Wow, I did not know I’d like this game so much.
PlayStation 1
Released in 1995 by Sony Computer Entertainment
Grade: B
I can remember the FaceOff series being in distant second place behind EA’s NHL series at the time. I remember that it seemed shallow and difficult to control. I don’t know what happened, because today I think this game is actually better than any EA hockey game on PS1. It’s fun, challenging, and pretty.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the first of six FaceOff games on PS1, and the first hockey game on PS1, period. The series made it through two releases on PS2 before calling it quits … until Sony gave it another go a few years later with two Wayne Gretzky titles, and then they called it quits.
Praises
I can’t believe I’m starting with graphics, because most PS1 sports games look terribly dated, but this game is beautiful. It uses colorful sprites, not 3D models, that are animated nicely and glide naturally on a minimalist ice surface.
The action is fast and exciting. Defenders really get after the puck, so you need to use quick passing and swift skating, which both feel intuitive. While this game isn’t a realistic depiction of pro hockey, the play develops in a logical way, and your AI teammates are usually where they should be to help you move the puck or steal it back.
The controls are simple (although mapped oddly on the controller, and without the option to customize them). On offense, you can pass or shoot. On defense, you can switch players, body check, cross check/speed burst, or poke check/speed burst. There are also line changes, but the game wisely defaults to no line changes, no penalties.
The CPU really puts up a fight on the highest of three difficulty settings. And with widely varying player and team attributes, you can find just the right level of difficulty.
The sound is decent, especially for 1995. Other presentation elements are fine too.
Gripes
Goal-scoring logic is a bit off and can be frustrating. Well executed one-timers and breakaways don’t get as many goals as you’d think. And the goals that do go in sometimes sneak by without you actually seeing it, so you’re wondering, “How’d that go in?”
There aren’t strategy settings, so you may find the gameplay repetitive.
A few specific controls falter when you really need them to come through. You can’t seem to make a pass from behind the net into the slot area. When your opponent is on a breakaway, you suddenly have trouble switching control to the last defender. Players never come to a full stop; instead they make very tight turns that aren’t super realistic.