NHL '07 is a step up from last year's iteration and innovates the hockey genre.
But what's different from last year and previous outings in the series can be described in 2 words: shot stick. EA clearly pushes the envelope way further with this incredible innovation.
How this works is fairly easy: instead of shooting the puck with one button, you now control the accuracy and force of your shot with the right analog stick. Push forward for a regular shot, push back and then forward for a slap shot. Push the stick left and right to deke and feint.
This may sound as simple as apple pie, but it is a welcome improvement and a huge innovation in hockey games. How sweet it is to deke past a defensemen and then completely fool the goalie, all with some simple movement of the right analog stick.
The rest of the package is a pretty solid hockey game. You get all of the same modes you are used to: Quick Match, Dynasty, Tournaments & Online. You can even choose to have a Shootout, if your heart so desires (and it's a great way to get acquainted with the new shot stick). The rosters are very up-to-date, even more so than in the regular XBox version.
Another new feature this year, if you play the game in Dynasty mode, is the Salary Cap. This brings an all new dimension to the game, because you won't be able to build a powerhouse team with all the best players anymore. You'll have to respect the Salary Cap established by the League at the beginning of the season. Naturally, this can be turned off... if you want to keep on playing with that powerhouse.
The online is pretty stable and lag free. I found it easy to connect to my friends and never got disconnected once during a match. There are some moments though when the lag will be more intense, but it usually doesn't last very long.
The graphics, especially on the 360, are mind blowing. The cinematics are outstanding. The details in the players' faces, their jerseys, the arenas, and so on and so fourth, is simply jaw dropping. The gameplay graphics are also pretty well rendered and really look like a next-generation hockey game. There are still a couple of glitches here and there, but all in all, the graphical presentation is a solid one.
The sound can be divided in 3 categories: gameplay, music and commentators. The gameplay sounds are beyond excellent. Every sound you expect to hear in a regular hockey game, you get here. The music, on the other hand, is not too good. I'm not saying that the songs suck, but you hear them constantly, especially that damn song that plays after each and every period and the other one that plays before each and every game. There is absolutely no variety here. The playlist is also very short, so that doesn't help the situation one bit. The commentators have been changed from last year. Jim Hughson is out (good riddance) and is replaced by some excellent commentating. It really feels like a hockey game when you listen to them, and not a joke, like in previous installments.
Naturally, the game does have it's down sides. There are no online Shootouts, which is just plain stupid. I'd love to be able to have a Shootout with some friends without playing a whole game, but it is not available here. One other thing about online is the lack of a League. Yes, there are ranked games, but a League would've been nice.
Another thing that bugs me is the menu design. When you are checking out the standings or stats, the characters on the far right side of the screen are very hard to read. It is also very annoying to navigate through all of the menus, since there is a bunch of them.
Last but certainly not least is the "trickler" goals, where you shoot the puck at the net and the goalie doesn't quite stops it and it trickles in. There are way too many of these and it hinders the gameplay immensely. Just shoot hard at the goalie and he'll fumble it, giving you an easy goal. I hope this gets fixed in a patch soon.
All in all, NHL '07 is a great game of hockey that I recommend to every fan of the sport. It does have it's flaws, but the innovative shot stick makes up for most of them.