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theonlywhiteout · 01-15-2011, 09:22 PM

My review of NHL 11

As a long time vet of the series (I've played and/or owned every single version) I wanted to get my voice in on this years version of the game. NHL by EA has been an amazing series and for me been the flagship of EA as a company. I know of course that the Madden series is the biggest thing at EA, but as Canadians we all love the NHL series. So lets get to the review, shall we?

Graphics
The graphics are hard to argue with in this game. They look great. The ice effect is slick, the texturing is nice, and the players look reasonably realistic. I wont drone on much about this section, it's well done. 5/5

Sound
I've heard people go either way and frankly I don't get it. If you dont like the commentary, like me, turn it off. The sounds are great. The effects are accurate, and the music is awesome. It's a 4 and not a 5 because crowd cheering doesn't always match up what's going on. 4/5 and again, well done.

Online gameplay
This is a hard one to review and attribute it to a company. If there are a lot of cheerers is that EA's problem? If people spend all their free time looking for exploits, how can EA be blamed? I wont rate this as frankly the games online mode is what you make of it yourself and I cant blame EA for peoples hang ups.

Offline gameplay
In a word: terrible. I think the focus of player vs player has left CPU vs player in a complete state of chaos. Even in player vs player the CPU team mates you have are brutal and stupid. Whenever I play the CPU it's always a complete rodeo... the CPU has perfect-skynet like- reaction time. I only get the puck back when the CPU decides it's done with it or takes a shot. No forchecking by my team, even on 3-2. Turn down the gameplay settings? Great, now you have a stupid opponent you can beat 5-1 everytime. I understand that making the AI for CPU is hard, as hockey is free flowing and non-static. 2 out of 5. Terrible stuff.

Be a GM mode
Ugh. Such garbage. Ok before I can rate this though:

Rosters and rating systems
This is a bad situation. Player rating are way too clumped together, and the difference between players is really muted. Most of the NHL top 9 forwards are between 79-84. Crosby is 93? Why not 99? Not just that, the Islanders, on paper at the select team screen, is not that bad. They're quite comparable to almost anyone. Which leads me to

Be a GM mode
I started a be a GM mode save file and took the Flames. I made very few moves, infact, zero. I couldn't get a deal I wanted. So what happens? I finish top in the standings. TOPS. #1 in the league. I make it to the cup finals, and, who do I play and beat? The Islanders. Are you shrooming me? Well really, it's not that hard to see why. When simming the game the Islanders have a decent offense rating and not too terrible D and goaltending. If there's a mode in the game to be a GM and just work on deals, you have to make the ratings worth something and the sim engine worth a damn. They aren't. Be a GM mode is a 1/5. I'd give it a zero but I don't want to make a rip in the space-time continuum. Oh and I almost forgot to include the trade system is brutal, embarrassing, and a waste of time. No counter offers? Really? You make the GM of another team a reasonable offer, they dont want it.. . so what do they do? Offer a couter? Nope. THey slam the phone on you and you start from scratch. Awesome.

Overall replay value and thoughts
This is a game and a series that is suffering from stagnation like a swamp. The smell of decaying features and the bloated carcasses of failed code is just over powering. The game reeks of "been here, done that". The Stanley cup celebration is 5 years old. FIVE YEARS OLD. EA has essentially sat back and become very lazy, and kept shoveling our hard earned money down it's fat throat. Is this a good game? Yes, a great game. FIVE YEARS AGO. Sorry for the caps, I know it comes off crazy-like. But lets face facts, EA has become really content in taking money year after year for a roster update. This game genre desperately needs competition. If you can sit down with this title, play single player and find any kind of enjoyment or satisfaction, I envy you. I can conclude this review with only 4 words.

Shame on you, EA.

01-15-2011, 09:22 PM	#694
theonlywhiteout Lifetime Suspension Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Calgary Exp:	My review of NHL 11 As a long time vet of the series (I've played and/or owned every single version) I wanted to get my voice in on this years version of the game. NHL by EA has been an amazing series and for me been the flagship of EA as a company. I know of course that the Madden series is the biggest thing at EA, but as Canadians we all love the NHL series. So lets get to the review, shall we? Graphics The graphics are hard to argue with in this game. They look great. The ice effect is slick, the texturing is nice, and the players look reasonably realistic. I wont drone on much about this section, it's well done. 5/5 Sound I've heard people go either way and frankly I don't get it. If you dont like the commentary, like me, turn it off. The sounds are great. The effects are accurate, and the music is awesome. It's a 4 and not a 5 because crowd cheering doesn't always match up what's going on. 4/5 and again, well done. Online gameplay This is a hard one to review and attribute it to a company. If there are a lot of cheerers is that EA's problem? If people spend all their free time looking for exploits, how can EA be blamed? I wont rate this as frankly the games online mode is what you make of it yourself and I cant blame EA for peoples hang ups. Offline gameplay In a word: terrible. I think the focus of player vs player has left CPU vs player in a complete state of chaos. Even in player vs player the CPU team mates you have are brutal and stupid. Whenever I play the CPU it's always a complete rodeo... the CPU has perfect-skynet like- reaction time. I only get the puck back when the CPU decides it's done with it or takes a shot. No forchecking by my team, even on 3-2. Turn down the gameplay settings? Great, now you have a stupid opponent you can beat 5-1 everytime. I understand that making the AI for CPU is hard, as hockey is free flowing and non-static. 2 out of 5. Terrible stuff. Be a GM mode Ugh. Such garbage. Ok before I can rate this though: Rosters and rating systems This is a bad situation. Player rating are way too clumped together, and the difference between players is really muted. Most of the NHL top 9 forwards are between 79-84. Crosby is 93? Why not 99? Not just that, the Islanders, on paper at the select team screen, is not that bad. They're quite comparable to almost anyone. Which leads me to Be a GM mode I started a be a GM mode save file and took the Flames. I made very few moves, infact, zero. I couldn't get a deal I wanted. So what happens? I finish top in the standings. TOPS. #1 in the league. I make it to the cup finals, and, who do I play and beat? The Islanders. Are you shrooming me? Well really, it's not that hard to see why. When simming the game the Islanders have a decent offense rating and not too terrible D and goaltending. If there's a mode in the game to be a GM and just work on deals, you have to make the ratings worth something and the sim engine worth a damn. They aren't. Be a GM mode is a 1/5. I'd give it a zero but I don't want to make a rip in the space-time continuum. Oh and I almost forgot to include the trade system is brutal, embarrassing, and a waste of time. No counter offers? Really? You make the GM of another team a reasonable offer, they dont want it.. . so what do they do? Offer a couter? Nope. THey slam the phone on you and you start from scratch. Awesome. Overall replay value and thoughts This is a game and a series that is suffering from stagnation like a swamp. The smell of decaying features and the bloated carcasses of failed code is just over powering. The game reeks of "been here, done that". The Stanley cup celebration is 5 years old. FIVE YEARS OLD. EA has essentially sat back and become very lazy, and kept shoveling our hard earned money down it's fat throat. Is this a good game? Yes, a great game. FIVE YEARS AGO. Sorry for the caps, I know it comes off crazy-like. But lets face facts, EA has become really content in taking money year after year for a roster update. This game genre desperately needs competition. If you can sit down with this title, play single player and find any kind of enjoyment or satisfaction, I envy you. I can conclude this review with only 4 words. Shame on you, EA. Last edited by theonlywhiteout; 01-15-2011 at 09:25 PM.