Hockey fever

by ERIK LEIJON

As the calendar hits October, I can no longer contain my excitement surrounding the upcoming Habs centennial. In addition to this being the team’s best shot at a Stanley Cup since my elementary school days, a year’s worth of celebrations, retro jersey nights and tear-jerking montages should keep my blood pressure at dangerous highs throughout the season.

I was fully expecting the two long-running hockey video game franchises, NHL 09 (X360, PS3/EA Sports, EA Canada) and NHL 2K9 (X360, PS3, Wii/2K Sports, Visual Concepts) to be as much of a buzzkill as the CBC pre-empting Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion’s number retirement ceremony for Tie Domi night at the ACC. Instead, I was treated to a Mario Lemieux-esque comeback from the only two hockey games in town. It must be “l’effet Gainey.”

Whereas the 2K series had a slight edge in the past due to tighter, sim-style gameplay, EA’s hockey series has taken a major stride forward this year—passing 2K on the depth chart. In recent years, neither game took advantage of next-gen hardware: the graphics remained choppy, the same 10-year-old goalie animations were used, the camera angles were static and puck control was based on osmosis.

In one foul swoop, EA’s Be a Pro mode redefines the hockey video game, and the future is brighter than Carey Price’s in bleu, blanc et rouge. Instead of switching back and forth between identical players, Be a Pro forces you to play only as your custom character. Meaning that when he’s on the ice, you have to play sound defensively, or position yourself in order to receive crisp passes. Once your shift is over, you watch the game from the bench, eagerly awaiting your next chance.

REDEFINING THE GAME: NHL 09

This might seem like innovation through restriction, but by concentrating on one character, EA has been able to shatter the old, unwritten rules surrounding hockey games. Instead of being obsessed with playing offence and making big hits, as one player on the ice, you have to learn proper positioning, and how to take your man.

The camera—no longer jumping across the ice—is now set on the one player and can zoom in to capture one-on-one stick-handling, or pan out as you look for a teammate to pass to. These cinematic qualities ramp up the intensity, so the games never feel like hockey by numbers. It looks and feels like no other hockey game before.

2K’s effort is more of a traditional sequel since there are no new modes, and the same animation and play-by-play bugs remain. Whereas EA has taken two seasons to overhaul their control scheme (the initially off-putting dual analog controls now work to perfection), 2K have scaled back on recent changes, returning to a retro style.

Unfortunately, one of the 2K series’ best features was the right analog-controlled deke and defensive poke check moves, so after finding the classic controls restrictive, I changed to the perfectly adequate hybrid set-up (I would also recommend increasing the default speed).

One might equate this to my current euphoric state surrounding the Habs, but even for all its faults, developer Visual Concepts ironed out some of NHL 2K9’s most glaring issues. The goalies are more fluid and the shoot-outs/penalty shots are no longer underdeveloped throw-ins.

2K Sports’ title is also the only ticket in town for Wii owners—and although graphically bastardized and lacking in modes—the hockey gameplay equals that of its next-gen brother. EA’s famous franchise is back from cash grab purgatory, so here’s hoping another long-running franchise can break out of their doldrums this season.