PlayStation 3
Released in 2007 by 2K Sports
Grade: B-
This game has exciting but uneven action, and a really complicated control scheme. It’s not bad, but will wear out your patience over time.
Where it falls in series
On PS3, the series went from NHL 2K7 to NHL 2K10 before giving up and letting EA dominate the market for simulation hockey.
Praises and gripes
These controls are wacky. Pass with L1 and shoot with R1. Wanna do a slap shot? Hold L2 and press R1. Speed burst? That’s R2, but you can also sprint with X, which is much more effective. You can deke using the analog stick, but it’s pointless. There are many other moves to learn, but they aren’t worth the trouble.
Defensive control isn’t much better. You can really crush defenders with the body check (circle), but only if you sprint first. The poke check (analog stick) never seems to work.
I was able to pick up the basics after a couple games, but the bigger problem is that players skate like no human you’ve ever seen. They swirl around quickly but are slow on more wide turns. They don’t stop or carve or sidestep like you see when you watch hockey. And when they make contact with each other, it usually looks unnatural.
The action feels arcade-like, but realistic elements are also mixed in. Passes seem slow in relation to the players’ blistering speed. I like how shots are often blocked or deflected, and how the puck squirts loose easily. There are chaotic scrambles in front of the net. The CPU often dumps the puck and gets chippy along the boards. And yet, scoring is absurdly easy, even on the hardest setting. Sometimes you’ll see replays where the puck goes right through the goalie’s chest.
So, you’ve got a fast-moving game with plenty of goals, but with tricky controls and awkward skaters. Altogether, it’s a frustrating mix. I was able to have some fun with this game, but I never wanted to play two games in a row. I didn’t have much interest in improving my skills. The game is too much of a struggle for its over-the-top feel.