NHL 2004 Updated Impressions

NHL 2004, the latest in EA's long-running NHL franchise, aims to take the series in a new direction, thanks to the infusion of some new blood and a new approach. A new development team of designers from EA Canada and British Columbia-based developer EA Black Box has essentially started from scratch and set out to design the most accurate simulation of NHL-style hockey ever created. To achieve that lofty goal, the team is completely redesigning the core of the game, adding an all-new AI system, vastly improved graphics and sound, and a more intuitive control system that is easy to pick up yet difficult to master. We got to sit down with a new build of the Xbox version of the game to see how it was coming together.

NHL 2004's control scheme revolves around a two-button passing system. On the Xbox, the A button is used for flat passing, and the X button is used for saucer passes. These buttons are pressure-sensitive, so a light tap will drop a pass only a short distance, whereas holding down the button will send the puck much farther down the ice. Much of the game's other controls are similarly pressure-sensitive, with varying levels of power for shooting and checking. Checking in the game has also been largely redone and now makes use of the right analog stick. Tapping the right analog stick in the direction of any player you want to hit will perform a check. However, if you press and hold the right analog stick down, you can charge your check meter and skate across the ice toward an opposing player. When you release the stick, you will perform a much harder hit. All in all, the new control scheme felt quite good and will certainly be easy enough for anyone to pick up and play.

Another major change to the game is its offensive and defensive AI. Offensively, your CPU teammates will now be much smarter when controlling the puck. Each player will go after the puck in a unique, situation-dependent way. For instance, if the puck is up flying through the air, and it comes by one of your CPU players, he will either glove it out of the air or bat it down with his stick to gain control of it. Likewise, if the puck comes in under his feet, he'll kick it out toward his stick. Defensively, CPU players will be equally intelligent, working tighter coverage schemes and even making sure to provide extra cover for opposing players staked out in front of your net. NHL 2004 will also feature an all-new on-the-fly strategy system that will let you control how aggressive your team is and how much pressure you want to put on the goal. This will come especially in handy when your team is down a goal or two, and the clock is running out.

Though not necessarily the most important element in hockey, fighting is another aspect that NHL 2004 finally does proper justice to. The game features a newly designed fighting system that centers on grappling. Once the two players have locked up, you will be able to attack with both high and low punches. To defend, you will have both block and counterpunch options. Fights will continue until one player is completely knocked out. In addition to the new fight system, you will also have the ability to choose whether or not a fight actually takes place, thanks to the game's anger meter. As you play through a game, each team's anger meter will progressively rise as goals are scored and more and more hits are delivered. When either team's meter finally peaks, an icon will appear at the bottom of the screen telling you to hit the L trigger along with a button to activate a fight. If you're on the breakaway or in an otherwise inconvenient situation where fighting simply isn't the best option, you can just choose to shrug off the fight.

From a graphics standpoint, the current build of NHL 2004 looked even better than the already impressive version we saw at E3. The most impressive visual aspect we saw was clearly the facial maps, which have been completely redone from last year using Black Box's technology. Each facial map is highly detailed, showing different facial expressions and notable distinct complexions with unique flaws and other distinguishing features to really make the players look realistic. In addition, the plethora of newly motion-captured animations for the game, which looked the best of any NHL game seen to date, are looking quite sharp.

From what we could see, NHL 2004 is simulation-style hockey through and through. The control scheme seems to be very nicely put together, and the combination of the game's taxingly tough AI and numerous graphical upgrades really gives you the sense that you're right in the midst of the action. NHL 2004 is currently scheduled for a September release and will be available for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and PC. Look for more coverage on the game in the weeks to come.