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NHL 09 Review

12:03 PM - September 16, 2008 by RaychelSnr

We have posted our review of NHL 09.

Quote:


	"Last year, EA�s NHL 08 took home seven �sports game of the year� awards. In fact, I'm sure you picked up on that tidbit of information somewhere along the way because it has continuously been shoved down gamers' throats. (It's even on the NHL 09 box art this year!) But after such a well-revered title, how did EA Canada take it to the next level? During the early portion of this console life cycle, EA found a formula for fun and fantastic looking hockey. The NHL series was the one franchise the company completely turned around and revived during the beginning part of the "next generation."

NHL 09 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: NHL 09Reader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS2 / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 47 - View All

NHL 09 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 Bahnzo @ 09/17/08 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	My two biggest complaints are the controls (which the review mentions)...not being able to have true custom controls is a big minus, not to mention when playing online having the "shoot" control also being the "check" control doesn't work well at all. When playing BAP it's maddening when you are trying to shoot a loose puck and instead are stuck either checking or poke checking. Needs to be fixed, hopefully in a patch. I also think the stick lift is a bit too powerful. It needs to be toned down a little...as it is now it's too much reward vs not much risk.

I should add a third.....the combined sliders aren't doing it for me either. This was a complaint last year and I'm surprised that it still exists this year. If you are going to have sliders in a game, then it should be two sets, one for Human and one for CPU.

# 22 Bahnzo @ 09/17/08 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruffy


	The stick lift and being able to catch and molest guys on breakaways is a bit too easy online at least...also id like to see Interference called better online...alot of online cheesers try and hit you on a chase to a loose puck which is a penalty...

Agreed on both points.

# 23 koebsual @ 09/17/08 07:58 PM

Agree on seperate sliders! This is the only real issue I have with the game so far. I just don't understand why we in the next gen can't have cpu sliders and human? The cpu goalie for me (like 08') is just much better than my goalie.

# 24 tabulaRasa @ 09/19/08 07:15 AM

I really enjoy it, BAP is fun, and they new tighter D options makes it more solid than 08.

# 25 nhl09FTL @ 09/28/08 06:28 PM

IMO this is one of the weakest in the series. EA has added in much needed features, but has shortchanged them. New replay save mode is killed by the one camera angle view for the replay, not of your choosing, rarely the best angle of the play. Lift the stick has been added with the ablility to slash AND high stick with any potential miss. EASHL isn't that hard to get a team together, you don't need 6 off the bat to get a club going so start slow get a post going on the internet you'll have a 6 man club in no time. The biggest problem with the EASHL is you don't need all your team to play a game, so there are huge clubs playing 2 man games. After the first week of release the top club had logged 500 games...

# 26 JR360 @ 09/28/08 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhl09FTL


	IMO this is one of the weakest in the series. EA has added in much needed features, but has shortchanged them. New replay save mode is killed by the one camera angle view for the replay, not of your choosing, rarely the best angle of the play. Lift the stick has been added with the ablility to slash AND high stick with any potential miss. EASHL isn't that hard to get a team together, you don't need 6 off the bat to get a club going so start slow get a post going on the internet you'll have a 6 man club in no time. The biggest problem with the EASHL is you don't need all your team to play a game, so there are huge clubs playing 2 man games. After the first week of release the top club had logged 500 games...

I'm not sure what you mean about the replay camera. You can set it to whatever you like, even have different segments of the replay have different cameras and play back at different rates. The only bug I've noticed with it is that you when you change the camera height for one of the markered clips it changes the height on all of them.

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