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The NHL is back and so is Gretzky
January 25, 2006 | 9:50 PM PSTby: Matt Kane
Last year, the NHL season was cancelled due to an owner’s lockout and player’s union strike, but with new rules and faces, the NHL is back. Wayne Gretzky has been synonymous with the NHL for anyone born after 1980; with four Stanley Cup Championship titles and 9 MVP awards, Wayne Gretzky perfected the game of hockey and now, his title is back with the NHL, for another period on the PSP, but does the title live up to the excellence of the Gretzky name?
Features:
The only hockey game for the PSP this NHL season.
New game modes include: “Wayne vs. Wayne”, “3 on 3 Countdown”, “NHL Showdown”
Online multiplayer (Infrastructure and Ad Hoc)
Gameplay:
Hockey games have traditionally made the transfer from viewing to gaming fairly well but some fine tuning can still be done on this portable version. Since every player is moving, controlling each player’s movement is surprisingly fluid. However, when passing and especially shooting, the controls can seem non-responsive. Passing requires the synchronization of the A.I. (of which you have little control over) and the direction of the joystick. Shooting can be done in a manual control, where you control where to shoot the puck, or automatic, where the A.I chooses the best shot available. Now, scoring a goal seems near impossible considering by the time you get ready to shoot, the opposing defender comes in and either knocks you down, or steals the puck away. This keeps the games’ scores relatively low and the competition intense, even when stronger teams play weaker teams.
Hockey wouldn’t be hockey if there weren’t any fights and fighting is included in the game. If a player comes in contact with another player one too many times, there will be a fight and the player that won the fight, his team will include a boost in team chemistry. Team chemistry boosts confidence in your players and has a general good effect.
New gameplay modes that have been added to Gretzky NHL 06 include “Wayne vs. Wayne” and “3 on 3 Countdown”. The “Wayne vs. Wayne” game places your favorite team against every team in the NHL. Your goal is to beat every team, and if you lose to a team, you will continue to face that team until you beat them. After beating all the teams, you will face the two All-Star teams and finally a team where every player is Wayne Gretzky. In “3 on 3 Countdown” mode each team will only put three players on the ice and the first team to get their score down to zero will win. The “Gretzky Challenge” is unlocked by the points earned in the different game modes and can unlock the player Gretzky, retro jerseys and new game modes
Graphics/Audio:
Gretzky NHL 06 has average character models but features nice lighting and reflections. The pregame experience in Gretzky NHL 06 is a change to see in a sports title. The pregame features a breakdown of the featured teams and the on screen statistic graphics are a nice addition. There is a laser light show on the ice that features designs of the Gretzky NHL 06 image, the NHL logo and the NHLPA (NHL Players Association) logo.
The puck can be easily misplaced by the eye but the player that is in control of the puck is highlighted. When shooting in manual control, there is a target that appears around the goalie that will be either high or low. The crowd seems flat but will interact if there is a hat trick, or disagreement with a call.
For the duration of the entire match up, team chemistry logos will be displayed on the bottom of the screen. This logo is confusing at first and depending on the line change or the flow of the game; your team confidence will be lowered or boosted. The play-by-play calling is recorded very well. While most of the players aren’t necessarily house hold names, you will quickly come to know where the players play. The crowd noises are interactive but are limited and repetitious. Typical heavy sports music is featured and is nothing special or unique.
Overall:
Gretzky NHL 06 is a good but not great representation of what a hockey title can be. The controls aren’t the best laid out but are adequate. With a lack of finesse in the shooting controls, this can be the most frustrating aspect of the game. Gretzky NHL 06 provides the only hockey experience for the PSP and worth an inquiry if you are a die-hard hockey fan.
Features:
Gameplay:
Hockey games have traditionally made the transfer from viewing to gaming fairly well but some fine tuning can still be done on this portable version. Since every player is moving, controlling each player’s movement is surprisingly fluid. However, when passing and especially shooting, the controls can seem non-responsive. Passing requires the synchronization of the A.I. (of which you have little control over) and the direction of the joystick. Shooting can be done in a manual control, where you control where to shoot the puck, or automatic, where the A.I chooses the best shot available. Now, scoring a goal seems near impossible considering by the time you get ready to shoot, the opposing defender comes in and either knocks you down, or steals the puck away. This keeps the games’ scores relatively low and the competition intense, even when stronger teams play weaker teams.
Hockey wouldn’t be hockey if there weren’t any fights and fighting is included in the game. If a player comes in contact with another player one too many times, there will be a fight and the player that won the fight, his team will include a boost in team chemistry. Team chemistry boosts confidence in your players and has a general good effect.
New gameplay modes that have been added to Gretzky NHL 06 include “Wayne vs. Wayne” and “3 on 3 Countdown”. The “Wayne vs. Wayne” game places your favorite team against every team in the NHL. Your goal is to beat every team, and if you lose to a team, you will continue to face that team until you beat them. After beating all the teams, you will face the two All-Star teams and finally a team where every player is Wayne Gretzky. In “3 on 3 Countdown” mode each team will only put three players on the ice and the first team to get their score down to zero will win. The “Gretzky Challenge” is unlocked by the points earned in the different game modes and can unlock the player Gretzky, retro jerseys and new game modes
Graphics/Audio:
Gretzky NHL 06 has average character models but features nice lighting and reflections. The pregame experience in Gretzky NHL 06 is a change to see in a sports title. The pregame features a breakdown of the featured teams and the on screen statistic graphics are a nice addition. There is a laser light show on the ice that features designs of the Gretzky NHL 06 image, the NHL logo and the NHLPA (NHL Players Association) logo.
The puck can be easily misplaced by the eye but the player that is in control of the puck is highlighted. When shooting in manual control, there is a target that appears around the goalie that will be either high or low. The crowd seems flat but will interact if there is a hat trick, or disagreement with a call.
For the duration of the entire match up, team chemistry logos will be displayed on the bottom of the screen. This logo is confusing at first and depending on the line change or the flow of the game; your team confidence will be lowered or boosted. The play-by-play calling is recorded very well. While most of the players aren’t necessarily house hold names, you will quickly come to know where the players play. The crowd noises are interactive but are limited and repetitious. Typical heavy sports music is featured and is nothing special or unique.
Overall:
Gretzky NHL 06 is a good but not great representation of what a hockey title can be. The controls aren’t the best laid out but are adequate. With a lack of finesse in the shooting controls, this can be the most frustrating aspect of the game. Gretzky NHL 06 provides the only hockey experience for the PSP and worth an inquiry if you are a die-hard hockey fan.
November 20, 2009
