The coolest game on earth (NHL 2001 (PC))

Name: TheLetch

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Product:	NHL 2001 (PC)
Date:	17/01/01 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Better gameplay, even more options

Disadvantages: Changed perfectly working Internet gaming setup

Having played this series in both the previous version and being so successfully hooked to start staying up to watch the NHL @ unearthly hours on channel 5. I was slightly less impressed on first sight of this latest incarnation.

This was because I preferred NHL 2000 graphics, they seem sharper and clearer. This said the graphics still rate as excellent, it’s just that the previous incarnations’ were superb. In the defence of the new graphics I think they may be more realistic (chunkier with better movement and more detail in the face, etc.) and expect that it is only my opinion.

Starting negatively may be unfair, as the game is excellent otherwise, the most important improvement (and one often overlooked in upgrades) is to the gameplay and computer AI. In previous versions, like a lot of sports sims, a pinball style of play (pinpoint passing to memorised positions) could be adopted that was too successful (FIFA series suffered from this until its 2001 version) and also there were certain moves that always scored. These loopholes have been successfully plugged, for which I am very grateful as the pal I generally play these games with just finds these easy scoring ways/pinball play and uses them ad infinitum! With 2001 he has to try and learn how to play properly, he doesn’t win as much anymore.

As with the previous versions of this series the sound is awesome! On ice sound effects are truly brutal and the commentary is excellent – far better than the equivalent football games. As this is full licensed tie in with the NHL, all the stats and history for each player is used in the games, giving far greater detail and feeling of being in a real game. Add to this the ‘colour commentary’ which generally takes the mick and gets more animated. Finally on the sound, the ability to add your own music and jeers is excellent – great fun playing Americans with a jeer of ‘Up yer’ or other favourite c
hant – adding your own music to the ingame breaks is cool and the options are massive.

Presentation is brilliant as usual from EA Sports and the general support/drivers/compatibility are to their high standards as well.

For those not acquainted with the game the rules can seem strange and the controls are quite in depth (although aficionados of FIFA will notice great similarities). It is certainly worth persevering with as it is probably the most fun sports sim to play with mates (up to four per PC). For new users it’s great fun just smacking your opponent into the boards, couple of pals played for a whole night without scoring once but enjoyed it none the less.

Unfortunately I don’t think the game performs as well over the net as 2000 did and they have changed the method of connection to use your web browser when it was hosted within the game before… it was fine why change it.

Overall I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys playing sports sims along the lines of FIFA and don’t mind learning a control system. If you own NHL 99 then upgrade but if you own NHL 2000 then I would check out a demo first.

Great game, hard to get to grips with but rewarding consequently.

Summary: