NHL 2003
Still going strong
EA Sports’ NHL series has been going on for ages. (In fact, so have all EA’s other sports franchises as well) I believe the first yearly edition was NHL ’93, although there was a NHL Hockey for Sega Genesis before that.
Since then, EA’s been whipping up a new edition every year. This policy tends to annoy people who frequently claim that new editions aren’t anything but the same game with updated player data. It’s true that the changes aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but there’s always been enough new to make people buy the new version.
While the player face models are decent, only a few resemble the player in real life.
As the long time fans of the series know, the biggest change in the series wasn’t changing the name from two year digits in NHL ’99 to four in NHL 2000. Actually the biggest update ever is probably the PC version of NHL ’96 which was the first one in the series to use 3D graphics. (Console versions remained in 2D until the 32 bit ones came around, though)
After that, it’s been quieter. New expansion teams have been added, player data updated, new features and more customizable options, online leagues. As I said earlier, not much, but enough to keep the fans happy. NHL 2003 uses the same formula, little changes here and there, updated rosters and more focus on the online aspect of the game. Has the path EA Sports took been the right one?
In goes the puckIt’s difficult to answer that question with a simple yes and no. Although I myself have no objections in new hockey game every year if it’s done well, it seems more and more evident that instead of polishing the product, EA just keeps on adding more features without paying enough attention to the core of the game. If the basic gameplay is flawed, future editions should try to improve on their predecessor. That is the problem with the series. EA’s going to the wrong direction and as the result, it continues to lack the feeling of real hockey.
I have to admit that the situation isn’t easy for EA either. With the NHL series being the only real contender in hockey games (at least in the PC front), EA has to balance the game between two different user bases, those who wish for realistic hockey and those who want arcade. It’s a fine line to walk on, and EA’s done it rather well. Until recently, the game’s been pretty well balanced.
Reflections on ice look nicePast additions have been such everyday hockey features as big hits, big shots, the momentum meter, breakaway camera, hero players, NHL cards which enable cheats and latest invention, the game breaker. Most of these have some real-life counterparts in NHL. Still, it’s not the idea, it’s the execution that I’m unhappy with.
There are big hitters in NHL, sure. But do they really cross-check their opponents in the neck at full speed? And get away with it? And why do victims of such checks do twin somersaults in the air, land on their head and get up unharmed after lying in the ice a few seconds?
Yes, there are big shooters in the league. Their slap shots can set the puck over a 100mph. Even then, I doubt the goalies get knocked on their ass by such shots as I’ve witnessed in the NHL series. The game breaker meter is another strange phenomenon. When the meter is full, star players can move in slowed time for awhile (like the bullet time in The Matrix). Stuff like that shouldn’t be in a game that’s supposed to be about real hockey.
Most of the audience looks seriously pissed all the timePlenty of settings
In EA’s defense, most of these features can be turned off from the options. The customizability in the game is good, although there are less options in 2003 than there were in NHL 2002. You can still change things like AI passing accuracy, puck friction & rebounds etc., but gone are goalie & player boosts and oddly the ability to import your own face into the game. Create-a-player option has gone down the drain on other aspects as well. There are less choices to pick from when creating the face for your player. Then there are just plain stupid things like a huge variety of glasses that all look like they’ve been done by an intern with Windows’ paintbrush in 5 minutes. Well, at least the option to create a custom player is still there, crippled or not…
Gameplay-wise not much has been changed from NHL 2002. The goalie animations are noticeably better although the puck still tends to stop on a magic wall every now and then. Skating looks like the players are on roller skates on occasion, but generally are decent.
Sometimes the replay mode displays interesting details.This did not result in a goal, for example
Despite of my earlier criticism, NHL 2003 is still a good game. It may not resemble real hockey much, but NHL 2003 has its moments. Gameplay is good and the game is generally well done. For those who like online gaming, NHL 2003 may be the best in the series. EA has focused on the online modes more than ever and NHL 2003 provides online leagues and gaming on the EA Sports Online as well. Since playing against other people removes most of the AI related problems from the game (unless your opponent is retarded), the game may offer different experience than the single player mode.
For those with no interest to play the game online (like myself), all the online pushing tends to get annoying. Half of the main screen on frontend is devoted to online options and the game has weird obsessions to connect to internet every now and then. This is a fun feature on dial up connections because it opens the ‘Connect to internet’ window on Windows (and causes the in-game window to minimize).
As usual, the frontend interface has changed as well. Instead of the polished menus in the last years version, it now reminds of an internet page. Works ok, but is a bit clumsier to use than those on previous games. (Actually, a quick browse on install directory proves that all frontend menus really are html pages, kind of a cheap solution, but I guess EA has its reasons…)
Frontend look has undergone major changesOne good thing about the NHL series is that if you’ve liked one game, you’ll probably like the others too. Sad thing is that the series offers less each year for those gamers who seek a realistic hockey game. If you can accept it, you’ll be happy with NHL 2003. Online gamers may feel they’re in heaven, since this time EA has really worked on it.
Other than that; there is still no financial aspect in the season-mode, AI is far from perfect, fights look like they’re modeled after old Chaplin movies, hits are way overdone, shot counts are far away from realistic. The list is long. NHL 2003 is far from the perfect hockey experience. Yet, for some reason, I still like it.
There are enough good points to keep you playing. But I really hope EA Sports seriously changes the direction of the series. Let NHL Hitz carry the flag for arcade style NHL. In realistic hockey games, Sega has thrown the challenge with NHL 2K3. Now it’s EA’s time to answer the call. And I hope they start by dealing with the crappy jokes both announcers throw out in NHL 2002 & 2003. There’s no need for a poor stand-up comedy duo in the announcers booth. Boy do I miss the good ol’ commentary of previous NHL’s…
Menu screens remain the same
There’s something amusing on the looks on players’ faces
March 4th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
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