With the imminent possibility of an NHL Lockout looming, fans are facing the reality that the NHL season will not begin as expected. Gary Bettman (NHL Commissioner) and his owners and the NHLPA (National Hockey League Players Association) have stood toe-to-toe with no emerging the victor. With no end in sight to the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) debacle what are fans to do? For those of us who are Canadian or just obsessed with hockey, EA’s most recent addition to the NHL game franchise may be our last bastion as we stare into the eyes of the second labour dispute to face the world’s greatest sport in less than a decade.
First things first, you’ll notice that all the typical game modes are back in action. Versus mode, Season Mode, Be a Pro, GM Mode, Be a Legend and Ultimate Team all made the cut this year in addition to all the usual suspects in regards to online play. Back again and quite possibly the only way you’ll watch it this season is The Winter Classic. One of the biggest games of the year has been a smash success for the franchise and we’re likely not to see it go anywhere soon.
EA has performed many tweaks, fixes and updates this year, perhaps the most anticipated being that of “True Performance Skating.” TPS marks a significant milestone in the history of the series as EA makes strides to shift away from the archaic arcade-like feel of skating and focus more on realism. Not since the introduction of the skill-stick has EA implemented such a game changing feature. What does this mean to you the player? It means many more variables will be considered while you’re in motion carrying the puck. Speed sacrifices control and vice versa, in other words, you won’t be dangling through defenders or turning on a dime while going full tilt through the neutral zone.
EA has made a fundamental change for the sake of realism and it will force you to make changes to your game. Anyone who’s ever laced up a pair of skates knows hockey is a positional game and this year NHL 13 forces you more than ever to play your position or face the consequences. Although changes like this are refreshing and welcome, NHL is, at its core, still an arcade style game and not a simulation. Perhaps EA is making an effort to change that but I can definitely say NHL 13 in leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor. When you consider development only lasts a year between iterations it takes time to completely reinvent a series while attempting to stay fresh in the eyes of consumers.
EA claims they’ve spent more time on NHL 13’s AI than in the previous three releases. It doesn’t take long to realize the AI is greatly improved either as you’ll notice players are more in tune with the new skating mechanics. With a great deal of emphasis being on the skater this year there has been significant improvements in puck control as well as skating including the ability to skate backwards on command and with ease. Goalies are much smarter and incredibly acrobatic, sliding and diving across the crease with ballet-like grace. Comparable to flipping the puck from the blue-line in NHL ’94, the days of the one-timer and wrap around are over. Yes, in order to fool a netminder these days it will take a combination of skill and strategy instead of just a saucer pass and quick flick of the thumbstick.
The presentation of NHL is always magnificent and ’13 is no exception. Games are broadcast in true NBC style alongside the commentary of Gary Thorne and Bill Clemente. The arena sounds, the roar of the crowd, the noise of the horn all this along with another year of stunning visuals add up to EA creating another homerun for their NHL franchise. Although you may run into weird animations, the odd glitch and long loading times, this years’ NHL is as close as you can get before taping your own stick.
The two newest additions to gameplay modes that I left out earlier are GM Connected and NHL Moments Live. It’s been said many times that GM Mode is the most played offline game type in the series, with having the ability to take the helm of your favourite team this has never been much surprise. EA decided to take a stab at shifting the mode to support online play, accommodating up to 750 players in each league. The idea of being able to participate in a league that consists of real players across the world who actually play the role of commissioner, GM and/or players pretty much blows EASHL out of the water for me. Although at the time of my review there were a limited amount of players available that equated to a limited amount of interaction. For now I have to wait to make a decision on GM Connected, but the idea sounds nothing short of amazing.
NHL Moments Live allows players to relive and in turn, recreate moments from the past. This could be a Stanley Cup winning goal, a near impossible point count, an unfathomable shut out or just about any other incredible play you can think of. When I first heard of this mode I was ecstatic to be able to relive some of the moments from my past and play as some of my personal heroes. Those dreams were quickly squashed as only 3 of the moments were not from the 2011-2012 season. Not only that but while playing as Wayne Gretzky attempting to recreate his 5 goal night in 1981 that lead to his record shattering 50 goals in 39 games, as I looked to my right I wasn’t met with the familiar number 17 of Jari Kurri. I was met by the 2012 Edmonton Oilers and my opponent the 2012 Philadelphia Flyers. Is it a big deal? Probably not as much as EA putting in the proper rosters for the 3 non-2012 moments, but disappointing nevertheless. The game mode is still incredibly fun and a great addition to the franchise, that only facet being the one that doesn’t sit well with me.
As with every year when anticipating the next NHL title from EA, they have done nothing short of exceed my expectations. With leaps forward in gameplay mechanics and physics, new and immersive modes, NHL 13 is impressive to say the least. EA produces a quality product year after year but NHL 13 adds a little bit more bang for your buck this time around. With the addition of several new games modes you’ll be playing NHL 13 ‘til at least next September.
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