This is the best hockey game ever made!
One of my favorite new features has to be the defender decks. When done right you can make the defender look silly and put yourself into a highlight real breakaway, if done wrong you'll be on the ice seeing stars. It’s a great new feature and really makes you earn your chances. With the tough AI that actually learn as the game goes on and the amazing goaltenders you'll need all the help you can get.
The AI is amazing blocking pucks, running plays, and crashing the net. You can even make custom plays to try in games. But the defense is smart, learning from what you do and then trying to stop you. You'll have to mix things up or the defense will stop you all night. Penalties seem fair and mostly any you get will be because of you and not your AI teammates. The fighting also great this year, there’s nothing better then a fight to fire your team up.
And best of all this game has great replay value letting you play in the NHL, AHL, two Russian super leagues, and international. Not to mention the much improved online with team games, shoot outs, and leagues. If you’re a hockey fan then you have to pick up this game!