NHL 2002 Preview

Electronic Arts has committed its full complement of sports games to the Xbox, and NHL 2002 will be one of its first games to be released on Microsoft's new console. The NHL series has been heralded as the best hockey game on any system for almost a decade, so hockey games on the Xbox are getting off to a rather healthy start. After spending some time playing the Xbox version, we've found that it's shaping up to be the superior 3D entry of the franchise thus far.

The arena is rocking.

EA's NHL series has always been the leader where gameplay modes are concerned, and the 2002 iteration is no exception. There are six primary modes included in the Xbox version. 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 also included a healthy franchise mode that can be played for 10 consecutive seasons. You're able to 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, enabling you to 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 completing specific objectives, like scoring a hat trick, taking 10 shots on goal in a period, and killing penalties. 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 ice boasts nice real-time environment mapping.

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 scoring a hat trick or a goalie on the verge of a shutout. Important replays will be saved on the Xbox hard drive 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.

There are a couple of additions to the control scheme as well. Saucer passes are performed automatically to lift the puck over a defender's stick or you may 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.