To me,
hockey and PlayStation are synonymous. I associate one with the other because
of the various events in my life that connect the two. My love for the sport
plus that association has been quite painful with a new PlayStation console in
hand but no new hockey season.
In a world
where sports games are labeled for their year, not their sequel status
(example: NHL 2004 instead of NHL 10), most developers decided to pass on
making new hockey games. It’s not like NHL 2005 would make much sense at a
time like this. Still, that doesn’t stop me from needing a hockey fix. EA was
once my dealer, and before them Midway. Nintendo sold me some phat stuff in
the early 90s – smoked that puppy for months. Who do I go to now that all my
dealers have bailed?
I go to the
one that others have turned to in a time of need. I go to The Great One:
Gretzky NHL.
Featuring
basic game modes (quick start, exhibition and season), WiFi multiplayer,
special Gretzky challenges, and gameplay that’s less intelligent than its PS2
competitors, your first impression of the game description might not be a
"Great" one. If you still play it (and you should), your eyes won’t be able to
get over the fact that this is the first portable hockey game that’s playable
in full 3D. Player movement is immersive and camera angles can be changed. The
replays are just like the replays found in other consoles: fast forward, slow
the action down, watch it in reverse, change the angle, follow the puck, etc.
While your
brain is occupied by all this technological wonder, your hands will start to
get into the controls, and before you know it you’re hooked on a hockey game
that didn’t sound very exciting. A hockey game that at first appeared to be
generic, but is quite an accomplishment for the console it was developed on.
Let’s start
by getting into the gameplay, both the good and the bad. The controls are
about 80% of what they should be, having moves that are mostly responsive and
easy to execute. Character movement is probably the most realistic aspect,
with slippery ice that impacts the player as he tries to sprint in the
opposite direction. If the direction change is made too quickly, he’ll induce
a brief slip and be unable to take off instantaneously. Likewise, depending on
the way that the puck is passed, the receiving player might not be able to
grab it, glide toward the net and take that instant replay-worthy shot. He
might instead be slowed down by the puck. This is a royal pain, but it goes to
show how much the real athletes must endure when playing this sport. This
isn’t NHL Hitz, so it’s a necessary addition, and is one we’ll just have to
get used to.
The rest of
the game plays like an arcade/simulator, not a game that’s intended to
simulate everything about the sport. All the rules are in place – expect to
encounter a lot of offsides, and do your best to incur an icing whenever
possible. But the controls, primarily the shooting and line changes, are like
something you’d see in NHL Hitz. The default shot setting automatically sends
the puck in what the game believes is the optimal target (the least blocked
part of the net). Change your aim to manual and it’ll become a little trickier
to land those shots, but you’ll have greater control over where each one
lands.
For
unlockables, the developers chose to create a series of Gretzky Challenges.
Shut out a team, get 25 hits, or complete any of the other challenges to
unlock classic jerseys and gameplay tweaks like perfect aim. Challenges are
not played on a separate battleground, they are to be completed during regular
season games. Completing any one of them will trigger a loading screen at the
end, prompting the player to save their Gretzky Challenges.
I love
hockey, I love hockey games, and with no hockey season and no other hockey
games available, you might think of Gretzky NHL as a "decent substitute." But
it’s more than that. It might not be everything that it could have been, but
it is a really enjoyable game. It turned me into an addict. Maybe it was the
smoke and mirrors (the fact that I had never played a 3D hockey game on a
portable system – nobody has). No matter the reason, Gretzky NHL is fun to pick
up and play, both to kill time and for true entertainment value. That counts
for a lot.
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Gameplay: 8.0
NHL hockey made
simple. No craziness. No nonsense. Just good gameplay with an addictive season
mode. The season schedule seems to emulate the schedule we would have had had
there been a 2004-2005 hockey season. Shooting can be manual or semi-automatic
as well as line changes, which will occur entirely on their own if you wish.
This game might seem weak in comparison to 2K Sports’ last PS2 offering, but
if you like your hockey games with a little less realism and arcade-style
gameplay, you’ll love Gretzky NHL.
Graphics: 8.0
Superb realism
spread out over the whole game. Excellent animation is a must, but the tiny
touches like kicked up ice make the game all the more PS2-like. Two flaws are
present and must be noted: audiences are stiff cardboard cutouts and the
player faces don’t exactly look like player faces. Gretzky NHL looks great for
a launch title and will have your eyes popping even if you’re like me and
compare it to the best-looking PlayStation2 games.
Sound: 8.5
Good rock music
from bands I’ve never heard of, plus "Ammunition" by Switchfoot and "C’mon
C’mon" by The Von Bondies. The music plays realistically prior to a face-off,
loudly pumping through the PSP’s powerful sound system, then dies down quickly
just before the puck is dropped.
Strangely,
there is no in-game commentary.
Difficulty: Easy/Med
Simulation hockey
with less accuracy than other recent hockey games. The AI is downright
oblivious at times. While that does make it easier to learn the game, it also
makes the thrill of winning less rewarding.
Concept: 7.5
No hockey season?
Never fear. Midway used "The Great One" for years – now it’s Sony’s turn. This
is essentially the game you would have gotten if there was a hockey season,
only it’d have "2005" in the title and wouldn’t include the special Gretzky
challenges and unlockables. Those are pretty cool, but some of them can be
completed without any serious effort.
Multiplayer: 7
Gretzky NHL is
WiFi enabled, but its multiplayer mode is limited to just two players at a
time. Entertaining, but will lose its thunder over time.
Overall: 8.0
Hockey for a new
generation of portable gaming: the PSP generation. Gretzky NHL is big on
speed, really big on fun, and small on accurate passing. That’s definitely
something they could tweak for the next game. I really liked the lack of
maneuverability between the players. It’s frustrating, but watching them slip
and slide as they change directions is a lot more believable than if they had
immediately started moving.
