NHL 2K8 for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

The last time I played a Hockey game was years ago, when I was but a wee lad. I believe it may have been on super Nintendo. What a huge change this game is compared to childhood. The game did impress me, however I must give my two cents.

NHL 2K8 is a nice looking next gen game, but the gameplay itself could use additional re-tooling.

Pros:

All of the teams with current rosters are intact. As well, as a few surprises.

The graphics are far superior to that of older versions, but not up to what the Playstation 3 is capable of. Although, I discovered no glitches in character animations during gameplay, very good.

Deep training mode with complete interaction. Repeat until you become a pro gamer (good luck).

A.I. works well for both defending and opposing teams.

Voice-over sounds crisp, fluid with no breaks or repeats.

Playstation 3 controller exclusive. When acting as goalie, using the controller works well when positioning your hands where you want the goalie to block the puck. However, tricky the first few times.

Cons:

Play mechanics could use work. Controller layout needs to be re-tooled, and simplified. Too many button combinations prevent fluid gameplay, often results in frustration.

Player special moves are nearly impossible to do when playing a game. It is best just to forget them instead of frustrating yourself trying.

The game's learning curve could be adjusted to accommidate difficulty of controls.

Could use a few more fights to give it a more realistic Hockey feel. Fighting controls could be redone, too sloopy. (personal compliant)

I have read that NHL 2008 is much better than NHL 2K8. Better animation, graphics and a world of difference with the controller set-up. NHL 2008, should be shipping to me shortly so that I can determine the better buy.

In short, NHL 2K8 is a sleek looking game, but frustrating play mechanics bog down an otherwise smooth gameplay experience. Rent before you buy.