Review : Top 5 Games of 2011 part 2

We have reached the 4th place in my countdown for the best games of 2011. For those who know me personally, won't be surprised that it is a sports game. Here are my thoughts:

  

  

NHL 12

Real-time physics technology, shatter the glass with bone-crushing hits along the boards, knock rivals over the boards and into the bench, and significantly impact the play of the goalie with screens and collisions as he fights through traffic to locate the puck. That pretty much sums up the biggest changes in NHL 12. 

I've been a big fan of EA's sport series NHL. I started playing EA hockey at a young age and ever since I've bought and played all the NHL games. Every years it just gets better and better and this year there's no exception. Here are my thoughts:

The Good  

The Gameplay. Compared to NHL 11 there aren't many changes. I think EA mainly have adjusted some flaws in the game because it's very similar to the previous year. With that said the flaws which have vanished makes it a better game naturally. One of the largest changes is that the goalies are much more involved in the game. They can be knocked off the ice, participate in fights and push players. This is really a nice edition. 

Be a pro. The Be a pro mode has been updated, for instance you will now get tasks you'll perform during matches from your coach which makes it  a bit more interesting. New to NHL12 is the ability to sim through the time you’re on the bench so you don't need to wait and get bored for the next shift.

EA Sports Action Tracker. Track every important event that occurs on the ice. View replays and find tendencies including where to score on individual goalie, what zone you’re losing face-offs in and where hits have taken place. The Action Tracker automatically saves gameplay highlights through instant replay, allowing you to go back watch these events anytime during the game.

The Winter Classic. This year you will be able play the NHL Winter Classic. The Winter Classic is one the NHL's most anticipated yearly events, and this year NHL 12 are letting you lace up your skates on the snowy conditions. This feature is so cool. It really looks like the real deal you see on TV.

The Bad

The Rooster updates. The roosters is a really a problem. Many updates doesn't include internationals teams and leagues. One good example is the Team Frolunda in the Swedish league Elitserien. Tomi Kallio still plays for Frolunda despite his move to Vaxjo earlier this summer and there have been 4 rooster updates available since the release of NHL 12....... BIG BIG turnoff!

The Board Play. I have never been a fan of the Board Play that was introduced in NHL 10. I think it kills the game and loses pace. In NHL 11 there was to much of it. I could barely stand it. In NHL 12 it has been improved. There are less Board Play but it still exist and it annoys me like hell. 

Conclusion

NHL 12 is still the number 1 sports game out there. I'm amazed that EA year after year produces a new hockey game that's better then it's predecessors. I must admit I had a hard time liking NHL 12 at the beginning, considering that it hadn't change much regarding the gameplay. But after playing it for a quite while I have seen The NHL 12 brilliance. Buy it if you haven't got a copy yet!  

Part 3 can be found here >>  Review : Top 5 Games of 2011 part 3