NHL 2K7

We expected a lot of things during the launch of the Xbox 360, especially sports fans who were wowed by the first screenshots of Madden NFL 06 as well as 2K Sports NHL 2K6. We expected a game built from the ground up with graphics that would make our jaws drop and our eyes to bulge out. What we got instead was more of the same with only somewhat decent graphics that didn’t exactly show off our new console’s power. Mind you, they weren’t horrible games but they were slightly disappointing considering their $60 price tag. Yet that was then and this is now, and NHL 2K7 for the Xbox 360 shows us that great things come to those who wait.

Imagine - my fellow hockey fanatics - a 2K NHL game with all our favorite features and a few new ones that add more ice hockey enjoyment to the game and you’ll get the idea of what NHL 2K7 is like. If EA Sports' great NHL 07 is a satisfying chocolate cake this year’s 2K game is like a scrumptious chocolate cake covered in chocolate frosting. Both games bring a lot to the table but if it comes down to one champion of the ice, NHL 2K7 takes the Stanley Cup. Here is why: the improvements made to the game just serve to enrich an already solid franchise and actually make it a lot more fun to play. And in the end, isn’t that what we want out of our sports game, a fun game that is true to our favorite sport?

Seasoned veterans will find the usual assortment of game modes in this year’s game including a Season, Tournament, Mini-Rink and Pond Hockey mode. Remember that fun Party Mode with Elimination and Battle Mode with its numerous mini-games? It’s all here along with the famous Sky Box where you can dig into hockey trivia as well as unlock vintage uniforms and new arenas and classic teams (1986 Los Angeles Kings, for instance). Franchise Mode is back and it’s even deeper, allowing you to make a number of choices like what your coach will look like while keeping a close eye on your team’s chemistry. Does your center get along with your goalie? You’ll even notice how you’ll really benefit from the fan love during home matches. Franchise Mode even focuses on your favorite team’s real rivals, adding more tension to the matches when you’re up against a rival. It’s great stuff, indeed.

Yet, as I mentioned above, it’s the new features that makes this such a great hockey game. For starters, the game will prompt you to choose from a new feature called Cinemotion that will give you a Music or a Commentary option. If you choose Commentary the matches will play like a televised match with all the usual sights and sounds including the color and play-by-play from the likes of Harry Neale and Bob Cole. If you choose the Music option the game will skip the commentary and insert the game’s soundtrack in its place to give each match a kind of hockey movie feel (think Disney’s “Miracle“). Cinemotion is a nice touch that allows you to experience the game the way you want to and it’s a great option if you get tired of the commentary.

However, the new features that will stand out come in the form of the tight Pressure Control and Pro Control. Returning fans will like the fact that Crease Control is back as is the very useful On The Fly Coaching (using the D-pad will bring up some coaching options like collapsing the net when your side is being overwhelmed by the opposing team). On the defensive side, Pressure Control allows your player to increase the pressure on the opposing team’s star player and the great news is that you’re in control of the degree of pressure you can place without being called out by the ref. In short, the defensive options are plentiful this year and are good.

The opponent AI is also able to come up with some impressive strategies in the defense and offense, keeping you on your toes as you make use of the Pro Control to make smarter passes to specific players. You’ll quickly notice that your opponents aren’t shy when it comes to slamming you up against the board or crowding their goal line so you’ll be happy to have total control over dekes as well as the ability to execute a quick sweep from behind the goal to attempt a wrap-around shot.

Last year’s game wasn’t impressive in terms of its graphics. In fact, its graphics looked straight out of the Xbox only with shiny ice. This year, though, NHL 2K7 looks next-generation with it’s impressive arena sights as well as player models with faces that look more human this time around. Sure you’ll still find a player that looks like a mutant but when it comes to displaying star players you will be most impressed with the results. There are even more player animations, making you replay goals and other great plays just because they looked so good during a match.

As for the sound, the game’s soundtrack is either hit or miss if you like rock tunes from some recognizable artists (Mudhoney) to some obscure ones (Seaweed). For my tastes the soundtrack is actually really good and seems to fit the matches nicely if you chose Music for your Cinemotion option and you can always burn your own tunes to use in the game. As for the arena sounds are concerned, they will not fail to impress or give the impression that you’re watching a match on television. The commentary never lags behind and both Cole and Neale, while occasionally repetitive, do a great job of calling the plays.

Deserving a spot among growing Xbox 360 collection, NHL 2K7 is definitely an improvement over last year’s game and one seriously addictive hockey game. Sure the gorgeous visuals make this a treat for the eyes but when it comes to the tight controls, impressive opponent AI and extra features, the game will hook you in and keep you playing this one for months. I would seriously consider buying this one if you plan on buying one hockey game this year.

Gameplay: 9.2
The new controls aren’t anything amazing but they do add more depth to the gameplay and slamming opponents against the boards just doesn’t get any better than this. The game’s deep Franchise mode is the star of the game but you’ve got to love the fun Party Mode mini-games.

Graphics: 9.0
Talk about getting a complete makeover, NHL 2K7 looks a lot better and the slick visual presentation makes this an attractive next-gen game. The player faces look more natural and the player animations add enough variety to make each match stand out. Even the arena and fans look great.

Sound: 9.0
The soundtrack is a major improvement with its collection of cool tunes from the likes of artists like Mudhoney, The Constantines and Sleater-Kenney. This year’s game offers the option to insert a soundtrack to the game for that cinematic touch or go with a televised feel with detailed arena sounds and decent commentary.

Difficulty: Medium
Holy cow, somebody has been feeding the AI opponents virtual Wheaties because the opposing team can really put up a great defense and an even better offense. You’ll be impressed by how the other team can learn from its mistakes and come up with better strategies on the ice.

Concept: 9.0
Seasoned veterans will find a great number of familiar options and features but will certainly enjoy the new features that will make fans of the franchise as well as NHL hockey quite happy. The Cinemotion options are a nice touch that adds your own personalized touch to your experience.

Multiplayer: 9.0
The online multiplayer game runs smoothly on the 360 and the variety of feature will keep you coming back for more. If you’re wondering where I’ll be for the next couple of months just look on Xbox Live and you‘ll find me in a tournament or two. Yeah, it’s that good.

Overall: 8.9
NHL 2K7 not only redeems the franchise of last year’s so-so game but it’s also one of the most enjoyable next-generation hockey games to grace the Xbox 360 thus far. We’re talking tighter controls, interesting features and gorgeous visuals so if you missed last year’s launch title you will find a lot to love about this one.