I must say that I was very hesitant to purchase this game after reading some of the reviews here, but a friend who had it just raved about it to me. So I plunked down the 50 bucks and was amazed. This is the finest hockey game I have ever played (I have played them all since the 1st Genesis edition.) The first thing I want to touch on is the complaints on speed and passing. Those reviewers must not have looked deep enough into the game because there are sliding controls which increase the acceleration of a player and also the passing accuracy, PLUS there is a passing assist feature. So this game has pretty much the same features in this respect as past games that the reveiwers now claim to miss so badly. What sets NHL 2004 apart is when you remove the fake speed and also the other computer assisted cheats, you have a hockey experience more realistic than I ever thought possible. It is almost impossible to skate past 5 defenseman on your own and get an easy breakaway...just like in real hockey. To be effective in passing you must be conservative as doing long cross ice passes will lead to breakaways. I love the feature where you can now tie up an opponent and the shot blocking is phenomenal. If you are deciding on whether to buy this game, please disregard all the negative reviews and decide if you want an ultra realistic game or an arcade like breakaway vs breakaway game. NHL 2004 is fun and realistic...ESPN Hockey is also fun but less realistic. In my fantasy hockey league, 7 of the 10 (1 does not have a videogame system) people prefer NHL 2004, and they are real hockey and videogame fantatics. Either way, this game is WAY better then the reviews here would lead you to believe.
This game actually somewhat is better than NHL 2006 IMO. I know alot may disagree with me. But NHL 2006 has some flaws that 2004 doesn't have. Anyway, let's get to the point. Dynasty Mode is pretty good and pretty much ... Read Full Review
NHL 2004 is a good hockey game that is well worth the money. The gameplay is great and the controls are the same as always. The graphics are good and clean. The sound is good. The crowd is loud and you can hear the hits.... Read Full Review
