Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Available on: PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: September 13
These are dark days for professional ice hockey, with economic squabbling between NHL owners and the players association bringing the sport to a standstill in North America. However, the fans need not despair any longer, as EA Sports has delivered another stellar simulation of the game in the form of NHL 13.
The FIFA studio has built a reputation for itself as a purveyor of highly realistic sports sims backed by extensive licensing agreements, and NHL 13 serves to continue that trend. The setup is a familiar one, with a clean and dynamic interface greeting users as they fire the game up for the first time. Players can jump into one-on-one contests against a computer or human opponent, or start a season in either player or management mode.
While many console gamers will scoff at the notion of watching the action from the touchline, the range of tactical options at your disposal this season makes management mode more rich and compelling than before. However, the majority of NHL 13's gains are out there on the ice.
EA brought a new level of realism to the FIFA series with the introduction of the impact engine, and the addition of 'True Performance Skating' does much the same for NHL. This new system makes movement across the ice feel wholly more authentic. Skating is no longer arcade-esque, with control sacrificed when you turn at high speed, forcing players to strategically compensate.
NHL 13 still has an arcade feel to it in other ways, helping it maintain the playability that has attracted droves of non-ice hockey fans over the years. Passing, for instance, doesn't require a great deal of precision as the puck usually finds its target in almost magnet fashion. Although this seems at odds with EA's ongoing efforts to make the series more authentic, it adds a degree of accessibility to its latest instalment.
Computer AI is sharper this time around, and it had to be, given that the new physics radically change the way the game is played. Opponents will alter their positioning in accordance with how the True Performance skating system will impact on their chances of carving out an attacking opportunity. Goaltenders are considerably more intelligent and acrobatic, making them less prone to conceding cheap goals. This forces series veterans to up their game and adjust their strategy, making NHL 13 a worthy upgrade.
Although NHL 13 is easy enough for non-ice hockey fanatics to immerse themselves in at the most basic level, a firm understanding of the sport is required to get the most out of it. There are so many moves in your repertoire, enough to completely overwhelm the casual player, and if you aren't taking advantage of most of them, you will feel like you are missing out. A classic control scheme has been incorporated to counterbalance this, boiling the game down to a two-button experience, but adopters of this system will still feel like something is missing.
Two additional modes of play have been added this season. NHL Moments Live throws players into scenarios from historic NHL matches and challenges them with overturning a deficit or clinging on to a slender lead. It's heavily weighted with scenarios from the last season, but future DLC promises to rectify this by adding more vintage games. It's a worthwhile inclusion that adds a dash more longevity, but the debuting GM Connected is a more significant addition.
GM Connected is an ambitious new mode that a whopping 750 players to take part in an online league as commissioners, managers or players. While there's a lot of staring at menu screens and waiting around for other players to contend with, this mode greatly increases the game's online pedigree. The number of players using it is relatively limited at present, but there's boundless potential to be found here.
NHL 13 is another stylishly presented game from EA. Gary Thorne and Bill Clemente's commentary is fantastic, and all of the sounds you're likely to hear around a hockey arena have been captured to perfection. Countless new animations have been brought in, resulting in more fluid-looking sprites, but this comes at a small cost. The loading times are overly long and there's the occasional awkward stutter, but it otherwise glides along smoothly both on and offline.
In closing, ice hockey may be going through a troubled time at the moment, but the same cannot be said of the NHL series. This year's instalment is a fresh and dynamic addition to the fold, with improved physics enhancing the experience on the ice, and expanded online modes making it all the richer off it. Casual players will have a hard time getting the most out of the game, but with NHL 13, you get back what you put in.
Mark Langshaw
