Tuesday, September 13, 2011

An in-depth review of NHL 12

Steven Stamkos was one when the NHL
series debuted. Also, you now feel old.
There may not be much happening on the NHL calendar this week, but today is actually a big day for plenty of hockey fans around the world. That's because it marks the release of the latest version of EA Sports' long-running NHL series, the most popular hockey video game in the world.

But while gaming fans can find NHL 12 in stores today, DGB spies were able to slip me a beta copy weeks ago. So if you're still on the fence about adding it to your collection, here's an in-depth review of the game's pros and cons.

Features
Everyone wants to know about the latest and greatest features. NHL 12 has plenty, although the results are mixed.

  • "Be a Pro" mode returns and is more realistic than ever. When you return to the bench after an extra-long shift while playing as a member of the Senators, you'll need to take a moment to introduce yourself to whichever new coach Bryan Murray hired while you were gone.

  • In a nice bit of realism, the "Make an offer to another team's restricted free agent" feature is permanently greyed out.

  • As always, the game is extremely customizable. Gamers can control the volume of sound effects and crowd noise, although when playing as Toronto the volume of the music can only be adjusted by Dion Phaneuf.

  • The game features goalie fights, allowing fans to send their team's top goaltender after a hated rival. Penguin fans can have Brent Johnson challenge Rick DiPietro, Bruin fans can have Tim Thomas pummel Carey Price, and Canuck fans can send Cory Schneider after Roberto Luongo.

  • The good news: The play-by-play commentary is extensive, as the announcers will use thousands of different words. The bad news: The angry fifteen-year-old yelling into your headset in online mode will still only know how to use three different words.

  • Players can now read and react to what's happening around them. Goalies read the rush and react by cutting off a cross-crease pass, forwards read the defence and react by overloading the zone, and Winnipeg Jets read the local newspaper's nightlife section and react by demanding a trade to Buffalo.


Bugs
Most major releases these days have at least a few issues, and sadly NHL 12 is no exception.

  • The new Legends mode is fun, but seems to suffer from occasional graphical glitches. After playing through a successful career as Ray Bourque, I noticed that when I finally won the Stanley Cup the Bruins logo on his jersey was replaced by a letter 'A' with snow on top of it.

  • The game takes a laughably unrealistic approach to Rule 48. I had one of my players suspended for several games after a head shot; when I delivered an identical hit with a different player a few games later, the league's ruling was consistent.

  • The artificial intelligence needs work, as players still make silly mistakes. For example, some players signed long-term contracts with no-trade clauses with the Flyers, and then reacted like they were actually going to get to stay in Philadelphia. Look, they're buying houses and everything!

  • This one may not be a bug per se, but is still a major issue: Every time you call up EA Sports to insist on a free copy of the game since you're a very important blogger, all you hear is laughter followed by a dial tone.

  • While testing the new Winter Classic mode, my star player was seriously injured on a hit to the head. But when I accessed the roster screen I found that he was listed as "unavailable", so I couldn't keep him in the lineup for the rest of the game and the next one like a real NHL team would.


Cheats and Easter Eggs
What modern video game doesn't come with its share of hidden features and unlockable bonus content? NHL 12 is no different.

  • Enter your name as "Donald Fehr" and sim ahead to the next round of collective bargaining negotiations. The game will instantly switch over to MLB 94.

  • Here's a nice bit of cross promotion: If you bounce a Habs player off of a stanchion, the detective from L.A. Noire will show up and immediately begin interrogating witnesses for the inevitable police investigation.

  • Unlock all of the game's achievements and you'll earn a free download of the world's most popular hockey-themed mobile phone game, Plants vs. Zombos.

  • Finally, when you play for the first time the game will search your hard drive for any saved game files from NHL09. If it finds any, it will take the most pathetic team in the league and import half their roster as this year's Calgary Flames.


(Previous DGB game reviews: NHL 11 | NHL 10 | NHL 09)




30 comments:

  1. The game takes a laughably unrealistic approach to Rule 48. I had one of my players suspended for several games after a head shot; when I delivered an identical hit with a different player a few games later, the league's ruling was consistent.

    that's not a bug, that's a feature. discipline in other leagues is a boring and rigid process. the NHL, by contrast, has managed to bring the excitement of playing roulette to suspensions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well, i play goalie in EASHL and I stopped a penalty shot. then the guy whom i stopped came back to play the puck and shot made a goal. red light lits and goal horn sounds. LMAO it suck really bad. I had so many nearly shutouts about 10 seconds left on the game... suddenly i lost my connection... then when i look at my stats, it counts as my LOST!

      Delete
  2. Great post DGB

    The detective from L.A. Noire should be in every video game made.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The good news: The play-by-play commentary is extensive, as the announcers will use thousands of different words.

    Everything is happening!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can't wait to see Cole Phelps (L.A. Noire) start yelling at Bryzgalov who responds, "Why you heff to be mad."

    ReplyDelete
  5. "DGB spies were able to slip me a beta copy weeks ago" they could have got you a real copy last week from the UK were it was released on 8th September

    ReplyDelete
  6. Funny, Da! Da! But where moose and squirrel?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Schneider beating Luongo. Oh my God, ALL OF MY MONEY. FUND THIS.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You forgot with Toronto, only Dion Phaneuf can adjust the music, but also crowd noise from the lower bowl is unavailable.

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Forbes...

    I think I used that one in one of the previous last years...

    DGB

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Goober: That is my all-time favourite Bob Cole saying, and up there in the annals of hilarious play-by-play.

    ReplyDelete
  11. "Winnipeg Jets read the local newspaper's nightlife section and react by demanding a trade to Buffalo."

    Awwwwwwwwesome.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Muaaaahhaaahhhaaaaa!
    Thanks DGB for making my day!

    Btw - can one also let TO fans throw waffles?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey DGB, you forgot something...

    "As always, the game is extremely customizable. Gamers can control the volume of sound effects and crowd noise, although when playing as Toronto the volume of the music can only be adjusted by Dion Phaneuf."

    ...unless it's Pierre McGuire. You cannot mute Pierre McGuire.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Putting the game on the new Realistic Mode can be fun, unless you're playing as Edmonton in which case you can't sign any free agents.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Tim Thomas couldn't pummel Lucic's girlfriend, let alone Carey Price. Watch the video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=251___mEwZA

    ReplyDelete
  16. Amazing how all the negative comments to this article have suddenly evaporated.

    ReplyDelete
  17. One of your best blogs, DGB!

    I loved the mention of Ray Bourque wearing the "wrong" uniform when winning the Stanley Cup.

    I noticed there was a lack of Pronger jokes, but the Cory Schneider vs. Roberto Luongo fight more than made up for it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Amazing how all the negative comments to this article have suddenly evaporated.

    Not sure what this is referring to, but no comments have been removed from this post, and no negative comment has been removed from this blog, ever.

    ReplyDelete
  19. A cool new grading feature will tell you how your latest trade adds up based on which current or former GM sends you a congratulatory e-mail.

    Ken Holland - You made a few minor deals that will somehow propel you to the Finals

    Bryan Murray - Even Mike Comrie still needs to work

    Darryl Sutter - You just traded a star player and a top prospect for spare parts

    Brian Burke - You sent the spare parts

    Mike Milburry - Sure, Evgeni Malkin for Brad Park and two mid-round picks makes sense, you're looking towards the future

    John Ferguson Jr. - Delete your profile and start over

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yeah, Anonymous #6. That's SOOOOO hilarious. You must have been passed out drunk through the entire month of June, where Thomas -- oh, I don't know -- won the Stanley Cup and laid out Henrik Sedin in the process...

    Yeah. That happened.

    ReplyDelete
  21. did anyone habe a problem with the game freezing up when in single mode?

    ReplyDelete
  22. I was playing in the Legends mode, but when I got into a fight, Mario Lemuix said he would have to decide whether he still wants to be in the game.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I can't wait to make James Reimer fight someone, and then perform a very moving service and pray for a speedy recovery afterwards. XD

    EDIT: Okay, the wording sounded better in my head, but you get the picture (Reimer = religious, wouldn't hurt a fly)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Durno...Georges Laraque is religious too.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous... Laraque was a fighter and nothing more, Reimer is the exact opposite.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Yes, I understand that, BGD, but the point I'm trying to make is that just because someone has faith in Christ doesn't mean they won't drop the gloves if need be.

    ReplyDelete
  27. As a new special feature, the game includes a downloadable PDF of "Hockey for Dummies". For some reason, this feature is grayed out unless you indicate you are a fan of the Washington Capitals.

    ReplyDelete
  28. In NHL 12, if the San Jose Sharks and the Minnesota Wild play each other, the players of each team will continually go to the other team's bench on a shift change and change jerseys throughout the game. However, James Sheppard will also continue to suck no matter which bench he's jumping off of.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I know I'm late to the game but just came across this article so...

    Enter your name as "Donald Fehr" once more and the main title screen changes to the next version of the game: "NHL 14"

    ReplyDelete