In the United States, ice hockey does not have the following that basketball, baseball, or football do. This apparent lack of interest is reflected by the limited number of televised ice hockey games, and the lack of knowledge of the sport in general by the public-at-large. Fortunately, for video gamers everywhere, EA Sports is not swayed by the disinterested American public. Gamers should also be thankful that ice hockey is a national pastime in Canada, where NHL 10 is born out of, because NHL 10 is not only a incredible ice hockey game, it is a hell of a sports video game.

Since the advent of the innovative Skill Stick schematic, EA Sports’ NHL series has continued to set the bar high in the gaming world. NHL 10 proves to be no exception, and with improved visuals, greater depth in gameplay, and a create-a-player mode one can only dream of, this title is arguably the crown jewel of the EA Sports catalog.

As previously mentioned, this year’s edition of EA Sports’ NHL series once again features the Skill Stick controls, but with improved accuracy and responsiveness. The perfected control scheme is absolutely necessary not only for shooting the puck at precise locations on the net, but also for skating, dekeing, checking, and controlling the player’s hockey stick.

The breakneck speed of the sport is well translated into the game. With tape to tape passing of the puck, and severe, bone-crunching checking, quick reflexes are a prerequisite for any gamer. A poorly timed bodycheck may not only leave the intended target still skating, but more dangerously could leave the ice open for an attack on the goal.

Executing tricks and moves is not new to this series, but the inclusion of new defensive actions like pinning players against the boards is a huge step into the immersion of realistic ice hockey.

Another welcome addition to NHL 10 is first-person fighting. Fighting is not a prevalent part of ice hockey or in this game, but it certainly is a part of the game. The element of the first person view during fighting is a fun interruption in the action, and really makes this reviewer wonder what an ice hockey game in first-person view would be like.

There are a litany of modes available, including practices, drills, single-games, dynasty, and the create-a-player mode, offline multiplayer, and the famous, robust, and persistant online multiplayer mode. With the create-a-player mode, gamers create and customize a hockey player starting in the minors, hoping to be drafted to an NHL team. A gamer sticks with this player for the duration of the season, without the ability to switch players during games. This permits the camera to swing around only the created player, instead of the usual broadcast viewpoint, and adds yet another level of immersion. Even when the player is on the bench between shifts or is sent to the penalty box, the viewpoint is exclusively from the created player’s. And the new instant-action, Battle for the Cup mode places the gamer in the pressures of a Stanley Cup final game with everything on the line.

It seems with this year, EA Sports has greatly increased the graphical fidelity across all of its titles, and NHL 10 has never looked more real. From the animation, textures, lighting, and reflections, this title is visual reference material, ideal for showing off that recently purchased HDTV. There are minor frame rate issues during some of the player introduction sequences, but considering these are minor, and not gameplay-affecting, they can be overlooked.

The sounds of an ice hockey game are duly replicated here as well, like the minor atmospheric sounds of the crowd, the crisp shaving of ice by skates, and of course the slaps of the puck. While these ambient noises may not be noticeable, especially in the heat of an intense match, they serve to further immerse gamers into the world of the NHL quite effectively.

This robust and complete sports title is a must have for any sports video game fan, and will prove to provide a rich experience and replayability.

written by Rick Kim \\ tags: EA Sports, NHL 10