An actual ideal Review not lowering its score because it doen't have enough "additions"
This has everything NHL 09 has and more, so that's why it deserves higher then a 9. I got this game today and could not be more pleased. This game has everything and everytime you play a game you experience something new.
Now your first question is, what's new? and this what:
Be a GM Mode: I say this is new because with all the improvements it's not just the same old dynasty. You get to watch out for prospects not only from bias grades like last year but also by either playing the Junior game or simming it and having your assistant coach tell you who looked good and raised the bar. You get incoming calls from teams wanting offers during the trade deadline to show how chaotic it is. You can make trades in the middle of the draft, and more. But the big improvement in this mode is the AI trading, it is designed to act and try and be 1 of 5 teams, a rebuilder, trying to get into the playoffs, playoff contender, championship contender, and one other I can't recall. So teams trade and draft according to their style at the time. What helps this idea is the trading block where basically you say what you are looking for and what your willing to give up and from there, teams can make you offers and you can do the same for their blocks. You also get a reputation as a a gm which means teams might not want to trade with you if you make bad trades with them or players won't sign with you if you have a habit of trading away recently signed players. So there's alot to do, its set up just like BAP so you get milestones and work your way to your legendary card, etc.
Battle for the Cup Mode: Last series of play offs for the cup, pick any two teams and battle! basically play now. Cool headlines every game gives you a sense of the playoffs.
Season Mode: Play now X82 games i believe, the season without all the gm stuff from be a gm mode, simple. ( I believe) You control all teams if you wish.
Playoff Mode: Playing all playoffs not just last round like in Battle for the Cup. Once again I believe you control all teams if you wish.
Hockey Shop: New, you now have to unlock equipment use in BAP and EASHL by doing different tasks, now most equipment you unlock has slots you fill with boosts you get to unlock as well. Now these boosts are upgrades by a max of 5 points for an attribute. For example i unlock skates and a booster pack of +1, I equip those skates and use that +1 on any of the attributes that goes with skating such as speed, now my speed went from a 79 to an 80, unless i switch to differnt skates etc.
BAP and the EASHL have both been improved and are just as great as ever.
Now on to gameplay enhancements. The three major improvements are board play feature FP fighting and the ability to fully aim your pass. These three factors alone should make you want to buy this game if you like hockey and/or play it. It completely changes the game, nothing like 09. It's not like the demo for passing, in the game you have the option of fully turning off pass assist so that left joy stick is very important, this makes the experience feel completely real. Personally boardplay doesn't happen to often for me like others have said so that's not a problem, this now allows dump and chase to work ! between your options on forward and the skill and variety of goalie saves, scoring is always fun, not to plenty, and always different.
A few other nice touches are the after whistle plays giving the oppurtunity to hit the opponents star players and either a) run away, b) keep hitting them and c) fight! The other is custom music, you pick what song plays when something happens, literally everything!
Even though this game's reviews were lower then nhl 09, if you don't have nhl 09, then this game is a 9.5, if you have 09, this game still feels like a 9.2 minimum...GET IT!