PlayStation

NHL 2000

Med NHL '98 lyckades Electronic Arts skapa ett suveränt spel för sin tid, året efter gick det inte lika bra. Men i år har de på nytt knåpat ihop ett hockeyspel som ger alla samtida titlar en rejäl smäll på fingrarna. Det som gör NHL 2000 bättre än NHL '98 är den suveräna helhetskänslan och framför allt det förträffliga utnyttjandet av den analoga kontrollen. Utvecklingen har gått framåt och Electronic Arts har på nytt visat att de minst sagt hänger med, ännu mer nu än för två år sedan.

In the end, NHL 2000 is about as good of a hockey game as you're going to get on the PlayStation. The faster frame rate not only makes the game run smother than last year's title, but it also helps the gameplay better, and really that's what it's all about. If you're a fan of the series from way back, you'll undoubtedly agree that NHL 2000 is the best PlayStation version of the series thus far.

If you want to own a hockey game, to me it seems like a no-brainer that this is the one to get. If you’re not sure if hockey as a game is your thing then rent it and check out the action and great graphics for yourself. EA Sports is going to have a tough time topping this one next year since there is very little aside from the AI and commentary, which really aren't all that bad to begin with, on which they can improve.

Yet another ice hockey sequel hits the already packed shelves to confuse the regular punter. EA Sports have once again got their act together with this super game. Excellent graphics, good sound and commentary, all of the skill levels, stats, play options, and team rosters you could possibly want. Check it out!

The instant replay system is awfully choppy, which is surprising considering how smooth the game moves at normal speed. You'll want to turn the fighting off, because these idiotic brawls consist of both players simply throwing lightning-fast jabs at each other with exaggerated sound effects. It's like a bad martial arts flick! The loading screen takes a while, but at least you get to view a photo of the arena you'll be playing in. It's easy to nit-pick, but pound for pound NHL 2000 is probably the best hockey game you'll find for the Playstation.

All in all, NHL 2000 is a good, fun game. Of course, the same exact thing could be said about last year's version. In a nutshell, if you own last year's game, and don't really care about the trades, sit tight and wait till you have a new system (ie. Dreamcast or Playstation 2) to buy a new hockey game. There's just not enough of a difference between this game and its predecessors. If, however, you've never owned an EA Sports hockey game or you're jonesing to play with the Atlanta Thrashers, this game is a great one to get.