NHL 2002 Preview

It's just a little over a month after E3, and EA Sports has already bestowed an updated version of NHL 2002 for the PlayStation 2 upon the press. Not that the version on display at E3 was lacking, but this new version showcases many of the features that were only talked about at E3. EA's focus in developing NHL this year is gameplay, as EA undoubtedly believes it already has a winner in the graphics department after watching the competition fall flat over the previous year.

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There will be six gameplay modes included in the final version of NHL 2002, but currently there are just five. You can play a head-to-head exhibition game, or you can let the computer choose teams for you and play a quick game. There is a season mode that can be adjusted in just about any imaginable way, as well as a tournament mode for up to 16 competitors. If you're feeling lazy, you can always cut to the chase and jump right into the playoffs or practice your breakaway skills in the shootout mode. EA is promising a career mode this year for the first time on the PlayStation 2. You'll be able to play 10 consecutive seasons, comb the free-agent market, draft, and work around your veteran players retiring. The create-a-player mode has also undergone some enhancements, including a face builder that allows you to choose from dozens of eyes, noses, and mouths. EA stated that player created characters will be focused on throughout each game's presentation, so you'll build a bond with your alter egos. The card mode that's included in NHL 2002 is the equivalent of the Madden challenge found in EA's football series. You are awarded one of 189 cards for performing specific objectives, like scoring a hat trick, taking 10 shots on goal in a period, and killing penalties, for example. The objectives that must be completed to acquire cards change with the game's four difficulty settings. Cards award you with in-game alterations, like bigheaded players, or godly powers, like the ability to inflict the opposing team with the flu.

The gameplay enhancements included in NHL 2002 are many, and they go well beyond cosmetics. Of particular note is the breakaway cam. If you break in alone on goal, the game will switch into letterbox mode and the sound will be muted save for the thump of the player's heart and the swish of his skates on the ice. In the close-up camera angle, it's easier to see the portions of the net the goaltender has left open. While playing with snipers like Patrik Elias or Mario Lemieux, this gives a decided advantage to the offense. Also new to the franchise is the gamestory presentation. The gamestory follows small subplots in the game like a player going for a hat trick or a goalie on the verge of a shutout. Important replays will be saved in the PlayStation 2's RAM to be replayed when called upon by the announcers. Also new to the NHL franchise this year will be the big hit cam and the big save cam. Again, the camera will jump to letterbox mode and show off the aggression present in the game or some serious leather flashing on the part of a goaltender. The emotion meter plays an integral role in each game for this year's outing--big hits and timely goals can get the crowd pumped up, and in turn, your players will exhibit increased capabilities.

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There are a couple of additions to the control scheme as well. You may now perform saucer passes to lift the puck over a defender's stick or hold the deke button to cruise into the zone in a shooting position while quickly shifting the puck from the forehand to the backhand preparing for the shot. Another new addition to the NHL series is puck control ratings. A player with a strong rating will reach his full puck-handling potential shortly after receiving the puck, while lesser skilled players will take a while to gain their composure. EA Sports is also working on adaptive AI for the goalies that will cause them to get hip to a player using the same shots to score. This feature hasn't been implemented yet, as the same money shots still continually find the back of the net.