We here at Console Sports are big puck-heads so we were very excited to get our hands on the 360 version of Visual Concepts latest icy Opus, NHL2K10.
After several hours with this title one thing is crystal clear; 2K10 suffers from a split personality.
In nearly every category the game does certain things very well while it falters in others.
A perfect example is how this game plays on default sliders. They're not that great. You'll feel like you're skating in mud and have to hammer down the speed burst button the entire game. It begs the question "Why not just have speed controlled using analog controls only?" However, after you've had a chance to toggle some of the skating sliders (most notably skating and acceleration) the game opens up. A lot. In fact, there are so many sliders in the game to manipulate you can have this game play in almost any conceivable fashion.
The Good You want authentic looking arena's? Look no further. This game features arguably the best looking stadiums in any sports game. Just fire up a game, sit back and watch the pre-game introduction. As a Wings fan I could have sworn I was sitting in my familiar cheap-seats at Joe Louis Arena watching the Wings take to the ice.
In fact, when my wife first entered the room she asked "The Wings are on tonight?". That's how good it looks.
Replays of penalties and goals are also very nice, especially the goals. You'll be treated to three different replays from various angles to give you the sense that you're watching a real NHL broadcast. At the end of the period you'll get a nice rundown of team stats including various highlights including saves, shots and chances.
The player models have also received a massive upgrade. Most of the players faces look spot-on, while the equipment, down to sock tape, look amazing as well. The art director deserves major props for everything graphics related. Well done.
Let's talk AI. What a difference a year makes! The CPU AI is a lot much smarter this year, compared to 2K9. You won't have to worry about dealing with a CPU that is helll bent on crashing the net or hammering everything in site. That would have been fine if you were playing with the Hanson's in Slap Shot 2K10, but not in a hockey game trying to emulate the sport properly.
The CPU will actually work the puck around and try to find that open man. If there is none, they'll fire it on net hoping for a juicy rebound to slam home.
You'll also face a stiffer more diverse challenge in the defensive zone as well. The CPU will attack when there's a chance and they'll cut off passing lanes to prevent those easy one-timer slam dunks that we saw in years past.
The best part about the AI in this game is seeing the separation between the stars and the scrubs. You won't have to worry about being beaten by a fourth-line grinder over and over as he dekes, passes and scores all over the ice. These differences are seen on both sides of the puck. So while a player like Lidstrom won't play that physically he's a master with the stick and more often than not he'll steal it or deny a great opportunity with a properly timed poke check or blocking a passing lane. However, if you're bearing down on Boston's tower-of-power Zdeno Chara, you won't have to worry about his stick blocking a passing lane as there's a good chance it'll be in your teeth.
I really can't say enough about how different each player will look and feel with the puck. You'll want your best defenders out there to protect a lead or kill a penalty. Just like you'll be dying to get your first line out on the ice to score a goal or create some nice chances. To help make the separation of players even more noticeable 2K included several contextual animations for every circumstance including stick lifting, poke checking, body checks, dekes, etc. There are dozens of them and each are closely tied to the players attributes. That comes in handy with the new "Regular" and "Ovie" dekes. Using the left-bumper and the right-analog stick you have several moves at your disposal for one-on-one situations against a defender or when you find yourself all alone with the goalie. But be careful. Because if the player you're controlling doesn't have the sufficient attributes, pulling off one of these moves could very well result with you losing the puck or falling down much to your teammates amusement.
If you don't feel comfortable using these pre-defined dekes, you can still use the right-analog to deke around defenders. Unlike 2K9 where you were limited to mostly east-west movements you'll have the ability to pull the puck into your skates for a little more south-based moves.
Stumble shots are new this year and really help open the game up. In 2K9 as soon as you were touched your shot is negated forcing you to try again. Not so in 2K10. Again, it depends on whom your controlling and what their attributes are, but in some very minor cases you can still get off a shot while being hit. If you're very lucky you might even see one similar to the goal cover boy Alexander Ovechkin scored against the Phoenix Coyotes from a couple of seasons ago. Sim-heads need not fear because after fifty-plus games I have yet to see this animation or very many stumble shot goals at all. And the ones I have seen have not been unrealistic or cheesy in the least.
Puck physics have always been a big part of what makes the 2K hockey series so terrific. It'll bounce and roll like a real puck would. It's great to watch replays where it might bounce off a players leg, hit the crossbar and then flip into the net.
To help you pile up wins in your Franchise you have several different strategies at your disposal. From playing a 2-1-2 forecheck to setting up the PP with an umbrella formation to cranking up the aggressiveness late in the game, you have total control over how you want your team to play.
And it's not limited to just your team. When facing various teams throughout the season you'll notice that teams will mirror their real-life squads. So expect a defensive battle when traveling to New Jersey but then get your speed skates on when welcoming the Chicago Blackhawks to town.
Speaking of skating, it's fantastic in 2K10. Some might not believe this right off the bat (especially if you haven't altered the skating and acceleration sliders), but look closely and you'll see what I'm talking about. The players have real momentum. Don't expect to race directly into the corner for a loose puck and be able to turn up ice without losing any speed. In fact, if you try that you'll more than likely come to a screaming halt as your player nearly stops to coral the puck. You'll especially notice the cons to going into a corner in this manor if you have an oncoming forechecker breathing down your neck.
In that same example you would be better served to come in on an angle and scoop up the puck while retaining full speed and momentum leaving that forechecker in the dust.
You'll also want to keep this in mind when firing off passes up ice. If you're noticing your players are stopping to receive a pass it's probably because you hit them with it when they had poor body position to receive the puck. This isn't a fault of the AI. You need to pay attention to what direction your players are skating in and where their stick is positioned at.
You wouldn't expect to see a wide-receiver twist to catch a ball that's thrown behind them and still retain his speed while heading up field would you? Then don't expect it here either. Gamers will be punished for delivering poor passes.
What's a hockey game without a few fisticuffs. 2K10 has the best fighting engine ever. Hands down. No contest. Using the right and left trigger buttons to sustain balance you have a choice between a strong or weak punch. The fights are over quick but there is strategy to it. Use a few quick shots to get your opponent off balance and then unleash the haymakers. Of course, no amount of strategy will help if your middleweight champ drops the mitts with George Laraque. Just throw as fast as you can before you find yourself face down in a pile of your own chicklets.
Franchise and Online have been revamped this year as well. There are many options to create the Franchise of your dreams. Want to create a team? Do it. Want to shuffle teams from one division to another. Go ahead. Want to utilize a fantasy draft to put your own personal stamp on your favorite team? Done.
CPU controlled teams will also retain their own personalities. Depending on the standings some GM's will be buyers while others will sell. Teams will even make draft choices depending on their history. Clubs such as Boston and Philadelphia will choose the tougher players while the Red Wings or Wild will prefer the more skilled or sleeker players available.
The Salary Cap can be turned on or off, and you even have the choice to work with a team's particular budget. So make sure you're filling those seats or you won't have enough cash in the offseason to sign that highly coveted free agent you've been eyeing.
One of my favorite aspects of Franchise mode is the NHL.com page. Here you can sort news from around the league or even by individual teams. Seeing a screenshot of a highlight from an out of town game, including a brief write-up really immerses you into the game.
For stats-freaks like me, it was refreshing to see that the simulated stats are also very accurate. At the end of the year you can expect to see the usual suspects battling it out for the Art Ross and Rocket Richard Trophy's.
Going online with a buddy has never been easier. Every mode is internet capable, including Franchise where you can invite one or more friends to play with or against you. You can even upload or share sliders and rosters.
The Bad
While replays of goals and penalties are nice that's all you get. No highlights featuring big hits, saves, or chances. You'll have to wait for the end of the period for anything more than goals and infractions.
The real-time celebrations are very cool but the transition between animations can be very clunky. And it would be nice if all five skaters on the ice would huddle together with the goal scorer, not just a couple of them.
Transitions from one animation to another are too slow at times. Especially when there's multiple animations that chain together. You'll have pressed the shoot button, but before you can get it off your player is bumped, which triggers a stumble animation. But before that animation is over, you're hit from a different angle sparking a different animation. By the time your player is finished with this chain he finally gets off the shot you called for 3 seconds earlier. Trouble is, you might be well out of position by now making the shot useless and more than likely an easy turnover for the CPU.
Controls can also appear to have a bit of lag. Most of the time it's due to an animation being called into play, and since they depend on the players attributes, it helps with the realism of the game. But there are still times where the controls do seem to lag for no reason. Tightening these up for 2K11 is a must.
As good as the AI can look at times, it can also be a head scratcher. You might become frustrated watching your teammates stare at a loose puck. Or you'll notice the defenseman backing down to the side of the net when a puck carrier attacks them.
It's also hair-raising to watch your wingers exit the zone the second one of your defenseman takes control of the puck. If a tenacious forechecker gets on you, the only option you'll have is playing keep away with your defensive partner or risk a stretch pass to a winger who's already standing on the opposing teams blueline.
No loose puck physics.
The Ugly
Commentary is horrible. Could be the worst commentary in any sports game I've seen. San Jose Sharks play-by-play team Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda sound as if they're being forced to read off a script by gunpoint. No life at all. I heard more emotion from 'Joshua' in "War Games".
Goalies. They look nice but they're not that bright. Too many times you'll find your goalie lunging towards a loose puck that's out of reach. Sometimes they will lunge for other odd reasons. It'll really get your goat when you're scored upon for such tom foolery. Luckily sliders can help but it would be nice if the 2K would focus on goalies for 2K11. They need it.
No "My Player" like NBA2K10 will have. This is the future of sports games and the NHL series would be wise to add this for next year.
Chris Pronger. (Sorry. I'm a Wings fan. I couldn't resist).
Conclusion
NHL2K10 is a smart, sleek and gorgeous hockey game. The word that comes to mind most when playing is 'organic' thanks to the incredible AI and realistic puck physics. Nothing feels scripted.
The worst thing I can say about 2K10 is how the game plays using default sliders. Please don't judge the game on that.
I urge anyone who buys this game to use the online 2Kshare option and download some of the excellent sliders available online.
You'll be happy you did and if you're like me, you'll be enjoying this title all season long.
Overall Score - 7.5/10.
If the goalies, commentary and presentation were all a bit deeper NHL2K10 would be deserving of a higher mark. But it's still a very solid hockey game with some of the best AI you'll ever experience.
With 2K Sports' NHL 2K10 for the Wii™ system, fans can enjoy a full-featured version of their favorite hockey game, complete with online multiplayer. With a new franchise mode, full online play, gameplay improvements like stumble shots and stick lifts, and Wii-exclusive multiplayer modes, NHL 2K10 is a party like no other. NHL 2K10 is the only licensed NHL game that lets you challenge your friends to a quick pick-up game online and play with your own unique, player-created team. This year, nearly every game mode and feature you can find on NHL 2K10 for the Xbox 360® or the PLAYSTATION®3 system is also available on the Wii version. In fact, NHL 2K10 for Wii has more game modes than any other console version thanks to the addition of the Wii-exclusive Mii Super Skills Competition.
MII SUPER SKILLS COMPETITION - In this new, Wii-exclusive pick-up-and-play mode, 1-4 players can compete on- or off-line in a series of mini-games based on the NHL All-Star Skills Competition using their own unique Mii avatars.
Hardest Shot - Compete with your friends to see who can shoot the puck with the highest velocity
Fastest Skater - Skate around the rink with the quickest lap time possible
Accuracy Shooting - Hit as many targets as you can with a limited amount of pucks
Breakaway Challenge - Show off your speed shooting skills as you hustle down the ice to score as many goals as possible
Goalie Supersave - See who has the quickest reflexes and can make highlight reel saves in the net
FULL ONLINE MODES - For the first time ever, enjoy full online support for Wii, including multiplayer match-ups, downloadable rosters, online leagues, tournaments, leaderboards and the ability to use created teams in Team Up mode - virtually everything you can do with the other console versions of NHL 2K10, you can do with Wii.
WII MOTIONPLUS AND WII SPEAK SUPPORT - Enjoy true online voice chat capabilities via WiiSpeak as you challenge your friends online, and perfect the precise one-to-one control with Wii MotionPlus.
NHL 2K10 from 2K Sports will be available on Wii on September 15. For more details, visit www.2ksports.com/games/nhl2k10.
Hank’s NHL 2K10 conference call impressions: The end of summer is nearing and the weather is turning cool and crisp. This can mean only one thing; hockey season is nearly here.
This is my favorite time of year. Not only will the NHL's rookie camps begin soon, but the latest console hockey games will be hitting the shelves shortly as well. On Friday, August 28th Console Sports was invited to take part in a conference call which featured a number of developers involved in creating 2K Sports NHL2K10.
Last year NHL2K9 was released to mixed reviews. While the game featured some of the best goalies and puck physics ever seen in a hockey game the product felt more of a work-in-progress than a polished work-of-art. This is because former developer Kush, responsible for the series from 2K4 till 2K8, was replaced half-way through the development cycle in favor of in-house development team Visual Concepts.
At this point, the good folks at VC felt the need to start from scratch and give the series a complete facelift. NHL2K10 is the result of what the team envisioned 18 months ago.
During the conference call over 60 questions were asked and answered and I'm happy to report that a great majority of what held 2K9 back has been fixed.
First off, the visuals of the game have been completely overhauled. The arena's look absolutely gorgeous. At times, I was forced into a double-take as I believed what I was looking at was a real photo of the RBC Center or the Saddledome.
The player models have also been polished to a high degree. Small details like sock tape, wear and tear on pants and even cover boy Alexander Ovechkin's signature yellow laces have found their way into NHL2K10. Not only that, but a majority of the NHL players look nearly identical to ther real-life counterparts.
However, it doesn't matter how pretty the game is (and make no mistake, 2K10 is gorgeous) if the gameplay isn't solid there's only so much make-up you can lather on a pig.
Luckily for us hockey fans, Visual Concepts spent a lot of hours on the play on the ice.
In last years game, while the goalies and puck physics created an incredibly organic experience, the CPU's AI was too one-dimensional in it's approach on either side of the puck.
It's main strategy was to crash the net, or attack the puck carrier. Since there seemed to be no bearing on who was delivering or receiving the hit, the results were almost always the same, with a body on the ice and the puck going the other way.
The producers of 2K10 have promised us that this has all changed. The AI will no longer crash the net with abandon regardless of what defensive strategy the human employed. You will now see the CPU cycle the puck and look for an open man or rebound opportunity.
When trying to enter the offensive zone, depending on the team you're playing, they will either dump the puck in or regroup before trying to gain the blueline.
On the other side of the puck, the CPU will still attack the puck carrier but more emphasis on player attributes will determine how that player reacts. Speed, size, aggressiveness, defensive attributes will all be taken into account in how the CPU will approach the puck carrier. No more 5'9” Paul “Kariya laying out 6'8” behemoth Zdeno Chara.
You also won't have to worry about teams playing the same as each other. Thanks to the new “GM Personalities” each team will play according to how they are managed in real life. So if you're playing against the New Jersey Devils expect a tight defensive affair where getting through the neutral zone will be as difficult as scoring on Allstar netminder Martin Brodeur.
Conversely, the next night you might face off against the Atlanta Thrashers where scoring opportunities won't be as difficult to generate.
Another bone of contention for fans last year were the controls. 2K10 promises more liberal stick handling and more options for the user in all three zones.
On the defensive end, you will now have the ability to lift an opponents stick and use your lumber to stop-gap passing lanes or poke check an attacking forward. Using something called "Live Stick" you have complete control over what you can do with your stick in the defensive zone to shut down the CPU or a friend.
For those worried that these new defensive controls will stymie the offensive wizards out there, have no fear. VC has countered with less restrictive analog stickhandling, stumble shots and Ovie dekes.
While you won't have complete 360 degree range with the right-analog stick, you will be able to drag the puck between your skates, far out in front of you or the traditional east-west movements.
In 2K9, when attempting a shot only to be hit with a body check, the shot would be negated entirely. To counter this, the developers came up with 'Stumble Shots'. Now, when you're in the process of firing a puck on net and a defender applies the body, depending on your players offensive attributes and the physical positioning of your player and the defender, you may get off a Stumble Shot. It can be as subtle as a weak off-balance wrister that misses the net, or it could result in the incredible Ovechkin, behind-the-back-while-sliding-on-the ice goal he scored against Phoenix from a few seasons back. For those that haven't seen it, it's one of the greatest plays in sports history and now thanks to 2K10 you can recreated it on the virtual ice as well.
In one-on-one situations the user has an array of pre-defined dekes and moves that are mapped to the controller to help slip the biscuit past those pesky goalies. There is the regular set of dekes and then there are the "Ovie Dekes". The Ovie Dekes are predictably more spectacular than the regular dekes.
However, it should be noted that everything that has been mentioned is contextual and mirrored closely with the players specific individual ratings.
So if you're a 4th line grinder, you won't have the Ovie Deke's at your disposal and any attempt at a stumble shot will most likely result in you falling flat on your rear to the delight of your opponents.
The same should be noted for the defensive controls. When attempting a stick-lift, the players defensive awareness and discipline attributes come into question. So if you're controlling perennial Selke Trophy candidate Pavel Datsyuk and you attempt to strip the puck from a defender, your chances of success are far greater than say Flyers forward Dan Carcillo who is undisciplined and not as adept at the art of defensive play.
This leads us to the new animations that have been introduced in NHL2K10. Animations are also contextual depending on the players skills and their physical positioning on the ice. For example, if you try a stick-lift from behind with an undisciplined player, instead of a stick-lift animation you might see a hook resulting in a penalty. If you were controlling a well disciplined and skilled defender, you would see a perfect stick lift, or tie-up animation that results in a turnover.
The developers mentioned several times how 'organic' their hockey game feels, and they believe that with all of the changes they've introduced, gamers will never feel they've played the same game twice.
And to keep the game fresh, they've worked equally as hard on their Franchise and Online modes.
Every mode will have a quick link to jump online. You can even invite friends to partake with or against you in their franchise.
But why limit yourself to only one friend? Up to 16 players can join a team's guild where you can enjoy 6-on-6 action. You can even have multiple teammates on one console when jumping online.
The PS3 offers the ability to have up to seven players playing on one console while the Xbox 360 and Wii consoles allow four users at once.
For offline gamers, Franchise mode will remain as deep as it's always been with an added new wrinkle. You can choose to play with the regular salary cap, or you can choose to be shackled with a team budget. The budget will be determined according to the teams attendance, performance and financial well-being. So now NHL fans can feel the same restraints as real general managers who don't have the same financial resources as the Detroit's and Toronto's of the world.
In conclusion, with the improvements to graphics, presentation, AI, online modes and controls, Visual Concepts believes they've achieved what they started when they took over hockey operations a year-and-a-half ago; built a true Cup contender.
Scott Hemphill’s NHL 2K10 conference call impressions
It’s really hard to add anything to what Hank already stated from the call, but I know I walked away with it looking forward to the NHL 2K product moreso than I have in several years. Last year’s game was met with a great deal of nervousness from the fans with the news that dev teams switched for NHL 2K9. I know last year, hockey gamers were thinking “Oh no, a rebuilding year”. This year, things seem very up-beat as that transition is now in its second year and we are hearing about the nitty-gritty of features and implementation of features and fixes.
The biggest highlight of the call- for me- was related to the AI. To this date, no hockey game maker has really given me the feel that the actual teams play the way they do in real life. That includes both EA and 2K’s offerings to date. About the only thing I’ve ever noticed in the past is that in some cases, star players are more likely to beat your goalie with a fast/hard shot and/or one-timer. However, the actual offensive and defensive schemes seemed too simplistic for the AI and not tied to the way the real teams play. (Example, the corner cycling the Penguins use, and the team-based puck cycling to the point that the Red Wings use). Well, this year, from what we learned on the conference call, NHL 2K10 is looking to change that.
And, let’s face it, if they do pull that off as stated, that alone could be the biggest advancement that the video-game representation of the sport has seen since right-stick controls. True-to-life "team-based" AI is, in my opinion, the last -yet most complex- frontier in sports gaming, and the hardest to "get right". It will be interesting to see how 2K dives into that dynamic.
It also sounds like 2K is also looking to further differentiate the NHL’s elite players from the 3rd liners with what the players can and will do on the ice, which has been something the competition has struggled with, so I’m glad to see 2K is playing to that strength as well. Obviously, a goon like Hal Gill should not be able to stick-handle like Sid Crosby, and for NHL purists such as myself and Hank, that’s a big thing. Ben and the devs at 2K seem to really “Get that” part of the game. Heck, even the GMs are said to have true to life personalities in this game.
It looks like NHL 2K10 might just usher in an era of sim-hockey that many of us have been craving for a while now. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Also, it looks like the more casual fans of hockey won't be disappointed with some of the pick up and play options 2K will have, particularly on Wii, but also on the other systems.
Both Hank and myself are looking to have some early impressions of the game once it arrives. Stay tuned.
(PS: Hey Hank, you better have those Wings of yours ready, Sid and Co. await..)
*Special thanks to Chase and the guys from 2K Sports for inviting ConsoleSports to the call.
This from Team XBOX (go HERE) (thanks for the heads-up, Hank)
 What’s the first thing that fans of the series will notice when popping 2K10 in for the first time?
Ben Bishop: The first thing you’ll notice, especially if you’ve recently played 2K9 is that we’ve made a lot of improvements to the graphics. We have a new player model, as well as a ton of new likenesses, which make the players look more accurate than in the past. So, we’re continuing down that path of signature style—to try and get the players to look exactly like they do in real life. Like our cover athlete, Ovechkin…he has his yellow laces, he has his visor…you know just getting the players to have the right helmets, the right sticks is a big push in NHL 2K10. There’s also overall more detail in the uniforms and in the player models that’s definitely a big step up from last year.
Do you have improvements planned for NHL 2K10 that go beyond the visual?
Ben Bishop: As you get into the game a little bit more, you’ll see that we spent a lot of time this year to get the game to play better hockey. We had a lot of work done on the AI and we also rewrote a lot of our strategy systems. For instance, the players will do better at looking for open space and they’ll move the puck around more. And, really, there’s the feeling this year that you’ll get rewarded more for playing better hockey. This is us returning to our sim roots a bit, really. We concentrated on pick-up-and-play fun last year, and this feeling is still in place for 2K10, but this year we focused on making it play better hockey.
NHL 2K10 redefines the sports gaming experience with a new emphasis on social gaming. Whether you're a die-hard NHL fan or a casual player, NHL 2K10's pick-up-and-play controls, true-to-life authenticity and variety of on- and off-line multiplayer modes promise hours of entertainment for any gamer. Among the new features that will make this the must-have hockey game of the season include:
New Gameplay Mechanics - Completely rewritten AI, enhanced defensive controls and stick lifts, stumble shots, a new defensive skating model and new incidental contact and small animation systems
Enhanced Presentation - All-new rink intros for each arena, improved goal celebrations, enhanced visuals, and greatly improved, true-to-life character models, with San Jose Sharks commentators Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda returning with new broadcast commentary
Improved Franchise Mode - NHL 2K10 features a new contract/free agency system, improved roster management, an updated financial model, dynamic player progression, and fantasy drafts
New Franchise Co-op Play - Play a franchise season game with or against a friend on- or offline, or play a traditional game against the CPU
Franchise Blog / 2KSports.com Integration - Publish your franchise stats and standings, and upload game highlights and screenshots to your personal page at 2KSports.com
Enhanced Online Modes - New seamless online integration connects players in Team Up games, tracks your progress with My Player Card, and offers full league, leaderboard, tournament and 2K Share support
Create Team Mode - Create a persistent team with friends by designing your uniforms, developing a unique team identity, and then competing against other created teams online, offline and in Franchise mode
Wii SPECIFIC FEATURES:
New Control Scheme - Choose between fun, easy-to-use Wii Remote and Nunchuk controls and Sideways Wii Remote support, or plug in a Wii Classic Controller for three ways to play
Full Online Modes - For the first time, enjoy full online support for Wii, including multiplayer and multi-console match-ups, downloadable rosters, online leagues, tournaments, leaderboards and Team Up mode featuring persistant created teams and regular Pick-Up Games
WiiMotion Plus and WiiSpeak Support - Enjoy online voice chat capabilities via WiiSpeak and precise one-to-one control with WiiMotion Plus
NHL 2K10 launches on September 15th for Wii(TM) system, Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.
