EA NHL 2002

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EA NHL 2002

With it’s second hockey effort on the PS2, NHL 2002, EA raises the bar once again. This years version boasts "High-flyin', hard-hittin', big-shootin' power play hockey. Experience life on the ice" and the game lives up to its tag line.

NHL 2002 takes the tight game play of its predecessor and adds light improvements to the fine graphics as well as a wealth of new features. Some of the new features include create-a-player, emotion meter, breakaway camera, NHL Cards (same as the Madden Cards) and the EA Game Story. The create-a-player mode is better than a majority of the games I’ve seen, letting you pick everything down to eye color. The breakaway camera takes effect when your player gets a break away, just your player and the goalie one on one. The camera zooms in and slows everything down, it can be a little distracting at first, but it seems to be a nice feature. The EA Game Story is the most innovative addition to the game and adds tons to the realism. The EA Game Story tracks events throughout the game and analyzes them for compelling stories: is a player going to get a Hat Trick, does a goalie have a chance of getting a Shutout, is one team dominating the play? There are a whole bunch of stories that the feature looks for and then tells you the stories as the game progresses, with an overlay, scenes of the players involved, and replays from earlier in the game, while announcers Don Taylor and Jim Hughson discuss the events.

The game play is lightening quick and is an improvement in the "reality" aspect over last years game. In last years edition scoring was fast a furious nothing like actual NHL hockey. However this years version is just right, although if you try to play the game using the medium difficulty and higher the goalies become impossible to score. However, almost every aspect of game play can be adjusted to your personal taste so you can have all the 15-13 goal fests or 1-0 defensive battles you want. Another minor flaw is that any player can pretty much obliterate any other player. Even if it's a tiny fly-weight like Paul Kariya going against super heavy-weight Rob Blake. The fighting feature needs to be overhauled completely. If you take any time to try and watch the two players fighting, you have already lost. It is nothing more than a button-mashing contest. EA needs to incorporate a grabbing button or a block button anything to slow the process down somehow, because fighting should be one of the highlights of a hockey game, not a lowlight.

The graphics in this game are extremely well done. The EA team has managed to improve on an already great graphics department. The details of the players faces have been enhanced and the players reflection upon the ice is even more pronounced. One of the biggest strides is the crowd, which is now a full part of the presentation. In cut scenes you see a wide variety 3D polygon fans doing different things, from booing a bad call to cheering on their team to eating popcorn. But for some reason the EA team has left out one of hockey’s greatest traditions, the throwing of hats after a player has garnered a hat trick. How can something like that be left out when much smaller details are included? The whole T.V. like presentation of the game from the introduction as the players hit the ice, to the replays really draw you into the game, easily one of the better looking games on the PS2.

The sound effects from the actual game (i.e. shots caroming off of the Plexiglas) are accurate, from the different tones of the puck hitting the post, to the players "jawing" with officials after being assessed a penalty, the essence of the NHL is captured well. This game also has Digital Theatre Sound, I believe that is a first in video games. That’s right, true 5.1 surround sound. If you haven’t paid $800 for surround sound chances are you don’t care, but if you do, it will definitely add exponentially to your gaming experience. The commentary team of Don Taylor and Jim Hughson is…interesting to say the least. Hughson gives you the standard play-by-play you expect from commentators, however Taylor’s color commentary sounds an awful lot like a bad wannabe comic from Comedy Central. How about just calling the game action? Even with Taylor’s constant jawing the commentary is still some of the best because it’s so deep it never gets repetitive. The soundtrack includes an all Canadian line up of Sum 41, GOB, Treble Charger, Tea Party, and Jet Set Satellite, and an unreleased Bare Naked Ladies song (if you enter the band members names in the create-a-player mode they are automatically put into the game as players).

Overall a well rounded gaming experience is once again delivered from the EA Sports team. A more refined and enhanced version of last year's game, and the new features like franchise mode and Game Story make this a must buy for hockey fans.


	Steamer Trunk \| home NCAA Final Four 2002 \| Grand Theft Auto \| EA NHL 2002 \| Dave Mirra BMX \| Nascar Heat 2002 \| Crazy Taxi \| Madden 2002 \| NCAA Football 2002 \| Madden 2001 \| Triple Play \| Knockout Kings \| NBA Live 2001 \| ESPN Hockey Night \| NCAA Final Four EA NHL 2002 With it’s second hockey effort on the PS2, NHL 2002, EA raises the bar once again. This years version boasts "High-flyin', hard-hittin', big-shootin' power play hockey. Experience life on the ice" and the game lives up to its tag line. NHL 2002 takes the tight game play of its predecessor and adds light improvements to the fine graphics as well as a wealth of new features. Some of the new features include create-a-player, emotion meter, breakaway camera, NHL Cards (same as the Madden Cards) and the EA Game Story. The create-a-player mode is better than a majority of the games I’ve seen, letting you pick everything down to eye color. The breakaway camera takes effect when your player gets a break away, just your player and the goalie one on one. The camera zooms in and slows everything down, it can be a little distracting at first, but it seems to be a nice feature. The EA Game Story is the most innovative addition to the game and adds tons to the realism. The EA Game Story tracks events throughout the game and analyzes them for compelling stories: is a player going to get a Hat Trick, does a goalie have a chance of getting a Shutout, is one team dominating the play? There are a whole bunch of stories that the feature looks for and then tells you the stories as the game progresses, with an overlay, scenes of the players involved, and replays from earlier in the game, while announcers Don Taylor and Jim Hughson discuss the events. The game play is lightening quick and is an improvement in the "reality" aspect over last years game. In last years edition scoring was fast a furious nothing like actual NHL hockey. However this years version is just right, although if you try to play the game using the medium difficulty and higher the goalies become impossible to score. However, almost every aspect of game play can be adjusted to your personal taste so you can have all the 15-13 goal fests or 1-0 defensive battles you want. Another minor flaw is that any player can pretty much obliterate any other player. Even if it's a tiny fly-weight like Paul Kariya going against super heavy-weight Rob Blake. The fighting feature needs to be overhauled completely. If you take any time to try and watch the two players fighting, you have already lost. It is nothing more than a button-mashing contest. EA needs to incorporate a grabbing button or a block button anything to slow the process down somehow, because fighting should be one of the highlights of a hockey game, not a lowlight. The graphics in this game are extremely well done. The EA team has managed to improve on an already great graphics department. The details of the players faces have been enhanced and the players reflection upon the ice is even more pronounced. One of the biggest strides is the crowd, which is now a full part of the presentation. In cut scenes you see a wide variety 3D polygon fans doing different things, from booing a bad call to cheering on their team to eating popcorn. But for some reason the EA team has left out one of hockey’s greatest traditions, the throwing of hats after a player has garnered a hat trick. How can something like that be left out when much smaller details are included? The whole T.V. like presentation of the game from the introduction as the players hit the ice, to the replays really draw you into the game, easily one of the better looking games on the PS2. The sound effects from the actual game (i.e. shots caroming off of the Plexiglas) are accurate, from the different tones of the puck hitting the post, to the players "jawing" with officials after being assessed a penalty, the essence of the NHL is captured well. This game also has Digital Theatre Sound, I believe that is a first in video games. That’s right, true 5.1 surround sound. If you haven’t paid $800 for surround sound chances are you don’t care, but if you do, it will definitely add exponentially to your gaming experience. The commentary team of Don Taylor and Jim Hughson is…interesting to say the least. Hughson gives you the standard play-by-play you expect from commentators, however Taylor’s color commentary sounds an awful lot like a bad wannabe comic from Comedy Central. How about just calling the game action? Even with Taylor’s constant jawing the commentary is still some of the best because it’s so deep it never gets repetitive. The soundtrack includes an all Canadian line up of Sum 41, GOB, Treble Charger, Tea Party, and Jet Set Satellite, and an unreleased Bare Naked Ladies song (if you enter the band members names in the create-a-player mode they are automatically put into the game as players). Overall a well rounded gaming experience is once again delivered from the EA Sports team. A more refined and enhanced version of last year's game, and the new features like franchise mode and Game Story make this a must buy for hockey fans.