With ESPN signing over to EA for this year`s NHL 06 release, there were expectations of sudden drop in the popularity of 2K Games` offering. Although the flashy brand name moved to the opposition, 2K`s thunder was not lost. NHL 2K6 hits the scene with a new look, giving the competition something to be concerned about.
Locally, hockey has never received much support, but for those who do follow the sport, NHL 2K6 is probably one of this year`s highlights.
Overview
One of the strengths preserved throughout the release is the number of in-game control options. These include everything from pre-planning entire plays/attacks to positioning players individually and strategically.
While moderate but noticeable changes were made in the control options, visual presentation and gameplay have gone far beyond simple tweaking. A great example of how far the bar has been raised in terms of controls is the new Pro-Control passing system. This addition takes the gameplay to a different level of precision, giving much better control over the puck and boosting the pass accuracy. It could be summarised as something along the lines of Icon passing. This is a great feature and a powerful tool which makes the game extremely active and fluent.
Also, among the new improvements are small but meaningful details like backwards skating, excellent AI and greater control over the action. 2K6 is also fully customised for network gaming, as it was expected.
Visually, NHL 2K6 has kept up with the competition in the sporting game genre. Just like in EA`s NHL title, the level of detail in the movement of skaters is far more realistic. It actually looks as if the players are skating, and not just floating around the ice ring. Even the in-game commentary has moved away from the irritating, repetitive comments into an interesting humorous game presentation.
As mentioned, hockey is not a huge trend in the Southern Hemisphere so the fact that this title is slightly outdated in terms of player names and team affiliations doesn`t stand out that much. Still most North American gaming forums confirm the 2K title has kept up with the changes in the official NHL rules.
It`s nice to know there is another quality sports title on the market. It simply puts pressure on the competition, and this can only result in one thing - even better future releases.
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