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If NHL 2K6 took the "safe route" during its quick trip to Xbox 360, NHL 2K7 might as well have been locked inside a steel suitcase handcuffed to a burly escort named Hans. Both titles will be highly familiar to fans of previous games in 2K Sports' hockey series, each focusing on subtle refinements over substantive changes. NHL 2K7 includes identical play modes and options as 2K6, which normally would be cause for alarm, but the developers are hoping to please loyal customers by improving the presentation and addressing some minor flaws. Will they be enough to skate past the competition in NHL 07?

Cleaning up the Ice

NHL 2K7 obviously won't impress those looking for new features or big surprises. Gameplay remains essentially the same as 2005's game, albeit with better visuals and more realistic artificial intelligence. Fans disappointed with the glitches and flat graphics of 2K6 will be happy to learn that the developers have fired up the Zamboni and smoothed everything out, creating the most realistic hockey experience on a console system to date. That said, there are still areas that could use more work, but the developers are one step closer to creating the complete game so many have been secretly pining for since the series was announced for Xbox 360.

C'mon Baby, Do the Cinemotion

It's no secret that NHL 2K6's underwhelming presentation suffered when compared to 2K Sports' basketball counterpart. NHL 2K7 makes amends by including "cinemotion," which is one part cinematic and one part emotion, sprinkled with a healthy amount of cheese. After creating a profile and selecting a favorite team, players are initially given two presentation options: cinemotion with music or cinemotion with commentary -- in other words, cinemotion with commotion. Now your immediate reaction might be, "Can't I just turn off the announcer volume and create the same effect?" The answer is yes and no.

Flair for the Dramatic

While players could previously crank up the crowd noise and dial down the announcers, cinemotion is more than a choice between sound effects, it's a lifestyle. Okay it's not really a lifestyle, but rather the addition of short cut-scenes interspersed with the on-ice action. Score a goal, and you'll see close-up views of teammates congratulating each other, coaches clapping, and so forth. The more interesting aspect of cinemotion is how the crowd and music are used to heighten the mood. Positive momentum, negative momentum, victories, defeats, game intros, and similar events are all scored to music that builds to movie-like levels. The crowd also boos and cheers at appropriate times, and chatter (c'mon D!) can be heard from individual fans.

Cue the Music

One nice feature is the option to individually assign pieces of music to specific situations and game types, so you can burn the soundtracks to Miracle, Slap Shot, and The Mighty Ducks and relive your favorite moments. While cinemotion's concept is laudable, most will likely tire of the cut-scenes after a few games. The zoomed-in players lack detail, almost resembling cartoon characters instead of the lifelike models found in NBA 2K6. The crowd noise also sounds disjointed, as if individual elements were recorded in different rooms or at different times, then spliced together to create "atmosphere." The basic broadcast option also lacks the razzle-dazzle (stat overlays, player cards, etc.) one expects from a television-style presentation.

Under Pressure

The camera system, however, is excellent, automatically panning out, zooming in, and adjusting itself to display the best possible view. These seamless, subtle transitions have no adverse effect on the fluid frame rate, yet another improvement from 2K6. The biggest on-ice change is a new control feature where players can highlight an opponent and apply varying amounts of pressure. The AI teammates can shadow the target, perform a quick push, or initiate a bruising check, clearing the way for a potential score. Enforcers also have an expanded role, as their physical play can intimidate opponents, causing them to lose composure. Minor franchise additions include team chemistry, where "happy" players and balanced lines boost team performance, and individual practices, which temporarily increase an athlete's skills for the next game.

Net Never-minder

The AI has also improved since NHL 2K6. The computer is more aggressive on offense, looking to find the open man by passing the puck with finesse and bona fide strategy. While one-timers are still prevalent to an extent, there is far more variety in shot types and where shots are taken, making for an opponent you'll look forward to playing against. The front-end menus make selecting the play style before each game (arcade, simulation, physical, or custom) a snap, and the default sliders are surprisingly well balanced. The only areas players need to immediately address are penalty calling and goalie AI, as the former is lax and the latter borders on insane. You'd have more luck shooting at a brick wall in front of the net than against NHL 2K7's goalies on the default setting.

Power Play

Though casual fans might initially find the level of control to be more complicated than the average tax code, the best part of NHL 2K7 and the entire NHL 2K series is its depth, from the robust franchise mode to its online play over Xbox Live, fun mini-games, and diverse assortment of bonus content. The biggest knock, of course, is that most have already seen what the game has to offer in previous versions. While it's not wrong to say NHL 2K7's presentation and controls would benefit from further enhancements, those who live and breathe hockey will be more than satisfied with developer Kush Games' second effort on Xbox 360.

Article by: Scott Alan Marriott
Video produced by: Jonathan Solin