Video game review – NHL 12
NHL 12
EA Games
Playstation 3/XBox 360
Being in an NHL arena is something unforgettable; lacing up the skates and hitting the ice for your first shift of the game is a moment that kids dream about. With NHL 12, kids and adults alike can live their dream without having to deal with the notorious stench of hockey gear.
Of course, before you can hit the ice, you have to get suited up for competition. NHL 12 makes it easy with a fantastic team and player selection, not to mention every possible jersey from your favourite team’s wardrobe.
Once you have the gear, it’s time to rally the boys and prepare for battle. After taking your first faceoff in NHL 12 – the latest in a long series of EA Sports NHL games dating back to 1991 – the improved graphics make you feel the way Donald Brashear must have felt after Marty McSorely cranked him with a stick, i.e. absolutely stunned. The new graphics are fluid and realistic, with recognizable features on players, and the crowd decked out in the playing teams’ attire – the graphics are all-around unreal.
Controls on the game are easy to use and get used to. They are relatively the same as previous games in the NHL series, so experienced players will have no problem jumping right in. However, the controls are so simple that even a rookie can get ice time.
The fighting feature on NHL 12 is fantastic; you can finally punch the opposing team’s goalie square in the face or give Maxim LaPierre a hit to that annoying grin of his. Since NHL 12 is imitating the real thing, you have to deal with ridiculous penalties and with your teammates repeatedly going offside; both are just as annoying in a video game as they are in real life.
The game’s only major flaw is the excessive number of replays, as they can be distracting and sometimes difficult to click past. These replays are even more annoying when they are showing an opposing teammate undressing one of your defencemen and lighting the lamp.
You can’t mash the X button fast enough.
Autumn McDowell
Sports Editor
