by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze Video Game Editor

After playing a few games of NHL 2005, you start to notice something odd about the way this game plays. EA Sports has always published the most flamboyant hockey video game, but there are signs they may be a little unsure of their identity.

Last year, EA made it very obvious that they wanted to have more of a simulation feel to the arcade style of the franchise, and while the trend continues this year, it often feels misguided.

It seems that no matter how hard EA tries to make their NHL title more sim-friendly, it becomes harder to understand exactly what they’re trying to achieve. The overall presentation is still the best in the business. For years, EA has gotten everything from players’ faces to lighting effects down pat, but the gameplay continues to be a source of disappointment in 2005 thanks to strange AI tendencies and an overbearing focus on the physical side of the game.

Skating up ice seems to be just as difficult as scoring a goal, and the reason for this is a barrage of body contact. There’s no denying that physical play is a benchmark of hockey and it needs to play a significant role in any NHL video game, but if you’re going to try to be realistic, hip checks shouldn’t be as common as passing the puck. If some of these hits were attempted en masse in an actual NHL game, players would put themselves out of position all the time.

There also seems to be a perspective issue with NHL 2005 in terms of the size of players to that of the rink. It’s true that players are bigger nowadays and that the NHL-size rink may be too small for them, but you can’t help but feel claustrophobic when playing this sometimes. The overwhelming physical game is largely to blame because it becomes difficult to generate plays through skillful skating and passing. While there are some options to changing this, they simply don’t go far enough.

This year also marks the first time EA’s NHL franchise can be played on Xbox Live. The experience online runs smoothly and efficiently, with several options for gamers to participate through organized leagues and one-on-one play. The game’s interface works very well with that put in place on Xbox Live, so those who like to play online shouldn’t have too much to worry about.

The efficiency online is only good news for those who like the arcade style NHL 2005 offers, and redundant for those who want something more realistic. Having the best looking game doesn’t translate to having the most realistic gameplay, and that’s exactly what seems to go wrong with this game. While it looks great, its appeal as a sim falls short thanks to an endless supply of hip checks and defective AI that ensures players aren’t where they should be.

NHL 2005 could’ve been worse than it is, but it does have a functioning hockey game, albeit one best suited to those who like arcade style hockey. But when EA makes it clear that they want to have the most realistic hockey game on the market, the issues seen in this year’s game are inexcusable.

Publisher:
EA Sports
Developer:
EA Canada

Platform:
Xbox

Rating: 7/10