Thanks for the impressions and info guys. I had a pretty good feeling it was gonna turn out to be a great hockey sim. I'm patiently waiting for the XBOX version.
NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
Thanks for the impressions and info guys. I had a pretty good feeling it was gonna turn out to be a great hockey sim. I'm patiently waiting for the XBOX version. -
Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
Sorry I couldn't throw some impressions here last night... I had a real hockey game of my own to play in!
This is my first time playing the 2K series, so right now i'm really still just getting a feel for the game. I must say that I am definitely IMPRESSED!!! While i'm not a big fan of analog control usually, it works great with this game. I love skating the puck over the blue line and slowing down to wait for my wingers come into the zone for a pass. I also really like how the passing works... you have to actually aim the puck towards a teamate, not just aim in the general direction. On the default settings it helps you out some, but i've turned the puck over a bunch of times and it looks so real! Goals have been HARD to come by so far, but that's always the case when I just start playing a new game. Some of the few I have scored have looked pretty cool too. I've scored maybe 10 or so goals so far, and many of them have been different. (point shot, one timer, deflection, etc...) The goalie amimations are just outstanding, and the saves just look so realistic. I've watched many replays to see how the saves were made... and the replays look awesome too!
I have just barely begun to play this game... and HOLY MOLY are there a lot of options! Looks like you can customize just about anything you want! One of the cool ones I noticed so far is how you can control how quick the whistle will come when your goalie "freezes" the puck. Those who want it more realistic can switch it to a quicker whistle... nice!
I want to play some more before I comment any more... but so far this has been just what I needed after being GREATLY dissapointed with EA's pinball hockey the last few years. As others have said, the commentary is a little weak (mispronouncing some names too), and the player graphics are just ok. Pinning the puck carrier is great... very well done for a first effort! I played mostly on the default settings, and a game or two on the All-Star just to try it. Shot totals were pretty even, and I quickly learned i'm not ready for All-Star yet! So far so good... a great game!
LET'S GO FLYERS, YANKEES, DOLPHINS!!!Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
I put the fighting slider at about 25% and have yet to see one.
I might just turn it off since it doesn't really add much to the game....(unless your enforcer beats up a star player or something)....I like real hockey fights but video game ones don't do much for me.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
Thanx fsquid! I would've posted earlier, but we were having some pc problems at home, so I just SPENT A SOLID 12 HOURS on the game yesterday. Well, here goes with the first impressions (ps2)..........
First off, I love the game! Any serious hockey fan has to love this game! This is definitely the best sim to date. If you are a kid just looking for some fun without being a real fan or anything, then go get EA's title, but if you bleed hockey then SEGA is the only way to go.
The game is very solid. Goaltending is definitely the highlight in my book. Never before has such effort been put into the netminders. Simply amazing. The AI all around is stellar. Especially the special teams. The cpu power play is tough and their penalty killing is even tougher.
The AI forces you to play realistically in order to be effective in almost every aspect of gameplay. This goes on a team by team basis. You have to play towards your team's talent if you want a chance to win. The individual player talents are really obvious and done well---true to life. This has been a major gripe of mine in the past. As you learn how to operate the plays properly and match your lines against your opponents correctly, these talents really begin to shine!
My biggest problem with past titles has always been the way the game flows and feels. SEGA has finally fine tuned this damn near perfectly (a kazillion sliders doesn't hurt). The physics are right on point and the playability is near flawless. Great job guys!!!
Now, I don't mean to dampen the excitement, but there is plenty room for improvement. Some issues are bigger than others but I gotta give an honest report here (I'll hit the wishlist later and hopefully SEGA will check it out). Please keep in mind though that these things still can't hold down the fact that this is the ultimate hockey game to date.
In no particular order, I think I'll start with the lack of some options. There is no create-a-player in franchise mode. This isn't a real big deal to me, but some gamers will definitely wish they had it. A bigger issue is the fact that I haven't found a way to edit attributes for the real players. If someone knows how to do this, please hit me up! I would also like to see a practice mode, especially to get used to the designed play execution.
The graphics are good, but not quite at the level of recent SEGA titles like NBA 2k3. The commentary has plenty of room for improvement also, but isn't down right annoying or anything. The sound is alright but is nonexistent on replays (wtf??). Speaking of replays, sometimes they show a replay from the wrong goalie cam and you are stuck looking at his a$$ while the action is on the other end of the ice.
As far as gameplay goes, I love the scrums on the boards but they don't happen quite as much as I was hoping for---especially in the dump and chase. I also have a little gripe with the shots on goal. On Pro level, I consistently get around 50 a game, which is pretty high. On All Star, my SOG are realistic, but I get outshot by 15 or so every time. I think the problem is the same as in football games with the quarterbacks, players are too accurate. We need more shots to miss the net altogether, especially when a player is off balance, blinded, or whipping a backhand from 15-20 feet out. Tweaking the shot accuracy slider does effect the shots, but not to the point where you're hitting the glass with any regularity. I'm working on the stats though, and the way I see it is I have to play All Star and get better on defense somehow---hey, I've only been on it for a day. A week later and I probably won't even notice.
Lastly, I am astonished to report that after playing all friggin day I have yet to get into a single fight---with the slider turned all the way up!!!! This seems really weird to me. I mean, do I have to initiate contact a certain way after a play is over? I really don't know what to say.
All the little gripes aside, I couldn't be happier to own this game. I'm sure some of them will work themselves out with further playing. It will definitely hold me over for the next year. I'm already excited and looking forward to 2k4.
NHL 2k3 is the closest thing so far to a true hockey video game. You can customize it almost every which way to get that real feel. If anyone is interested in my visual and gameplay settings for a pretty damn good sim, let me know.
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
Thanks for the impressions, fellas... Us XBox'ers really appreciate 'em...Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
Sounds good, but I've got a couple of questions.
What I hate about EA's games these days is that when you dump the puck in, the CPU can just grab it and get it out so easily, which makes it tough to set up plays and such, particularly on the power play.
Is there better action within the blue line. Is it tougher to clear pucks and whatnot for the computer?Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
On All Star level the action between the blue lines is pretty intense. Below that level the skating can get kinda loose. Keep in mind there is a level above All Star, I think it's Hall of Fame. I haven't even tried it yet, but it's gotta be pretty tough.
As far as the dump and chase goes, I haven't really mastered it yet. The cpu is VERY good at penalty killing. They know how and when to clear, but beware, they will take some shorthanded chances if you're not paying attention. The key is to dump the puck the right way and in the right direction. If you don't have a guy in a position capable of getting to the corner within a couple seconds of the puck, the defense will get it out of there. But if, for example, you have a left winger waiting and you toss it into the left corner, you will at least have a shot to get in there and pin or nail the defender if you don't beat him to the biscuit altogether.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
I find it much more difficult to clear the puck....hell I've had sequences where I've tried to ice it just to take the pressure off
and been unable to clear it cleanly. It's not quite as easy to breakout as in EA's game.....you need to spot the open guy as
you cross the blue line. I've only played three games so my observations are after a limited amount of playing.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
There is a way to edit player attributes. I can't remember exactly how right now (I'm at work), but I think you go to Roster Manager or one of the roster screens, bring up the player card with the select button, and then press square. There was a little help icon on the bottom of the screen that led me to it when I was looking at player cards yesterday. Very cool stuff, since there are so many different stats for each player. Check out the goalies in particular. It's unbelievable how many categories they are rated in. I'll double check this when I get home to make sure this is how you do it, but it's definitely something along those lines.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
I've got a quick, minor question....
... so much was made of the different teams' goal horns before the game was released, but haven't seen anybody comment on this yet. Did they do a nice job with the different teams' sirens? Thanks.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
I have played four games on pro level and have been able to dump the puck in most of the time. If you have a fast skater, he beats the CPU to the puck, sometimes you will get pinned against the boards which is really cool.
In fact on pro level with good teams against bad ones (I have played as Detroit/Col/NJ against the Wild) I am able to pretty much dump the puck in and set up the power play. My problem has been on defense, I am chasing the puck around and leaving the area I am supposed to be defending.
I will post more after I play it tonight. I wish I wasn't at work.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
GTheorenHobbes,
I have played 3 full games and about 10 quick ones where I was the away team and pulled my goalie just to hear the horns. All of the ones I heard are authentic, but have yet to hear the rock and roll part 2 song after a goal like in the segasports.com video. It seems to play random songs or organ music after the horn. The horns are awesome, but the music and organ ditties are pretty weak.
To name a few, San Jose has the fog Horn, Anaheim has a similar style fog horn, Buffalo (and Chicago? can't remember the other team) has the train, and Colorado even has the 2 different horns back to back (siren and a horn). Most of the horns go off multiple times. Phoenix didn't have any horn, just music. I don't know if this is real or not. I've seen hi-lite video where they play a coyote howl, but it isn't in the game. I heard Boston doesn't have a horn, but I didn't play one there.
All the arena's are different as well, with luxury boxes and seating configurations. Even the pregame stuff is hanging from the rafters (octapus in detroit, mountain in Colorado, shark in San Jose, etc...) Too bad they didn't put them in the pregame where they skate out of them.
Basically, "If it's in the game, it's in the game". (EA says it, but Sega really does it).
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
Hadn't noticed the horns, but I just go through with a game where all 3 goals I scored I really felt like I earned them and that they were legit.
If the sound and commentating were better it would just add that much more cause the game play seems to be rock solid.Comment
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Re: NHL 2K3 Impression - POST ALL OF THEM HERE PLEASE
can slower players catch up to faster players...i.e. in NCAA 2003 a WR would get chased down by a DT"Besides pride, loyalty, discipline, heart, and mind, confidence is the key to all the locks." --Joe Paterno
LET'S GO PENS!!!Comment

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