PlayStation 2
Released in 2007 by EA Sports
Grade: B-
NHL 08 is good in a vacuum, a fast-moving, action-packed hockey game. But considering its context, sandwiched between the heart of the PS2 era and the dawn of the PS3 era, it’s awkward and overly ambitious. The modern control scheme doesn’t fit in well with the aging graphics and game logic.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the eighth of nine NHL games on PS2. This same year, the series debuted on PS3.
Praises and gripes
The modern skill stick control scheme is in effect, allowing you to keep your right thumb on the analog stick for shooting, deking, and hitting. The modern graphics and gameplay, well, they aren’t in effect. Those elements are inherited from the previous season’s underrated NHL 07 game. It’s not a good mix.
The game moves fast and does a decent job capturing hockey’s frantic nature. The players move smooth, but controlling them is unwieldy compared to other EA hockey titles. It’s easy to get turned around and hard to take precise shots.
The skill stick’s later brilliance (See NHL 12) relied on action moving at a realistic speed and graphics that were crystal clear. That’s not the case here. It’s too fast and jumbled. Deking and aiming a shot can be frustrating. The old, simpler scoring methods work better, like setting up lightspeed one-timers and taking shots in traffic.
The collision detection isn’t up to snuff yet either. Hitting and tying up players hardly ever feels right. You can opt to use the classic face-button controls, but those don’t feel right either.
There are even annoying AI blunders, like when your goalie stops an easy shot but lets the puck sit right next to him, waiting for the other team to knock it in. You don’t expect flaws like that in an EA hockey game.
EA was several years from mastering the skill stick and the gameplay surrounding it anyway. You can’t expect it to feel great on PS2. If you happened to be an avid gamer when this game came out but hadn’t yet bought a next-gen console, at least this game offered a unique way to play. In the PS2/Xbox cycle of EA’s hockey games, there were four different control schemes, so I applaud them for trying to be innovative.