Still a great game and improved since last year

User Rating: 8.5 | NHL 2K8 X360
NHL 2K8 is still a great NHL game and much more improved since last year in the sim department. First off the controls: the "pro-stick" which allows you to basically move the puck from side to side or front to back but it's not so fluid to make it perfect but it will get the job done and makes goals much better ( especially 1-ON-1's or shootouts). The pro-stick also doubles as your poke check when your on defense you'll aim where you want to poke and it pokes thats better then last year because this gives you more control, makes it more realistic. Your also able to lay your stick down on the ice (just click in RS) to block a pass or shoot it's just adjusted but since you don't have much time to press multiple buttons a mini improvement. The other main control changes for those curios to know RB-shoot, LB-Pass, RT-turbo, A-sprint (faster then turbo), B- fast deke, X-intense contact, Y-block/dive. You can change your controls to classic or whatever past setting you want. The Goalies have also changed better animation, smarter A.I. they will charge you on a break-way or recognize who to watch on an odd man rush. With the new goalie system you'll have to play a lot better defense you have to get to those rebounds quickly, never let an open man go, in the past you might have left your goalie take a break to kill the oddman now the cpu will make you pay and you can still score with one-timers but on a realistic scale the goalie will recognize a one-timer opportunity. On the flip side you'll get a good chances to score with rebounds goalies won't pop up after stacking the pads, your player don't delay to rebounds or if you see an opening to get off a wicked wrister you'll have a realistic chance to beat the goalie.

Checking this time is toned down the cpu won't be check first, puck second unless you get too close to the goalie (of course), if you don't have some momentum (unless your an enforcer) your not going to do much and the animations are more realistic you'll look like your putting your shoulder into someones chest. The Fighting is the same it just takes a little bit longer to lose (or in my case) win a fight, the camera now shaky and is loose some like it some don't not a big thing. Franchise-mode like always is improve you'll have restricted, non-restricted free agents, players on waivers, two/one way contracts. Players models are much better most players will looks like their real life counter part, you'll notice a lot of detail on the jerseys, equipment which you can edit and choose from a variety when you edit or create a player There are other little things that you'll notice now like all of your body parts will count from your chest to the tip of your blade in the past only the cpu would seems to register. The puck will now acts more realistically last version you would shoot a puck, it would bounce off the goalie then land a few feet in front of him or the puck would hit off the post, it would shoot off to the side like clock work sometimes now the puck will act way more realistically it will hit the tip of the goalie and stay in front of him or hit the post but not shoot off depending how hard you hit it of course.
Last thing the menu is way different you can either use the right stick to navigate the menu or use the classic way (A button). If i missed anything i will try to add it later.