The Best Hockey Game for the PSP Right Now.
There are a lot of options for playing this game and I mean a lot. I had to pump up the gameplay speed just a tad because the default setting was a bit too slow for me and it's made all the difference. Just beware that the game does have a load time but it's not that bad. One thing that irked me was that the options had too long a load time to switch from setting to setting. The shooting is done well with slap shots and wrist shots and I even had a deflection come at my goalie during a season game. But for the most part the players react well to the play and don't "pass up" the puck like Gretzky NHL '06 did which I couldn't stand. One thing I really was impressed was the puck physics... if it is shot and hits a body, it will react properly and go any which way. Just like if it hits the posts, goalie leg pad, boards, etc. It's very realistic puck movement and it feels just like a real puck should behave. Well done EA.
Before each game you can setup your team options like strategy, team uniforms, manual or auto line changes and shooting and display settings. But once the game starts you cannot change anything once it's set. Not even the viewpoint or camera angles. But my favorite so far is Broadcast (or side view) because it looks so realistic. The sound is also pretty good too as far as the shooting and passing but the hits are a bit too overdone. The puck hitting the boards, posts or crossbar is very good. Skating sounds impressive as well as shots to the goaltender. The commentary does get repetitive but it's not annoying at all. Bill Clement and Gary Thorme are still the best in my opinion.
I have not taken this game out since getting it this past weekend and have enjoyed the challenge immensely. The action is fast, intense, realistic and presented well throughout the game. It is a very fun and easy to pick up game if you're a hockey player, hockey fan or sports fan in general. Only thing I wished was that certain teams had the new updated logos like the Sabres and the Ducks. One final thought, since this really is just eye candy but since I play goalie as my sport I really appreciated the many manufacturer's equipment on the goalies as they were correct 90% of the time. It's nice to see the pro's use their choice of equipment with all the proper graphics in place.