Pros: Great graphics, realistic hockey, very in depth customizable options, Import Face/Music!!!
Cons: Need a GOOD computer, Still a little Arcade-like. Nothing really new graphically.
The Bottom Line: EA Sports continues its hockey DOMINATION with NHL 2002, and with lots of new features, online play, and awesome gameplay, you just can not go wrong, this game is AWESOME!
I was not hesitant at all about buying my first NHL game on the PC. I've been playing the console hockey games ever since NHL Hockey (1991) all the way up until last years NHL 2001. Last year, I bought a Pentium III 1 GHz computer with 256 Megs of RAM and a 32 Meg Nvidia GeForce 2 GTS video card. I have played these hockey games to the extremes, as a matter of fact, I completed my fourth straight season in NHL 2001 on PlayStation, with a record of 73-9-0 on "All-Star" difficulty. For the record, I DID NOT like the PS2 version. I know hockey games really well, and I am a really big fan of the sport and the EA Sports franchise, which I think is still the undisputed champion. This review isnt going to be positive about the game in relation to graphics, but mainly because of the gameplay that I have never experienced before in a hockey game.
NEW FEATURES TO 2002
-Breakaway Camera - the view switches to a fish-eye lens, and the game slows down to capture the all-important breakaway.
-Hit and Save Cameras - whenever a big play is made, the game instantly replays it to show the drama.
-NEW EA SPORTS GAME STORIES - something I've personally missed ever since NHL 97, keeps on stats from the game, hot streaks, player info, key plays, and more!
-EXTENSIVE Create-A-Player, Import your face (import not new); Import your OWN favorite songs for the game.
-New player animations
-NHL Cards - unlock secrets, cheats, easter eggs
OK LETS GET TO THE REVIEW:
GRAPHICS
I run this game at 1280x1024 pixels. The game looks simply marvelous. It's really nice looking. However, in the intro to the actual game, when the players skate around, its pretty choppy, and so is the goalie warm-up in the beginning. But the game itself, when you are trying to take on your opponent, has NO framerate issues whatsoever. The player animations are very fluid and the players move around very realistically. EA keeps getting better and better and keep moving away from that fake animatronic look. The detail in the game is also very precise, with the normal eye blinks and facial expressions of the players. For once, I've noticed that the puck is actually "puck sized" and not some gigantic frisbee sized disc. Goalie animations are more extensive than before, sporting more than just a fake glove save, and kick save. This game is just like REAL hockey. Glove saves are real, NO superman saves here. The rinks are detailed as well, with appropriate logos in center ice and seat colors and banners in the rafters. Also, the crowd as a whole is just 2D pictures, BUT, some people when shown in close cheering or jeering you, are full 3D renders. It's a real nice bonus, it just adds to the realism.
GRAPHICS SCORE: A
SOUND
I'm no sound expert in any way, but for hockey, there are very good sound effects. The crowd noise sounds authentic and they get louder and if you aren't doing to well, they get a little quiet. On the ice, the skating sounds good, and the boards sound great (when you mash someone into the boards, you can almost feel it sometimes), and there aren't any cheap effects like a bullet shot for a slap-shot or anything thankfully. It sounds like hockey, what can I say?
SOUND SCORE: A-
GAMEPLAY
I've already noticed a little arcade-style play going on here so far. Not in the score department luckily, but in overall gameplay. The scores I've encountered were scores something like 3-1, 4-3, 2-0...Low scoring games. I like that in a hockey game. In "All-Star" mode before, I'd win maybe 18-3. The A.I. in this game is IMPROVED UPON, and the goalies (including your own) are actually solid and can keep you in (or out) of the game. Its not so easy to score as it used to be, and I like it. A simple one-timer wont go in all the time. Theres also the new feature about saucering the pass, or lifting it off the rink to get over defenders sticks. The Emotion Meter is a cool little feature, when the crowd has faith in you, and they are loud, your team gets a noticeable boost, an uplifting energy if you will. When you score, you really feel like you have accomplished something. The A.I., again, they play the game well. They are aggressive, they keep up the pressure. I'm very pleased with this installment. You can also adjust the puck elasticity, physics, and you can change the players abilities. Save your awesome replays. Players have puck control now, so if you think you can weave around and stay untouched, you're wrong. It's easier to knock the puck loose, so dont be surprised if you cant split those defenders as easily as before.
OVERALL GAMEPLAY: A
PARTING THOUGHTS Good Things - Franchise mode, fantasy drafts, extensive season stats. MY GOALIE MAKES SAVES!!! Importing your own music for the in-game is a great thing, but thats not new...well, its new to me. I like it a lot. The game plays better than any other hockey game I've played. ONLINE PLAY!!! That is fun. There is nothing better than playing with REAL people on the opposing end.
Not So Good Things - The face importer still isn't that great. I can't manage to make my imported face actually look like me. Its good for what it is though. The arcade style...I'll get more in depth. The opposing goalies dont really hold on to and freeze the puck, even if his team's line is dead tired. The A.I.'s goals always seem easier to get than yours...for instance, they just wrist it at the goalie sometimes and it slips by, whereas I'm taking a ton of one-timers and what I think are decent dekes, and close range shots, and am hitting nothing but goalie. RAY BOURQUE ISN'T IN THE GAME!!! I know hes retired, but I mean, he played last year, so he should be here this year....thats just a personal thing.
UP TO YOU - The commentary now has really just become a team comedy act. Jim Hughston still does the regular commentary, which is serious still, and his new sidekick (YES!!!! NO MORE CLEMENT!)...whose name I forget, is there all for the jokes. I LIKE IT, I don't think it ruins the game; others may not like it....you can turn it off if you want to.
ENDING THOUGHTS
I like this game, I'm very pleased with the PC-style of hockey and its a very great change form that of my console past. If you have a computer that can handle this game, I suggest getting it on the computer. It has great graphics, gameplay, which is SO important, and ONLINE capabilities. If you like hockey, this one wont fail you, BUY THE GAME. This is the best hockey game to date. Make sure you pick up a controller, it's just more fun that way. Sit back and enjoy this game...I know I will...I'm starting my first season with the Boston Bruins! Good Luck!
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.