NHL 08: Bringing the Puck Back into the Spotlight

NHL 08 has already been lauded by many as the most realistic hockey video game in history, and as far as the best game overall by some others. I tend to lean towards the latter and believe that the realism is the strongest selling point on this game.

The new skating engine and skill stick that are present in NHL 08 allow more direct control over your player than in past games, where specific moves were set and skating animations left a lot to be desired. Not this time. Through various one-on-one dekes, and the self-controllable side-to-side dekes with the skill stick, players can now react to what the defense is doing themselves, only adding to the realism of the experience. Coupled with the skating engine and skill stick, the AI system in NHL 08 is perhaps the shining star in the total package.

Unlike games in the past, the AI controlling all CPU players will adjust to game situations. For example, if you push hard up the side and have success with one-timers back to the middle, as the game goes on you will find defenders waiting in anticipation of that pass, as well as defenders pressuring your player pushing up the side-boards. I'll admit, when I first read that before playing the game, it was a tough sell to actually make me believe it. I am a believer now though, 100 percent.

As a veteran of several generations of sports video games, my biggest recurring issue has been that, over time, I figure the games out, in a way, and there is no more challenge. Thus, a loss of interest in the game. To this point with NHL 08, however, I have the sense that this will at the very least be prolonged, if not avoided completely, thanks to the dynamic AI. For example, in a dynasty, streaks occur much like in real life. One or two games in a row, you can be on fire and then go into the third and get completely embarrassed, though the effort or skills you employ may not have changed. This aspect, in my opinion, is the best that this game has to offer, though it is also the most frustrating. When in the past I could be on a 10, 15, or (no joke) 80 game winning streak, this game has shown to be as volatile and humbling as the course of a true NHL season is.

Other positive elements of the game include the return of announcers Gary Thorne and Bill Clement, complete AHL and International team rosters, the Creation Zone for creating players and editing current players, Goalie Mode, and the new Create-a-Play feature. The create-a-play feature allows you to designate exact movements for the various players involved and plays initiate automatically when your players are in the proper starting positions on the ice. This is yet another aspect of the game that personalizes it and gives it a more realistic, user-interactive feel.

Though my review has been all positive to this point, there are a few issues with the game. First, though the adaptation of the AI is on-point a lot of the time, sometimes teammates lag and stand still while pucks are free in their area. Also, when doing some of the new skill-stick moves, the hockey sticks appear to go right through opponents when moves are not executed perfectly. Lastly, the overall game presentation, despite the excellence of Thorne and Clement, is pretty dry and leaves a lot to be desired. Only replays after stoppages in play are provided.

Despite minor presentation and visual issues, NHL 08 scores big with its emphasis on a realistic gaming experience. To this point, I personally have not found the game to be predictable in both game results and in aspects of game play. That is not something that I can remember saying about any of the last several generations of NHL video games, including the 2K series. The frustration that comes sometimes with a humbling loss could potentially steer some people away from playing the game, but I believe that the realism and the dynamic AI present in NHL 08 will leave more gamers wanting more than angrily stepping aside.