NHL 08 Impressions

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:50 am

I just have one question, that's bugged me about 2k8 for a few years now. Ya ya, I could try searching the thread, but I'm lazy.

Does each team feel like the real thing? I.E. if i play New Jersey, are they defensive minded, low scoring, versus the Caps, high scoring?

Or is it simply the games feel the same, but the jerseys differ?

wabash97 · Post by **wabash97** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:12 pm

I think it can be too subtle at times, but I notice it over the course of a season, and into the playoffs.

Playing the Devils, I notice without question they are playing more of a contain system. Playing the Red Wings, you notice more of the puck possession. Other teams, I don't notice it clearly, but I think it's there.

I do think the game does a nice job of making the skill players more threatening and more skilled, so to speak, than grinders, but also giving grinders their scoring opportunities and goals.

With a few tweaks, this game could be absolutely brilliant:

1. More pronounced team styles.

2. Rework the goalies (the only true weak point, although it was made a little better on the most recent roster update). Goalies have no individual styles, and play a pretty boring game ... .

3. More loose pucks and random bounces and deflections.

4. More board play.

There may be more, but these are the target issues in my mind.

It's a brilliant game in many ways, I think. I'm already eagerly awaiting the 09 version.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:52 pm

Never mind, I found my answer..... carry on, my wayward sons......

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:08 am

Question: On the PK, is there an easy way to dump the puck out of the zone? On the PC version, if you just pushed up on the R stick, it would do a soft, high dump out. However, on the 360, this results in a 2 mph "shot" that gets picked off and the puck stays in the zone. I've only had success slapping the puck out of the zone, but then sometimes it goes out of play!

Is there a way to do a high dump out on the 360?

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 11:09 am

Gangrel, I don't think you can dump the puck high in this game, you can adjust the speed of the dump but that's about it from what I recall.

Pretty amazing how accurate their simulation turned out to be prior to the playoffs. They were eight for eight in the first round including picking DAL to upset the Ducks and they also predicted that SJ, MON and PHI would to to game sevens to settle their series. For the record EA is picking SJ beating MON in seven games for Lord Stanley.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:34 pm

Well, I'm late to the party, but I've had this now since last week. Having played the PC version, I knew it was more "sim-lite" then sim, a la 2k8, but then again, what's more "sim", a CPU breakaway you're scared of, or one that you can let you cat use the controller and defend?

I see the complaints about the game.... sometimes my players just stand around too much, and wont' attack the puck, leaveing the puck in our zone forever. The passing sometimes isn't accurate, unless i'm just completely fubaring my aim with the stick. And the sliders need more tweakability.... it would be nice to, for example, change my accleration, and not the CPUs.....

But, I have to say I'm having a lot more fun then 2k8. Cycling the puck MEANS something in this game. My pointmen actually get shots off because their not tackled from the extras in All Pro Football, and the dekeing... oh my the deking. I still suck at it, but when I pulled Robert Nillson off the halfboards, pulled the puck thru the D mans legs, then deked out the goalie for a top shelf, short side shot. I knew it was hockey nirvana.

Now, I must really suck though.... because I can't play on AS for the life of me. I play on Pro, and I have very compeitive games, with reasonable shot totals even! So that sounds like I'm a notch below all of you guys on here......

I guess i"m just getting old!

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:18 pm

Gangrel wrote:Now, I must really suck though.... because I can't play on AS for the life of me. I play on Pro, and I have very compeitive games, with reasonable shot totals even! So that sounds like I'm a notch below all of you guys on here...... I guess i"m just getting old!

I've played at least 75 games and still only win on All-Star half the time with the Penguins. I probably lost my first 10 on All-Star so don't feel bad. But I even beat the CPU 7-1 once and shut them out a few times on AS. You'll get better plus sliders do help. For example, really lowering the shot accuracy slider seems to hurt the CPU more than it does me with manual aim. Look earlier in the thread or OS for help. I can't remember which ones I'm using but they work well and I got them from OS.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:07 pm

Ya, I'm basically using AS sliders, but on Pro. My Accuracy is at 1 I beleive..... and power at 2.

At the very least, thanks to my ineptitude, if i ever do get better, I'll have another skill level to go!

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:44 pm

Still play on pro and it's still a challenge for me to score. My online record is something like 13-25 but I'm fine with that since the majority of my online games are fun win or lose.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Fri May 02, 2008 1:35 pm

Is there an issue with changing strategies mid-game? When I try to do this from the menu between periods, it seems that when I get back to the ice, the strategies reset themselves to the defaults.

Is there something I'm not doing right?

wabash97 · Post by **wabash97** » Fri May 02, 2008 2:59 pm

For some reason they don't "stick" when you do it between periods. Wait until the first puck is dropped, then it should work.

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Fri May 02, 2008 5:27 pm

You know, now that you mentioned it, I think once I did have them stick, and it was probably in the middle of a period!

Thanks, I'll try it out.