The NHL series is pretty much the only sports game series I play. I've tried others (MLB 2K10, MLB: The Show 10, Madden), but none really capture their respective sports like NHL or FIFA, for that matter, which is the only other sports game series I play more than just trying out. I'll probably wind up getting FIFA '12 as well, but that's another preview post for the blog.
Well, I first want to congratulate Steven Stamkos for making the NHL '12 cover this year. It's always interesting to see who they choose for the cover and I think Stamkos definitely deserves it. He was one of the best players this past season.
I really haven't heard/seen much on the new game yet, but what I have heard/seen has been fairly promising. I don't want to get my hopes up too much like I did for '11 since it fell short of those expectations when I got it.
With last year improving the checking, deke, and faceoff systems, I expect EA Sports to continue to work on those as well as improve other areas, which I already have seen some things about those.
So far, the most interesting thing I've heard/seen has been the "physical system," meaning when at faceoffs if you're not the center you get more physical and battle for position before, during, and after the puck is dropped making it that much more realistic. Realism is probably one of the biggest factors behind sports games to me. I'd rather have a sports game that is fairly close to the real thing as possible. I'm sure the "physical system" comes into play in other areas, but the faceoff was most prevalent. By the way, I'm not even sure if that system is called the "physical system;" I'm just calling it that.
I loved how EA pretty much revamped the physics engine last year and they're continuing that this year. You'll now be able to break the glass along the boards if you check someone into it hard enough, knock opponents over the boards into your own or your opponents bench, and there is greater influence of goalie screens and contact, meaning you'll be able to run into the goalie and he'll most likely move with your contact and whatnot. Along with all of that, I'm not sure if hard enough slap shots into the glass boards will shatter them as well, but hopefully they include a system in which hard-hit pucks will put cracks or even break the glass when shot into them. I know that's something I would like to see and was surprised they didn't include last year (My Be A Pro player has his offensive stats maxed out currently and has the hardest, most accurate shot available in the game and I've hit the glass several times really hard where you can clearly hear that it did). With checking opponents into benches, it has been said that benches will now react to the check as well. For example, if you check an opponent into your own bench, your teammates sitting on the bench may become slightly hostile towards that player until he gets back on the ice (I'm not sure HOW they will react specifically, but an interview with one of the people working on the game touched slightly on that in a video I saw on YouTube). For the goalie screening affects and everything, in that interview video, they also touched on the net coming loose when ran into just like a real game. I think that's awesome and will add something to the game. I know there have been a few times when I ran into the net where it would have came loose and would have been cool to see a stoppage in play to reset the net.
EA has said they are working on revamping the "Be A Pro" mode as well, which is mainly what I play and judge the series off of. It allows anyone to become an e-NHL player, pretty much. You now get goals for the game/each shift that you'll need to try to accomplish in order to take the other team out of the game and give your team the edge. Along with the "Full Contact Physics Engine," which is what EA officially calls the "physical system," the Be A Pro mode should be a lot more fun and realistic this year.
70,000+ cheering fans under falling snow at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field: The NHL Winter Classic. This is something I'm looking forward to this year. I love how they brought back the Winter Classic in real life and now this year's NHL '12 will include being able to play it as well. With the game, the 2 teams playing get new Winter Classic jerseys to play in. That should be cool to see/play with.
Goalies will now be more active when in net. They will peak around screens, push screening opponents out of the way, and continue to make crazy desperation saves. They had a few in NHL '11, but they're working on continuing improving that system and add more to it. That should be pretty sweet to see what they came up with. Along with an improved goalie system, goalie's will now be able to step out from the net and get into a fight with the opponent's goalie. That should be interesting - and awesome - to say the least.
A new feature I saw was the "Action Tracker, which tracks everything that happens/happened on the ice. All events are saved and can be watched later via replay. That sounds pretty cool, interesting, and useful. We'll have to see how it pans out in the upcoming months.
Here's the link to the NHL '12 site so you can check out all the updates and whatnot as well as see anything I might have missed: NHL ' 12 Home Page
Anyways, NHL '12 looks amazing so far. Hopefully it stays that way when it comes out on September 13, 2011.
Happy Gaming!
GeNiO
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