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NHL 2K's third appearance on next-gen platforms is a lot like a Dane Cook comedy routine. It borrows quite a bit of material from predecessors, it's predictable, but it knows how to please its core audience. That audience, of course, is hardcore hockey fans. Not casual players or sports junkies looking for something to slap around between football and basketball games, but for the jersey wearing, snow shoveling, autographed puck collecting crowd.

Déjà vu All Over Again

Since developer Kush Games added a blizzard's worth of features early on in the series, one criticism of NHL 2K is the experience is more familiar than Britney's unmentionables. Yearly installments are not so much a re-imagining of the sport as they are an exercise in spit-and-polish: tweaking the AI here, refining some animations there, and hoping there's enough to justify downsizing one's wallet for another season. There's only so much development time between releases, so the biggest area of concern is deciding what needs changing.

Had it not been for a little thing called competition, revamping the controls might not have been a priority for NHL 2K8. Yet NHL 07's "skill stick" apparently made enough of a splash with gamers to warrant a closer look. NHL 2K8 introduces a "pro stick" feature, its own unique spin on right analog controls, leading to a complete overhaul of what longtime NHL 2K players have become accustomed to over the years. It is certainly a bold decision for the series, as it significantly changes how the game plays and feels. The problem comes from the steep learning curve associated with the new layout.

Shouldering the Load

Passing and shooting are now mapped to the shoulder buttons instead of the face buttons, with skating still initiated by the left analog stick. The right "pro stick" solely controls hockey stick movement in what is essentially a 1:1 relationship. Push left, and the stick moves left; push right and the stick moves right. It should be noted that veterans used to the old way of doing things are free to switch back to earlier control schemes. That, of course, is the equivalent of going to a restaurant in Paris and ordering a hamburger but to each his own.

Though it takes several games to become proficient with the controls, it's clear the new "pro stick" offers more depth to the on-ice action than previous control schemes. You feel like your skill (or lack thereof) makes a big difference in winning or losing. Defense is more enjoyable, since you can use the pro stick to swipe at or deflect the puck, block passing lanes, and perform timing-based poke checks. The controls also factor in an athlete's real-life stick handling skills, agility, and momentum, allowing for noticeable differences between players. Not all pros hold on to the puck as well as others, and this is addressed in NHL 2K8.

The Butterfly Effect

The pro stick opens up a world of possibilities. You can choose between forehand and backhand passes, kick the puck to either side of the stick, or quickly switch from a power wrister to a slap shot. The pro stick can also be used to aim the puck at specific parts of the net, and players will be able to score in more interesting ways than relying on a steady diet of one-timers. It's all about faking out goalies, who by the way, are hugely improved in NHL 2K8. No longer robotic walls with predictable routines, the goalies in 2K8 actually read and react in believable ways. The new dynamic animations, especially in the butterfly style, certainly help. 

Yet the controls are by no means perfect. Many functions, that were single button presses in NHL 2K7, now involve multiple presses. With certain controls assigned to the face buttons, your fingers and thumbs can get a cramp-worthy workout. An example is the new superstar moves, which require holding down a shoulder button and tapping various two-button commands to initiate flashy shots such as the Spin-O-Rama, Fake Whiff, or the Double Deke. Not all players can perform all moves, so you have to wonder why the 12 combos weren't streamlined into a single, athlete-specific "power move" button that could be modified with either the left or right analog stick. That's perhaps the biggest issue with NHL 2K8. You can accomplish just about anything you'd want to on the ice, you just can't always do it easily.

A Breakaway Hit?

While NHL 2K8's focus is clearly on the control scheme, there are other changes worth mentioning. The franchise mode offers several improved player management functions, especially regarding salary cap management, negotiations, and free agency. The new timing-based swipe system for face-offs is more realistic. Players can finally upload or download "game styles," personal in-game settings and custom sliders, from NHL 2K8's online community. NHL 2K8 isn't the flashiest title on the market, and the new control scheme can be as frustrating as it is fun. Yet those who value realistic AI, tight matches, and deep franchise play will nonetheless appreciate what NHL 2K8 brings to the rink: enough technique and skill to compete with an Alex Ovechkin highlight reel.

Review by: Scott Alan Marriott
Video Produced by: Jonathan Solin