NHL 07 and NHL 2k7 IMPRESSIONS

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:19 pm

GameSeven wrote:
pk500 wrote: [...] about as useful as a Stairmaster for Rosie O'Donnell..
Dude, you are never at a loss for an analogy

Glad to see you back around DSP...

-G7

Yeah, but that one was tame by PK standards. "about as useful as a [fat c*ck] for Rosie O'Donnell" is the usual fare.

IMO, I also think superstars stand out more in EA's game over 2k's...in shooting, skating, dekes, etc.

Heh, I'm not trying to rabble rouse, Zepp, really I'm not. In this case (if it truly exists) I think the money goal is a bit more indefensible than 2k's swoop.

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:30 pm

webdanzer wrote:Yeah, but that one was tame by PK standards. "about as useful as a [fat c*ck] for Rosie O'Donnell" is the usual fare.

Yes or, "the difference between game X and a bucket of sh*t is the bucket."

Always laugh thinking about that one. Still, his off the cuff ones are certainly the most entertaining.

-G7

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:32 pm

Anyone up for some online NHL 07 tonight?

snate · Post by **snate** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:37 pm

I might be able to play after the game tonight. But I have only played a few times and suck pretty bad still.

Does anyone know if you can use custom sliders online?

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:48 pm

pk500 wrote:But it does come down to what's important to each player.

Exactly. Given your criteria, I would recommend 2K...but I wouldn't consider 2K any more "sim" overall. They are just different. 2K gets the X's and O's (can't think of the hockey equivalent!) right, but I think EA's game gets the "spirit" of hockey better. I don't think there is anything sim about the goalies in 2K and that's a very important part of a hockey game for *me*. I still have no real fear of the CPU on breakaways or odd man rushes and in a real hockey game that would scare the f*ck out of me. In those situations in 2K I take control of the man back and cover the the man without the puck to eliminate the one-timers and rebounds. I'll let the skater take a clear shot at the goalie because that is one of the hardest ways to score in 2K unless a human player does the S move. EA's game brings back the *fear* to allowing breakaways and clear shots at the goalie and it makes playing defense intense and fun again.

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:57 pm

webdanzer wrote:
GameSeven wrote:
pk500 wrote: [...] about as useful as a Stairmaster for Rosie O'Donnell..
Dude, you are never at a loss for an analogy

Glad to see you back around DSP...

-G7
Yeah, but that one was tame by PK standards. "about as useful as a [fat c*ck] for Rosie O'Donnell" is the usual fare.

IMO, I also think superstars stand out more in EA's game over 2k's...in shooting, skating, dekes, etc.

Heh, I'm not trying to rabble rouse, Zepp, really I'm not. In this case (if it truly exists) I think the money goal is a bit more indefensible than 2k's swoop.

Where did you hear about this goal.

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:22 pm

pk500 wrote:
Leebo33 wrote:
pk500 wrote:I'd rather have a hockey game that has proper defensive positioning by the AI inside of its zone.
PK, did you get 2K7 for Xbox? It's only $20, right?
Leebo:

I'm looking to rent it. I'm not buying any more Xbox games, as I'm -- BIG GULP and EXHALE -- contemplating the purchase of a 360 if funds can be raised.

Take care,
PK

I'd bet that if Rugby '07 shows up on the 360 with Online play that you'd have the money. If you don't I'd bet you'd get a ski mask and go get the money. j/k Good to see you back posting again.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:24 pm

Trane:

Hell, if Rugby 06 was made backward compatible, I'd probably have a 360 within 10 days.

If Rugby 07 was announced with online play, I'd be weeping at the keyboard with joy right now before robbing local garages of soda and beer cans to raise the bucks.

Rugby 06 is the best sports video game I've ever played, period. It's that great in my eyes. I LOVE it, never have tired of it for one second. I can't say that about any other game I've ever played.

Take care,
PK

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:11 pm

Leebo33 wrote:
pk500 wrote:But it does come down to what's important to each player.
Exactly. Given your criteria, I would recommend 2K...but I wouldn't consider 2K any more "sim" overall. They are just different. 2K gets the X's and O's (can't think of the hockey equivalent!) right, but I think EA's game gets the "spirit" of hockey better. I don't think there is anything sim about the goalies in 2K and that's a very important part of a hockey game for *me*. I still have no real fear of the CPU on breakaways or odd man rushes and in a real hockey game that would scare the f*ck out of me. In those situations in 2K I take control of the man back and cover the the man without the puck to eliminate the one-timers and rebounds. I'll let the skater take a clear shot at the goalie because that is one of the hardest ways to score in 2K unless a human player does the S move. EA's game brings back the *fear* to allowing breakaways and clear shots at the goalie and it makes playing defense intense and fun again.

Good post and I agree - BUT I fear the CPU on a power play in 2k7, which I didn't in NHL 07. Plus, the franchise mode is much better in 2k7 and the way the players move on the ice.. I don't know, it's just so smooth and believeable.

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:00 am

I'm on a bad roll with 07 online winning only 1 of my last 6 (though oddly my record is listed as 7-4), but most have been great games.

Found myself trailing 1-0 in a fairly lackluster game (as FLA vs BUF). Pulled the goalie and called time out to get my best skaters and after the first attempt was frozen by the goalie, potted the second on a rebound from a point blast.

Unfortunately I picked up a penalty with 47 seconds left and chaos ensued. Eddie stood on his head including a backwards lunge with his glove to keep a sliding puck from crossing the line.

The overtime started and I tried like hell to fend off the 4 on 3, but the Sabres managed to take advantage of the mismatch with lots of open ice and crashed the net for the winner.

Great game even though I came out on the losing end.

Hope some others of you are enjoying this online.

-G7

snate · Post by **snate** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:14 am

I had a couple of great games online tonight. I erased a 3-1 lead to win 4-3 and in the 2nd I was down 1-0 and 2-1, but ended up coming back to win 3-2. Both games were alot of fun.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:23 am

I'm just getting back into town and need to get a few games in, but I'd love to play some of you guys online after I get halfway decent at the game. Anybody talking about getting a fairly loose league going on with this one? I'd still love to get in with the Pens.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:53 am

Well ive only read the last few pages. Hers what i think . Totaly unbiased. Im a 2k guy thru and thru.

I bought both games on release day and i havnt been able to put 07 down, i think its awsome. At first i was like man this is hard only cos of the controls but it was a blast to play.

Then i got the controls down and played a few online and i was thinking man this is a fun game online but its gonna be kinda shallow offline soon.

So i keep playing offline, bumping the difficulty up playing with the few sliders they have seeing lots of cool different stuff each game. It didnt get shallower its gotten deeper, i was thinking , man this AI is like ,almost human at times.
i bump it up to Superstar it got even better the Ai got even better again.

This all the time just playing "play now" havnt even started a franchise yet as im still fine tuning.

God help you if you give up a breakaway or a 2 on 1 ,which by the wayis executed to perfection by the ai , play the puck they dish it off play the pass they go in and shoot or deke just like a human would ,just like the NHL player would.
Best goal ive ever seen was a 2 on 1 by the ai.

Money goal ?
Havnt seen one yet. Please dont bring it up as a spoiler.
Giving my son a breakaway is as close to money as i need, hes deadly.

AI only scoring garbage or rebounds ?
They just scored a clean slapper last night a wrister a breakaway, shot by the d man, rebound, slotted home by a forward.

Nothing is overdone it all feels fair and not cheap on superstar they just play better and smarter not faster.

I cant bring myself to put 2k in the drive yet, no need.
Sure 07 has a few weaknesses, could they ai set up more in the offensive zone? sure, but when they do its a sight to behold. Could the strategies be better ? sure, but if your patient while playing they work as Drawn up.

I could go on more , i love this game overall its brilliant .
And a blast to play taboot.

On a side note if you change your Difficulty after you change your sliders they go back to default so change difficulty then adjust sliders.

Give this game a shot guys youll love it if you like hockey.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:31 am

WHICH GAME??? This thread is driving me crazy!!!

snate wrote:I had a couple of great games online tonight. I erased a 3-1 lead to win 4-3 and in the 2nd I was down 1-0 and 2-1, but ended up coming back to win 3-2. Both games were alot of fun.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:35 am

He is "Mr Analogy"

Glad you came off the bench PK! We need you in the game!

GameSeven wrote:
pk500 wrote: [...] about as useful as a Stairmaster for Rosie O'Donnell..
Dude, you are never at a loss for an analogy

Glad to see you back around DSP...

-G7

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:56 am

Nice post Jimmy. That's pretty much how I feel about NHL 07 but I do still enjoy and play 2k7. I'm really favoring 07 now though since it really is a breath of fresh air in the sports videogame world. 2k is easily the best 2k hockey game but I've owned every single 2k hockey game ever made. I still have my Dreamcast and the original 2k and 2k2. I don't know, I enjoy them both but 07 was an absolute blast online.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:38 am

Jimmydeicide wrote:God help you if you give up a breakaway or a 2 on 1 ,which by the wayis executed to perfection by the ai , play the puck they dish it off play the pass they go in and shoot or deke just like a human would ,just like the NHL player would.

Best goal ive ever seen was a 2 on 1 by the ai.

Yep. 07 kicks 2k7's ass here for sure. One of my favorite parts of the game.

Jimmydeicide wrote:Money goal ?
Havnt seen one yet. Please dont bring it up as a spoiler.
Giving my son a breakaway is as close to money as i need, hes deadly.

Based on general knowledge of how it seems to work, I could not reproduce it on All-Star vs the computer. (Yay!) It seems to be more of an issue online, but I have yet to play much online.

Jimmydeicide wrote: I cant bring myself to put 2k in the drive yet, no need.

Heh. Good. You may want to hold off on that. I maintain that it is really, really hard to follow up a game of 2k7 with 07, because you then really notice the huge framerate, control, dearth of options, and animation decline. I actually had to sleep on it and pick 07 up fresh the next day...and then I was still able to enjoy the hell out of 07.

WillHunting · Post by **WillHunting** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:46 am

This thread is like a hockey game itself.... 2k7 vs 07, the first few pages, it was dead even. Then the momentum was on 2k7 with everyone singing praises but it looks like 07 has recouperated and gained a following the last 10 posts or so.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:54 am

To me, it sounds like both are good games and if possible, pick one and just go with it. If you get both, you are going to torture yourself with the things one has and the other doesn't. If you enjoy the "fun factor" more in games, then it sounds like 07 is the way to go. If you liked the 2K games of the past and want a visually upgraded 360 hockey game that plays a solid, albeit familiar feeling, game of hockey...then get 2K7. It sounds like either one isn't a bad choice. You don't see any of the "THIS ONE IS GOING BACK" posts, like you normally do, and that's a good thing!

I am leaning more towards NHL07 becasue it sounds like more fun to me....but I would also pick up 2K7, if we do a DSP League with it.

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:00 am

NHL07:

Last night's online session ended with me losing 5 games in a row in OT

I found out that is why the record still shows 7-4. The overall record doesn't include OT losses, though they are tracked. So it still shows 7-4 even though my overall record is 7-4-6.

Great games though. I had games where I'd led, a game where I erased a 3 goal first period deficit and a game where I'd tied it on a pulled goalie. The final game I twice led, once giving up the lead on a failed pass around my own boards where I instead banked it off my own tender's pad and in.

Only once in OT did I give up a bogus goal with a goalie giveaway and it was the last of the night... I was so ticked at the consecutive losses that I was pressing and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that I'd blow it.

I looked for redemption in a final game vs. Web, but my 360 locked after a quick first period goal and that was the night.

The most I ever played 2K6 was last month on vacation. I haven't been as consumed at launch by a hockey title in years.

I will say though that the defensive controls really need some tweaking. One game I lost in OT the shooter was bearing down 1 on 1 with Jovo and I failed to take him out well enough. That said, there have been some people online that are rather stifling on defense so it is possible to play strong D. It is an area EA needs to start working on immediately for next year's release though, IMHO.

One area that has been much better is online frame rate. Last night's games were all extremely smooth (for 07), essentially as good as offline games. I don't know if that has been an artifact of more people getting the game and going online, thus improving the pool of people with good relative connections, but the play has been far more solid (outside of the strange faceoff glitch).

-G7

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:16 am

JackB1 wrote:To me, it sounds like both are good games and if possible, pick one and just go with it. If you get both, you are going to torture yourself with the things one has and the other doesn't. If you enjoy the "fun factor" more in games, then it sounds like 07 is the way to go. If you liked the 2K games of the past and want a visually upgraded 360 hockey game that plays a solid, albeit familiar feeling, game of hockey...then get 2K7. It sounds like either one isn't a bad choice. You don't see any of the "THIS ONE IS GOING BACK" posts, like you normally do, and that's a good thing!

I am leaning more towards NHL07 becasue it sounds like more fun to me....but I would also pick up 2K7, if we do a DSP League with it.

You just summed up this thread in one post, congrats!

Both are good games this year, each one lacking one the other has and each one having something the other doesn't. I will agree with the assessment that I bought NHL 07 first and had a blast, then decided to try NHL 2k7 - had fun, played some more NHL 07 and that framerate just bugs the heck out of me. You can't go wrong with either one I believe.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:49 am

can you fake a shot in 07-360, cause you cant with the XBox version.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:52 am

JackB1 wrote:can you fake a shot in 07-360, cause you cant with the XBox version.

Yeah, you just don't follow through with the shot stick. It's easy to do.

seanmac31 · Post by **seanmac31** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:12 pm

GameSeven wrote:
JRod wrote:[...] each team is too close in ability and great players are hard to distinguish from ok players.
I have only played EA's game so far this year though I look forward to trying 2K's game. However, I can't believe how maligned NHL 07 has been. Likening it to FIFA is an insult as this game, IMHO, is heads and tails better than any of EA's recent hockey games. I'm sure if we took a nine minute video of 2K7, we'd be able to dissect and find things that it does wrong as well. While playing the games, I have been too engrossed to sit back and analyze the performance of every on-ice player, however with respect to the comment above, I feel that this is one of the areas EA does well. I feel that player ability is pretty distinctly different when using a Marion Gaborik or Manny Maholtra. You may very well find that defensemen in 2K's game are better, but I'd wager that in videos focusing on goaltending, EA will shred 2K.

I'm willing to accept that everyone has different opinions but it seems that the 2K crowd is definitely piling on to a certain extent.

While I can't afford time to play two hockey games, I may switch if my local circle of friends/players are adamant about 2K, but I've given EA the benefit of the doubt so far this year and it's been better than I expected.

-G7

Actually, FIFA: WC is much, much better than NHL. It's EA's best 360 offering. Aside from the gameplay, which is very solid, it is the lone game that manages to combine next gen graphics with a smooth framerate and excellent player control. It's hard for me to understate how much a poor framerate and poor controls (and NHL's controls are pretty poor, stick aside) affects my enjoyment of sports games in general and free flowing sports like hockey and soccer in particular.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:32 pm

seanmac31 wrote:Actually, FIFA: WC is much, much better than NHL. It's EA's best 360 offering.

I hope the full game was much, much better than the demo because EA should have just graphically put the ball on a string at player's feet to match the way it played and looked. I think even EA has admitted that the ball is not independent of the player, which would seem to be a pretty important thing in a soccer game or any sports game for that matter.