over complicated controls sink this game

User Rating: 5 | NHL 2K8 X360
By ngboy | Review Date:
hockey is one of the fastest team sports in the world, so you'd figure the simpler the controls, the easier the game would play. unfortunately for NHL 2k8, they did the exact opposite and made the controls so complicated, by the time you've figured out what combinations of buttons does what, the opponent has already checked you to the ice, stole your puck and is sprinting to your goal. the gameplay is what seriously lacks in this game. i'm a huge 2K fan and i love the in depth franchise modes. but FIRST AND FOREMOST, this is a GAME before a simulation. and if you aren't enjoying playing it, then it doesn't matter how well the stats are kept or how fun it is to negotiate contracts. after getting frustrated the first time playing this game, i figured i just needed to get used to it. so i put it down for a couple hours and then tried again for a few more games. still couldn't get used to it. i then decided to set the controls back to the classic advanced layout, and suddenly the game plays so much faster! i came to the conclusion that 2K made the controls so overly complicated that it just takes way too much finger work to do the most basic things, i found myself fumbling over the controls during the most crucial times in the opponents zone and because there's so much checking in this game i was on my back before i knew it. i could always just play the game the classic way, but what would be the point? especially when ea's hockey game has mastered their shooting system with the use of just one thumb over the right joystick?

another problem with the pro stick is that it's too slow. there's a slight pause between you pressing the shoot button and the player actually taking the shot when you try and deke the goalie. this always results in the puck hitting the side of the net or missing it completely because i've already skated past the net by the time i've released the puck.

oh and about that checking comment... yeah.. 120 body checks in one 10 minute a period game.. by ONE TEAM. i was playing as the leafs too, who are considered light weights by the game itself. that's just ridiculous.

there are some good points to this game though.. it looks nice, and the franchise modes are still very strong. it's just unfortunate that i hate playing the actual games so much.

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