NHL 07

Question: Sure, you are a video-game reviewer, and therefore get a lot of games to review, but what was the first game you actually bought once you had become a video-game reviewer?

Answer: Gee, that was a long time ago, but I do remember. It was NHL Hockey ’99 by EA Sports on the PC platform.

Yep, it could be said that hockey has been a favored gaming staple for a long, long time.

During the course of the years, some elements have changed, but generally the flow of the game has been the same. You find out which button is pressed to take a shot, then work on passing as quickly as you can to roar up the rink and fire on net.

It seemed rather fundamental – one button, press, shoot. It wasn’t broke, so why fix it? Lucky for hockey video-game fans that EA Sports didn’t adopt that when it came to NHL 07 for the 360 platform.

Graphically rich, the game has taken the control scheme to the next level. New to the franchise is the Skill Stick. You use the left thumbstick to control your skater and the right thumbstick controls the hockey stick. A quick shot is a quick up on the stick, a slapshot is down and then up; wrist shots and backhands require going to the left or right with the thumbstick and then moving it upward. You can deke while skating with the puck. When shooting, you use the other thumbstick to aim the puck. Sound complex?

It takes some practice but the game includes a Dodge Shootout, which is a penalty shootout, and enables gamers to understand the control scheme.

Other game modes include Dynasty mode (you can set your skill level, period lengths, rosters used, if the salary cap is used or not, the way season ties are broken). There is also an EA Sports World Tournament. Scroll down to the My NHL 07 button in the main menu screen and you will find the ability to create a player. It is not that hard to put your player on a team.  

Then into the Dynasty mode. As a GM you can do a number of things from editing the lines to the strategy employed to team development. You can also trade players, sign free agents to build a top-tier franchise, deal with scouting reports and finances, upgrade the staff and make roster moves.

When it comes to the game itself. You can allow the computer AI to change up lines and take care of targeting, if you so choose.

And while you can set strategies, when it comes down to the action itself, this is hockey and there are certain elements that will never change. Passing lanes and puck movement is essential, as are transitioning from offense to defense quickly and vice versa.

Graphically, the game is very strong. Sure, there are the overhead camera angles, but when the camera gets down onto the ice, you will see a big step up in the way the character animations are handled and how closely some of these players represent their real-life counterparts.

The sound of the game is rather good, from the announcing to the on-ice game sounds. The musical score is mostly rock-driven and despite a wide range of tunes, what is here is pretty good.

Way back in 1999, that NHL Hockey title was a certain joy and quite a lot of fun. Now, seven years later, the latest iteration has arrived and thoroughly erases the memories of long ago. NHL 07 for the 360 is filled with great moments, from the way the new shooting mechanics work to the glorious physics and eye candy. The announcing is first rate and the game does distance itself, in the feel, from other current-gen releases through all the intangibles. This feels like a hockey game should.

Gameplay: 9.1
The Skill Stick is a wonderful addition to the franchise, and certain to give hockey video-game fans the control they have been hoping for. There is a small learning curve, especially if you are a fan of former console NHL games (the controls are a wee bit different).

Graphics: 9.1
The physics are terrific, and the animations are remarkable. 

Sound: 9.0
Good tunes, great announcing and the other elements you come to expect all add up to make this a solid addendum to the eye candy. Gary Thorn and Bill Clement do a terrific job.

Difficulty: Medium
You can set your own difficulty level, and then adjust other elements to suit your tastes. The control scheme will take just a bit to get accustomed to using.

Concept: 9.0
The Skill Stick equals wonderful.

Multiplayer: 8.5
A little thin, and nothing really new here.

Overall: 9.0
The bar has been raised. Stellar graphics and a great new stick/shooting system are the hallmarks of this title. While perhaps a little light, yet, on the multiplayer aspects, the game does have a solid franchise mode and is just pure fun to play. This is a game that brings hockey video games into the next generation with style and wonder.