick play modes for those on the go. Playoff allows you to get stuck into the business end of the deal with the 7 game Stanley Cup series or an International tournament up for your delectation. There are also the lighter sides of Ice Hockey with a 2-on-2 mini game and the 4-a-side frozen pond games, as well as the 2K exclusive Zamboni rink race allowing you to once again take control of the high powered resurfacing tool and trying to aim for that elusive 100% before the time runs out.
The control system is mainly set for the more regular way of things that’s been used for over a decade, but if you wish to get the right analogue stick involved then the option is there, although it does feel a little strange. With the EA option the controls are tweaked slightly to allow things like player change and so on, but with 2K you have to move back and forth between new and old to get it to work, which feels like more effort than it should.
The Team-Up mode feels like a more simplified version of the Be-A-Pro system, but in being so easy to use it feels ever so slightly lacking in depth and that it’s more designed mainly for the online community. This isn’t a bad thing, as bringing people together like this in gaming never is, but there’s just a small hint of a missed opportunity somewhere. Just a few extra options here and there could have made all the difference.
This is not to say that the online side of 2K10 isn’t that good. It’s one of the few games that can offer you a ranked online game as soon as it boots up, with the option staring you right in the face as you pick which side you wish to take on. This is testament to the menu system the franchise has used for a number of years now, as it keeps everything else stored away on the right analogue stick until you want to explore what’s available. The only problem (well, I say problem, but it is more like a distraction) is that if you do like to get stuck into matches over the bandwidth, you could get carried away and ignore everything else.
The game itself plays well enough; it always has. There is much more of an arcade feel to the 2K hockey and this always suits those wanting a quick blast here and there. The commentary is solid enough, but there can be those occasional times where you know those generic phrases are being broken up by a team name that’s been shoehorned in to make it fit together. Crowd noises are fine and the music is a half decent mix of well known and more diverse tunes.
Graphically it remains slightly below their biggest rival. It still has a nice look to it, with the ice as shiny as ever and the crowds in their well animated packs, but even with some nice fresh animations to the players and some improved likenesses to the main superstars of the game, it still just doesn’t quite match NHL 10. Another slight niggle is the speed at which everything happens. The pace, even with all the dials up to full is a little on the slower side, considering how fast the 2K series has been in the past. For something which is meant to simulate the sport affectionately named “the fastest sport on earth” there is a feeling of a more laid back and subdued pace, which for someone who likes their hockey fast and intense is a bit of a let down.
I have to say that if it was personal choice between the two ice hockey games on offer, I would probably sway for EA’s product. I still have a soft spot for the 2K series and have done since the original Xbox and PS2, but there is a lack of atmosphere in the newer incarnations and it’s something that they could look to their sister NBA franchise to get some tips for. I know the guys can do it, which is what annoys me, as there is a solid enough title here, but it just needs that little something extra to break the “above average” barrier.
Overall, it is a little disappointing that more hasn’t been done to improve NHL 2K10 from last year’s effort. It still plays solidly and can give you an enjoyable turn on the ice, not to mention its at a price point that a lot of people will find more tantalising than others, but the atmosphere and overall polish just feels that little bit short of the EA‘s more complete offering. It still has to be said though that there is a solid enough game of hockey on offer here, so don’t completely ignore this title; because the gulf in cost certainly doesn’t match the gulf in quality and this little dynamo can still hold it’s head high at offering a lot of fun for a lot less money.
VideogameUK verdict: 7/10
