I am not sure what other review sites are smoking, but this has to be one of the best hockey games I have ever played. Maybe because it's 989 Sports and they have a history of producing bad games or maybe it's because they did not spend enough time with this game. Who knows. IGN was the only one who took an open minded approach and took the time to get into the game and give it a in-depth review. Let's look at the presentation first. Granted it is not as polished as ESPN's or EA's, but it does the job. The opening sequence provides highlights of Gretzky's various accomplishments and the menus are quite easy to navigate through. Now when you get into an actual game, in my opinion, this game blows ESPN and EA out of the water. The stadiums and their atmospheres are perfect. The lighting, the ice, and the crowd all match each team's home arena to a tee. Stat overlays and replays are stunning. Gameplay is where everyone seems to agree is what makes or breaks a game. Now either those who reviewed the game didn't know what the hell they were doing or they played one game and wrote their review. "I lost my first game 4-0 so I must give it a bad review." This is what they must have thought. Well, I lost my first game 3-2 and it was great. Only thing I had to adjust was the gamespeed. Turning it down all the way makes it just like the real thing. The cameras are quite adequate, with each offering something different for everyone. Stats are quite accurate and not blown out of proportion like EA's. Through 9 games the leader in points has 16. I beleive through 9 games with EA's NHL 2005, the leader would be around 30. Graphics are amazing to say the least. Sure, there are a few things that could be done better like the jerseys and the ice reflections, but other than that, the stadiums are as accurate as I have ever seen, and the animations are top notch, especially the goalies. With the Gretzky Challenge, there are over 100 vintage and alternate jersey's to unlock, along with four variations of Wayne Gretzky and several game modes like big head, rowdy crowd and disco. Not as many as ESPN, but enough to not dissapoint. The Franchise mode is deep enough to enjoy, but not overly complicated. There is the usual draft, trade, and free agent signings along with finace reports that fluxuate depending on how you are doing at the time. With unlimited seasons such as ESPN, but unlike EA's offering, there will be no shortage of hockey on your TV screen as long as you own this game.
In the sports video game world, it's easy to forget that there are offerings besides the annual installments from EA Sports and the 2K series, usually because one of those series has the best game for a particular sport.... Read Full Review
Rather than judge sports titles on the obvious lack of realism, I prefer to grade them on the excitement of the game play. In my first franchise, I turned the Bruins into a dream team via the trade option. Despite my ste... Read Full Review
