EA Sports NHL 09 Review

EA Sports NHL 09 Review
Even better then last year!

EA Sports have been known to be innovative with their features year after year. Although once they brought it into the game, the year after we couldn't have the chance to play with it anymore. Now EA Sports is trying to break their habits with the newest feature called BE A PRO. Basically BE A PRO is the Superstar Mode we've seen in other sports title, but now we have it in the Hockey series. But it doesn't stop here we'll also talk about the new enhanced skill stick controls plus the EASHL & much more innovative aspect of the game.

Now let's start with the BE A PRO mode, this is where the producers scratched their hears because what they have accomplish is great. The ability to create your virtual self once you've popped in the game for the very first time. The game will ask you to enter your name and general information about yourself, then your create your look with a lot of possibilities from new to old equipment. BE A PRO gives you task to complete from your coach and general manager. Technically you feel like you were a superstar although without that hard training. BE A PRO has a 3rd person camera which you can change to all the others if you do not feel comfortable with.

Once you've made your player and complete the tutorial with the skill stick it's time to join your player into your favorite NHL club. If you think making the NHL was that fast well sorry to disappoint you but you must go through the AHL. Playing in the AHL might be easy scoring often, but once in the big league it gets tougher and you seem to shine less often, if you don't make the job your chance of going back to the minors are bigger, you can also be dealt or unwanted.

After playing amounts of games, completing achievement require your player will be able to get new attributes to help you out getting betters shot accuracy, faster, stronger you name it. The game makes you feel like your always going forward. but wait you can get injured and lose your spot, not fun? But it's part of being an athlete.

In this mode you can decide if you always want to play with your player & go watch on the bench while resting, always play with your player & line, always play the same position as your player or even play with all the players of your team. So the choice is yours! After every shift, period and games you will receive feedback from your coach and training staff, you must take notes to go forward in your career. The realism of NHL09 is outstanding, play the way your position should be played and you'll have success.

BE A PRO is already a big feature and the ability to go online with your player was not expected, but we take what we are giving. As big as BE A PRO is playing online upto another 11 humans all on the same rink is a dream come true. Keep track of your online track and compare with your buddies.

NHL 09 and the EASHL which are teams that are created by players that can have up to 50 team mates and compete for the greatest team online.You are able to play from 2 to 6 person on the same team at the same time which bring tons of fun.

Dynasty mode is still strong making not as detail as NHL 2k8 but still acceptable. Lots of possibilities, sign your players, trade them, Sign free agents, send players to minors, recall players, waived them you name it... it's there. The shootout is also there which is a fun feature to play with your friends. Practice mode to get improve your skills for the actual game.You can also redo the tutorial from the start of the game if you think you've haven't handle them correctly.

NHL 08 had this innovative feature to create players from where a players was finding himself with the puck in the offensive zone. This year EA Sports gives us the ability to make them in the defensive zone to help us play better defense.This feature adds lots of possibilities in creating plays to surprise the opponent. What is more remarkable is the ability to bring them both offline and online now that's awesome!

The controls are still the same as for NHL 08 but with new features, with the stick lift feature and dump puck. The Stick lift is to make to possibility to remove the puck from your opponent although if you miss his stick you might head out to the sin bin for high sticking! This feature is great if you are into hardcore hockey gaming. The dump puck feature gives you more option for playing the trap and chasing the puck. After getting some complaints from gamers being a game to difficult to control, the producer added the NHL 94 controls to give the joy to play a simple hockey game although this feature is limited in a lot of ways.

Also the one handed deke is a new way to surprise the net minder, it's hard to accomplished but feels great once achieved! We can not forgot the new fighting engine, funny thing the fights are so short but yet very entertaining, better then before, but let's make it longer for next year.

Graphic wise we know that EA Sports have mostly been in first place in Hockey games and this year it's no different. The ability to edit every player from every team, league is outstanding. The game runs smooths and with the beauty of those graphics it makes you feel in an actual arena.The most known players look like them self, although it would be nice to see more hockey players actually with their own face. But this doesn't affect the feeling of playing that game.

This year also we've took notice that the collisions engine was revamp which makes the game even smoother believe it or not. If you hit from 2 to 10 feet you'll notice a difference plus the reward is great. A great thing to notice is the variety of animations behind the hits which is almost unlimited.

On the audio aspect the producers has brought back the duo of Gary Thorne and Bill Clement. Still as fluid while the playing the game. Everything sounds so accurate with a lot of authenticity. The soundtracks are good but like every year the problem is their soundtracks list is very limited, which gets repetitive. Although NHL 09 offers to add your music into the game, from goals songs, team intro you name it it's all in there. What hurts that feature is that it is only on the X box 360 for a reason that we would all like to know.

Game Issues
Even though NHL 09 is probably the greatest sports game at the moment it still has some flaws. Here's a small list:
Goalie AI: The goaltenders doesn't challenge the opponent enough plus the puck might be two feet in front of him and the goalie will look at it while theres a danger of getting scored on.
Goalie Contact: Still a brick of wall, why? I don't know!
Content: still feel a bit limited in gaming options
Defense AI: Got some flaws the goalie will often be the last man standing for your team.

Conclusion
After all these years of making good hockey games, we can finally say that NHL 09 is a great awesome wicked game. The arrival of BE A PRO is great and what reserve for the future is even unimaginable what could that feature affect. NHL 09 is greatest hockey game since NHL '94. The only question is how can they surpass with what they were able to bring in NHL 09?

Buy it or not?
Dumb question! BUY IT!!!