NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

[Jgainsey]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

Was there any mention of 'dirty-ing up the gameplay a bit? NHL 08 was too clean. Real NHL hockey has scrumms, garbage in front of the net, sloppy play, fanning on shots, the puck bouncing over sticks and flipping and fluttering. Real hockey has all of this sloppiness in it....so when a perfectly executed play and goal are pulled off, it is much more appreciated


There should be more aggressive board play and scraps in the corners, facials and after whistle pushing and shoving in front of the goalie.

Any mention of any of this?

Also better puck physics like NHL 2K8.....In NHL 2008, the puck seemed to feel magnetically parallel to the ice, it didnt flutter, carom, flip or deflect realistically

Very true. This game could definitely benefit from some sloppiness. Every pass shouldn't be tape to tape. I'd love to see some new animations where a pass is off a bit and the player recieving it has to lunge for it or reach his stick behind him to control it. I'd also like to be able to make a through pass with out having to saucer the puck.

I'm not really concerned about the fighting, even though is sucks horribly.. But I hate how the human player is the only one who can initiate the fight. I like how it was in older versions where it would come up on the bottom of the screen and you'd just have to press a button to accept.

[Trick_]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

Also better puck physics like NHL 2K8.....In NHL 2008, the puck seemed to feel magnetically parallel to the ice, it didnt flutter, carom, flip or deflect realistically

i agree with everything except this...so many of my replays i watch my goal wishing i could save them (thats for a total different note though) but lots of times the puck going in was ugly, by that i mean rolling in on its side, being deflected or bounced in off my opponents stick or skate or the goalie knocking it in Marc Andre Fleury style j/k. it may not be perfect but i was really impressed. but then again i hadn't played a hockey game since 02. just my .02 cents

[Money99]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

i agree with everything except this...so many of my replays i watch my goal wishing i could save them (thats for a total different note though) but lots of times the puck going in was ugly, by that i mean rolling in on its side, being deflected or bounced in off my opponents stick or skate or the goalie knocking it in Marc Andre Fleury style j/k. it may not be perfect but i was really impressed. but then again i hadn't played a hockey game since 02. just my .02 cents

I thought the puck physics in 08 were pretty good, but I also believe that 2K8's puck physics were nearly life like. It bounced around a lot more and made for better goal mouth scrambles.

In 08, there were times it did feel like it was on a rail or that it had too much elasticity to it. But it wasn't like it was horrible.

[mdgoalie37]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

I would like ot see the puck physics improved, like the mile high pop-ups off the post and the puck flying out of play off the posts. I think there should be more rebounds and scrambles in the slot. However, having the RS be shoot and hit is an issue sometimes in these situations as you try to check someone instead of get the puck.

I would like to see the passing also addressed - not every team passes and receives passes as well as the Red Wings. Every pass shouldn't be tape to tape and also every pass shouldn't be received in stride.

[savoie2006]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

once again they continue to add features that have been in other games for years

When did you ever see "Create a Play" and 6 on 6 in a Hockey game?Remember,they didn't remove features just because.They built this game from the ground up for the 360.Sure more could have been added in 07,but it's apparent to me that the developers are trying to do it right and not just throw as much crap in as possible right away.

[tgalv]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

the puck physics were better in 07. it was pretty much the same thing but the puck was much more dynamic around the net. but there were way too many garbage pinball goals and pucks trickling off the goalie into the net. so they had to throw in the exaggerated magnetic goalie forcefield effect on most pucks near the crease to fix one of the worst complaints. hopefully they can tweak it a little.

[Money99]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

I would like ot see the puck physics improved, like the mile high pop-ups off the post and the puck flying out of play off the posts. I think there should be more rebounds and scrambles in the slot. However, having the RS be shoot and hit is an issue sometimes in these situations as you try to check someone instead of get the puck.

I would like to see the passing also addressed - not every team passes and receives passes as well as the Red Wings. Every pass shouldn't be tape to tape and also every pass shouldn't be received in stride.

BINGO!
This is one of my biggest gripes about 08. It really takes the magic away from great passers like Datsyuk, Crosby and Thornton. What's the sense in having a 99 rated passer if everyone can thread a needle in the game?

[bucs44]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

Definitely like to see more puck physics...less tape to tape passes, rolling and bouncing pucks, GOOD passers different then less skilled passers. Also, more player skill differences in puck handling, shooting, dekes and hitting.
09 needs more board play, grinding and physics based hitting.

[Ridgeberg]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

I read in the press release announcing Dion as the cover athlete that there will be club teams from Russia, Czech Republic and Germany. Hopefully these teams are in addition to the Finnish and Swedish teams from last year.

[Eddie1967]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

Was there any mention of 'dirty-ing up the gameplay a bit? NHL 08 was too clean. Real NHL hockey has scrumms, garbage in front of the net, sloppy play, fanning on shots, the puck bouncing over sticks and flipping and fluttering. Real hockey has all of this sloppiness in it....so when a perfectly executed play and goal are pulled off, it is much more appreciated


There should be more aggressive board play and scraps in the corners, facials and after whistle pushing and shoving in front of the goalie.

Any mention of any of this?

Also better puck physics like NHL 2K8.....In NHL 2008, the puck seemed to feel magnetically parallel to the ice, it didnt flutter, carom, flip or deflect realistically

I knew there was someone out there who noticed how much nhl 08 was lacking these things that would make it a true simulation. One of the reasons this game never caught on with me. 2k was able to do a lot of what you mentioned above pretty well IMO. Outstanding post!

[savoie2006]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

Hey,no one ever said NHL 08 was perfect.In fact if you have read some of the wishlists floating around,you see alot of those very things being asked for for 09.From what I read in the Gamespot First Look and the Producer Blog @EASports,it sounds as though EA is definately taking steps in the right direction.Just because it may not all be in one shot,doesn't make it not so.Truth of the matter is though that this is an NHL 08 forum so I guess you should have expected a difference of opinion regarding this and 2K8.

[RealmK]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

I knew there was someone out there who noticed how much nhl 08 was lacking these things that would make it a true simulation. One of the reasons this game never caught on with me. 2k was able to do a lot of what you mentioned above pretty well IMO. Outstanding post!

Like Savoie said, I don't think anyone said 08 was perfect at all. If you have no interest in discussing the game and only desire to bash it with every post, just don't bother to post at all.

[Qb]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

I would lose it if you could invite a friend to play co-op games in your dynasty. It would be like the olds days for me when my old roommate and I ruled the league in NHL2K3-5. I think the first Madden for the 360 had a feature like this called 'Live opponent' or something. Here's hoping...

[tgalv]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

that would be great. i also wish they would improve the online matchmaking aspects. online teamplay with more than one person on a console seems to makes sense to me. last year you had to play regular games with a buddy and you'd have to just hope that by a miracle the guy you matched up with had a buddy playing too. 2 on 1 is kind of unfair especially when your buddy doesn't have the game and isn't that good at it.

[RealmK]

Re: NHL 09 First Look: GameSpot

Bangpow over at Consolesports.net attended the community day and also has a write up as well. http://www.consolesports.net/ Pretty good read including scrums in front of the net