Difficulty:

Easy

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"All flash, no substance"

I wanted to like this game. Every year I try to like the EA NHL series but I just wind up putting it away for awhile. Certain things stand out to me with this game that I just hate. The puck physics are not good. The puck bounces around but it just does not look right even for video game hockey. I find it really stupid there is still not a speed burst button. I ultimately see this is as a cop out to restrain people from using it all the time, otherwise it would create a lame hockey game. Also it seems like the players are floating like there is no grind or anything of that nature. There are hardly any broken plays in this game which really a majority of the play in hockey is broken. I adjust some of the sliders but it doesn't really seem to do anything too noticeable. It leaves me feeling kind of ripped off because I really thought to myself...this is it? This is the greatest sports game ever? NFL 2k5 was the greatest sports game ever hands down. For being called the greatest sports game ever, I played it, but after awhile it gets pretty dull with some of the same monotonous goals and seemingly lightning fast goalies that can go to the bench get a drink and come back in time to make the save before the play breaks out.

"There are quite a few excellent enhancements to the gameplay and the computer's artificial intelligence hidden beneath NHL 2002's dizzying array of flashy new features."

This is a quote from NHL 2002's PC review. Play that game and tell me does it deserve a 9.2!? Not even for it's time it didn't. NHL 09 is fun, but it gets boring pretty quickly therefore I think this game is overrated in general.