NHL 2005

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Electronic Arts Canada And HB Studios

Publisher : Electronic Arts Sports

Engine : Not Revealed

Genre : Ice Hockey Sim

Release Date : September 14 , 2004

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 2000 / Windows XP

CPU : AMD Athlon XP 1800+ / Intel Pentium 3 Processor

Memory (RAM) : 256 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 64 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 4 Series
ATI : Radeon X600 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 1.5 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

NHL 2005 features a brand-new wraparound shot that is far more like the type of quick wraparounds you would see in a real NHL game. Just press one of the shot buttons while behind the net, and your player will try to push the puck into the corner of the net. If you played the last Midway-produced NHL title, NHL Hitz Pro, you may recognize this exact same shot from that game. No doubt, the defense in NHL 2005 is tough--almost too tough, actually. Basically, getting a breakaway in this game is a near impossibility on any difficulty but the easiest--at least until you've spent quite a lot of time trying to master the various deke moves and speed burst timings. If you're up against even a decently rated defensive pairing, you're likely to get knocked flat on your face before you even get within 10 feet of the net, which typically results in a quick turnover. The defensive AI doesn't even seem to really use the poke-check mechanic inside the offensive zone much at all. This is primarily because it much prefers to just lay you out flat on the ice every single time you get anywhere near the goal. While this might seem like it would make a game a penalty-filled affair, it actually doesn't. In fact, on the default settings, penalties almost never get called at all. The biggest new addition is essentially the factor that drives the whole mode: owner objectives. In the real-life NHL, every team has different goals and objectives. If you're playing for a team like Colorado, ambition and winning a Stanley Cup presents a huge part of what drives your franchise forward. But, if you're on a team like the Chicago Blackhawks, your goals are far more financially driven. So the second it looks like you're not turning a profit, there's hell to pay. NHL 2005 emulates this variation of team goals by ranking each team in three categories: ambition, team, and profit. Ambitious teams want to both make the playoffs and win the cup; team-oriented franchises are loyal to their players and typically stick with the most loyal players, regardless of record or money; and profit-driven teams just want to be in the green at the end of every season, plain and simple.

In NHL 2005, each forward and defenseman belongs to one of three categories. Forwards consist of scorers, playmakers, and grinders, while defensemen consist of players who are offensive-minded, defensive-minded, or checkers. One of the best aspects of this year's dynasty mode is a part that we weren't totally sold on last year: the team upgrades system. Basically, as you win games and progress through each season, you'll earn money for your upgrade budget, which you can spend on a host of on-ice and off-ice upgrades that range from better travel arrangements to better assistant general managers. There's a much wider variety of upgrades this year, and also, unlike last year's game , this year's game presents no immediate pressure to upgrade your team heavily, because your team starts out about where it should in year one. The only other new mode addition in NHL 2005 is the Free4All mode. This is basically a quirky, little minigame where up to four players occupy the same section of ice while all trying to score on the same goalie in an every-man-for-himself style of play. There are a couple of rule options you can set, such as whether you're playing to a certain number of goals or are just trying to score as many goals as possible within an allotted time frame. You can also throw a defenseman or two into the mix to try to counteract your scoring chances. The PC version has all the types of online functionality found in last year's game, so there's head-to-head play, tournaments, and online clubs to play with, as well as the EA Messenger and leaderboards. The PC version is a little bit better about the lag, but it suffers from the same brand of ugly frame rate chop that the PS2 version suffers from. NHL 2005 also contains fully modeled coaches for the first time, and they look really good. Compare John Tortarella in real life to his in-game counterpart and you'll see what we mean. The on-ice animation is better than last year's game, though not by leaps and bounds. Checking is definitely improved in terms of sheer brutality, and there are a few nice, new goalie animations. The commentary duo of Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson is back for another year, and between the two of them, the commentary is pretty unspectacular. Much of Hughson's lines seem like retreads of previous years, and Simpson rarely ever interjects himself enough to make any sort of impact. The game's soundtrack consists of the usual EA Trax mishmash of bands. Make no mistake. NHL 2005 is still a solid game of hockey--but it shouldn't be your first choice for one.

GAME REVIEW :-

8/10

NHL 2005 Trailer :-