Buy nhl 04 pc
While the beginner and easy levels provide far too many shots, gamers will find the medium and difficult levels up to snuff. Obviously, the new angles are an attempt to spice up the action, but the gimmick wears off quickly, causing frustration, annoyance, and errant pucks.īesides the unusual camera angles, the majority of the game play is solid. Big hits are also shown in a similar fashion. Usually, the puck rebounds to another opponent, who pokes it in while you are mentally switching from the close up to the normal view. The save is shown from a close up perspective and repeated from three different angles in slow motion. The same is true when a goalie makes a great save. After a shot is fired, the angle swings back to the normal overhead view of the ice, often causing you to lose track of the location of the deflected puck. It's nearly the same as the "bullet time" effect from Max Payne and somewhat disorienting. Breakaways result in the camera switching to a close up, slow motion angle where the only sound is a loud heartbeat. New dekes and a saucer pass option have been included as well.
This simplicity helps you focus on the action at hand. The four basic buttons can be used in combinations for a variety of shots, passes, and checks. Player models continue to improve, especially facially, and they're more easily identifiable than ever before.Ĭontrols are also becoming more sophisticated.
On the surface, NHL 2002 appears to reach for true hockey experience by licensing not only the complete official NHL lineup of teams, but also teams from hockey around the world. NHL 2002 is a fun game, but only if you aren't expecting a realistic sporting event. Unfortunately, while football games appear to be getting closer to emulating the real game, hockey seems to be slipping into arcade fantasy. The longest running sports simulation series, football and hockey titles from EA SPORTS have made great strides in honing gameplay to appease fans looking for both realism and action. The perfect balance results in an accurate representation of the game that is fun to play. Sports simulation developers strive to include both ultra realism and arcade action - elements from opposite ends of the simulation spectrum.