NHL 09 Demo Available, Post Impressions Here

[tgalv]

there's more of an emphasis on "man on man" D, not just a zone. it's pretty good, but sometimes i wish i could block passing lanes in open space a little better. i haven't been too impressed with the new pokechecking so far. team defense is really going to be tested online. i don't think you're going to be able to singlehandly play defense for the whole team like you could to some degree in 08.

[bad_philanthropy]

I don't see the cheating. The cpu adjusts their strategies to become very aggressive. You see it all the time when teams are down but get some mometum and start to get really aggressive. What about last year when Montreal came back against the Rangers after being down live five goals? Or when Toronto came back being down 3-0 in the third period against Philly to win the game? Was that due to comeback AI? I've found that in the past two NHL releases on NG if you make adjustments it's really not all that difficult to defend.

After I figured 08 out I didn't think it was difficult at all, I still lost some games but it was usually due to me making some mistakes and getting down early. Rarely did I have a team come back for a win against me. There is no comeback AI in the game, it isn't like the EA football games where you know that you are destined throw a pick or fumble the ball at a certain point.

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by kerosene31

Cons: -The goalies worry me on all-star. No matter what team I play, my goalie gives up terrible goals on long shots. I switch teams and the other goalie does the same thing. Hopefully this is what they talked about fixing in the final version.

LOL, no, that's the exact same cheat programming that was in NHL 08. Move up to Allstar and your goalie starts letting in floaters from the blueline, will the CPU G plays like a brick wall.

[RunN1st]

I loved this demo! I especially like the checking...lot's of fun!

Not a big hockey fan so I may hold off a bit before I go out and buy it. Knowing EA, there will be some kind of bug that will hamper the game for the first month or so, anyway.

[Qb]

Did you guys know that you can play as the goalie through position lock in the demo? You can't get the goalie mode camera in regular play (you can in the SO), so it's far from ideal, but if you use the Action camera focused on the goalie (hit the back button) it's doable. If you go to the starting lineups screen and press X (360, square on PS3?) once, it will lock you onto the 'tender.

I was BAD at goaltending in 08 and I didn't do much of it aside from in shootouts, so I'm not the best judge of it. But it feels a little smoother to me and the post-hugging animation is better and seems to kick in automatically more appropriately. If someone who can actually play the position were to try, I'm sure they can give you a better impression of it...

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by baa7

LOL, no, that's the exact same cheat programming that was in NHL 08. Move up to Allstar and your goalie starts letting in floaters from the blueline, will the CPU G plays like a brick wall.

Thats funny, since with the new goaltender animations, I've scored far many garbage goal rebounds and otherwise just a better variety of goals, than prolly most of last year with 08. But hey keep with your "I suck so the ai must cheat" crusade, its good for a laugh.

[clivo1050]

idk if anyone mentioned this yet, but during a break in play it showed the crowd doing the wave!

[baa7]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

with the new goaltender animations, I've scored far many garbage goal rebounds and otherwise just a better variety of goals, than prolly most of last year with 08.

Sounds good. And the demo sounds great. Let's just hope they also fixed the programming cheat where your goalie momentarily turns into a sieve/swiss cheese/pylon whenever the CPU needs a quick goal.