I've played a few games, my initial impressions:
The presentation is very good, they really did a good job getting the "TV" style presentation in the game. Ice looks great, graphics are detailed and sharp. However, other than the detailed crowds, they don't blow away last gen IMO. I wasn't a fan of the new dynamic camera so I put on the "ice" camera. Felt like playing last gen game by and large. Oh and the menus look cool but I was hoping they'd be much more fluid on next gen. Still kind of slow and stuttery at times.
The gameplay is kind of a mixed bag IMO. I like the flow of the overall game, but controls feel somewhat unresponsive. Can't stickhandle the same way as before, I just feel like there is less control of the player. Scoring is generally the same as its always been. Doesn't really feel like a new game all in all, you are primarily doing the same things the same way as last gen.
Overall the game is just OK in my opinion. It'll be a fine game of hockey. But for me, especially with a next gen jump -- there just isn't a heck of a lot of difference when it really comes down to it. If someone was to ask me whether its worth upgrading to a next gen console for this, I'd honestly have to say no. Stick with old gen and you get basically the same game with more modes. Any of the next gen aspects seem pretty subtle for the most part.
Sums up my feelings about next gen as a whole too, just hasn't really blown me away in anything other than the graphics in Ryse.
I'll be getting the game anyways simply because I already bought a next gen system and need something to play, but overall, nothing incredibly new or exciting here.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
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