A very challenging and realistic upgrade to last season's stellar revolutionary game.
After revolutionizing videogame hockey gameplay in 07, EA Sports went right back to work to improve and tweak their NHL franchise for this season. While last year felt like a huge step forward in terms of stick control, there were a few notable faults that needed attention. NHL 08 addresses each one of these deficiencies and ultimately brings a more polished and realistic game to the ice - all be it less revolutionary. Graphics: 9/10. The game looks pretty much the way it did last year. Sharp, crisp players. Accurately detailed arenas and some very impressive player animations that revolve around the new moves available to players. The skating and collisions are bang on. 08 runs very smooth with very little lag. One very noticeable improvement is in players faces. Virtually every player has been accurately modeled and rendered. From the grimace from a big hit, to the dripping sweat from a tough shift on the powerplay, players have never looked better. Gameplay: 9.5/10. With the option of reverting back to the classic controls, all gamers will be able to enjoy controlling their players in this game. The "Skill Stick" controls however are what continue to make NHL 08 feel realistic and intuitive. Skating and stickhandling are even more authentic this season. The new 1-on-1 deking system is incredible and will allow your player to make some very cool moves to get past that one last pesky defender. The controls have become increasingly difficult to master because there are so many ways to maneuver your superstar. There is a steep learning curve to master all the move available. Big hits and poke checks are a lot harder to apply this year. The game feels a lot less like rockem-sockem rollerball and more like a real game where positioning and finesse determine how well your defense plays. The same can be said for offence too. Issues with ridiculous offsides and players being unable to keep a puck from slipping back into the neutral zone are a thing of the past. Passing and cycling the puck in the offensive zone are what makes this game feel authentic and enjoyable. Goaltending has also been greatly improved, with the silly tricklers that would pepper your game last season - gone. In fact it can be argued that the goalies are a little too good this year. Scoring is not easy.
Sound: 8.5/10. The commentary is on par with last season. The same team returns to give their familiar insight and play by play. The crowds react very well to what's happening on the ice and the players call out plays on the fly and signal when they are open. The soundtrack is your standard alt-rock fare which suits this game well. Presentation: 8.5/10. There is a certain level of expected presentation with any sports game. This refers to overall broadcast quality and menu navigation. Replays and highlights are back again this year, with slightly more flare than they had previously. Cut-scenes are plentiful and give each game a feel of its own. It would have been nice to see some out of town highlights and a solid wrap-up show for games played in dynasty mode. There are a handful of camera angles to choose from just like last year. There is still room for EA Sports to grow in this regard, but NHL 08 looks very good.
Overall. Hockey fans rejoice. This game is a must have and is enough of an improvement to justify upgrading your copy of 07. With online leagues, new game modes and 6 player online capability NHL 08 finally brings home enough features to bring even casual fans of the franchise a lot of enjoyment. This is a very enjoyable and challenging game. Final rating. 8.9/10.