Return To Home Page		March 1, 2007

These are PS3 screens...

There are a whole host of sports titles that get updates every year to keep up with the changing seasons, teams, and so on. These games can range from amazing to horrid; however, they still remain some of the top sellers year in and year out. NHL 2K7 is the latest title in the NHL series by Kush games and while the game is certain to have at least some improvements over last year’s release, we’ve taken it for a spin just to let you know if it’s worth your time. (Aren’t we considerate?)

Okay, so let’s start off with pointing out something here – the game is a hockey game, and as such is fairly limited with how original and market-shattering it can be. Obviously it is limited to the rules of the real-life game, and NHL 2K7 does a great job at re-creating the sport. It’s fast-paced and fun, without being too easy. Controls are fairly easy to pick up and while it will take some hours to master the game, you will be playing decently within an hour or two.

..as 2K don't release PS2 screens..

Those who played NHL 2K6 will be happy (or unhappy, depending what you thought of it!) to know that all the features from the previous game are here again this year, as well as a few new ones. None of these features are particularly amazing, and so I won’t go into detail of them here, but it’s easy to see that this is one of the most feature-packed Hockey games on the market to date.

NHL 2K7 comes with all the expected play modes, such as quick games, seasons, single match, multiplayer as well as a few different modes such as the party play. Party play allows players to go head-to-head against each other (or computer opponents) in a number of party games, and while it’s not going to be a huge selling point, the games are fairly enjoyable. Multiplayer options are also fairly good, with up to 8 players offline multiplayer (via use of 2 multi-taps), or a massive 10 online (up to four on each console) giving plenty of possibilities. Hockey fans will also be happy to know that the career mode offers a very in-depth gameplay mode with full player trading, scouting and all the other bells and whistles that you would expect.

..but this is pretty representitve..

Overall, NHL 2K7 is a fairly solid title, but it’s not perfect. It is, for the most part, more of an updated version of last year’s game with a few new toys added in. That’s not really a bad thing, but it does mean a couple of things. For one, the games frame-rate still drops from time to time, which is a bit disappointing, especially given that the graphics do look a little dated. Also, taking control of the puck is too easy, and opponents put up little struggle. While this isn’t the easiest Hockey title out, it isn’t going to provide much of a challenged to seasoned 2K players.

Being that the game engine is the same as that used in NHL 2K6, with very few visual tweaks, 2K7 does look a bit dated, as already mentioned. And while the new camera is a welcome change from the more traditional top-down view, the action occasionally goes too far away, making it hard to focus on what exactly is happening. That said, it’s not an ugly game by any means. Character models still look fairly nice, animation is still smooth and as an overall package this is, for the most part, a winner.

..of the PS2 version.

Likewise, sound is a good overall package with some issues. For one, commentary is a bit repetitive. There is yet to be a sports game released that I’ve played that has good commentary, and as usual for these styled games, lines are often repeated, sound out of place, and emphasis placed on the wrong part of a comment. The quality of the voices is itself quite good; it’s just the lines themselves. Outside of this, there’s not much to the game. A fairly generic soundtrack and sound effects make this all a decent but not great release.

So what’s the verdict exactly? Well, for the hard-core NHL fans, this game is unlikely to provide much more than a yearly update of team rosters. However, if you haven’t played any of the previous NHL 2K games, and are interested, this is probably where you should look too. NHL 2K7 is a solid title with few major problems, but it just doesn’t do much more than last year’s outing.

Review By: Michael Hutchesson

Order your copy now from Gameswarehouse (PAL version) or Amazon (NTSC Version).

GRAPHICS	Looks good, but not great. Basically the same as last year, but with a different camera.	75%
SOUND	Typical sports game commentary, generic soundtrack and decent effects. Nothing bad, nothing great.	72%
GAMEPLAY	A little too easy at times, but fun. Will provide 2K veteran very little challenge though.	78%
VALUE	Great online play, lots of modes, and excellent offline multiplayer. A good purchase.	91%
OVERALL	If you liked NHL 2K6 then you’ll like NHL 2K7, but you may feel like you’re playing the same game all over again. If you’re new to the series, this is a decent addition to your collection.	79%