Puckheads everywhere for many years have celebrated 2K Sports’ NHL 2K series as the king of the virtual ice.  Last year however, EA got back into contention with a suddenly competitive NHL 07 product.  Everyone wondered how 2K Sports would respond with their new NHL 2K8 product.

I’m happy to report that hardcore NHL sim gamers should be very pleased.  This game is chock-full of hockey goodness, options, controls, strategy, and authenticity.  Like many 2K Sports games, the game is totally adjustable via tons of sliders for just about every facet of puck control, player control, aggressiveness, goalie AI…. you name it.   2K Sports delivers a pretty rich, customizable hockey sandbox for us to play in and tweak to our liking.

But lets get one thing straight:

There’s a new default control scheme that utilizes the Right Stick for puck handling.  (2K Sports calls this the Pro-Stick).  There are some fundamental differences, one of which is that the R-stick cannot shoot, only stick-handle.  Shooting is accomplished with the right bumper button, passing with the left bumper button.  At first it feels awkward, but you pick it up if you are willing to invest a small bit of time. There are some very nice in-depth tutorials for each and every control in the game. Its probably the best in game control training I've ever seen in a game. And- yes- you need it, because this game has some detailed controls.  Some may find these controls daunting, particularly if you are used to the more simplified control scheme from the competition.

However- and let me emphasize this- the game lets you customize all controls..and you can also go back to the classic NHL 2K control scheme.

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After throwing myself into this game for about a day and a half- I find myself enjoying it more each game.

There are some very nice in-depth tutorials for each and every control in the game. Its probably the best in game control training I've ever seen in a game. And- yes- you need it, because this game has some detailed controls.

Going through the training is a MUST.

At first- the average player will view that as a negative, but after going through the drills, and getting into the games, you'll start to really like the amount of options you have.

I REALLY appreciate these controls on defense. Its nice to be able to put your player's stick on the ice to take away a passing lane by getting in position and clicking in the R-stick. Its nice to give a subtle hook to slow a streaking offensive player, its good to have push and elbow commands on board scrums, its nice to be able to hit the Y button to take your selected defender and get him in a context sensitive block-shot stance in front of a given shooter.

And its nice to be able to check someone and see an attempt at a check... even if it is varying degrees of effectiveness. They aren't all big booming checks...some of them -if done right- just knock a guy off balance and cause him to lose the puck...or not. Or the attempted check might just graze the player and cause him to alter his skating trajectory.

the "Intense contact controls" (i.e. the X button on D) controls the..um...cheap shots. Varying degrees of hooking, slashing, spearing and elbowing. The "Goon" players in the league can use them and are more likely to get away without a penalty, but the average Joe or offensive player will probably get sent to the sin bin for using them. So its best to use with the tough guys who are known to do a little extra...and get away with it.

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