NHL 11 Review

The NHL series by EA Sports is known as one of the best sports series on the market right now. With NHL 11 being the twentieth anniversary game, sports gamers would hope that the NHL series would step it up even more. EA Canada (the developers) did not disappoint at all this year. With a new physics engine, the Hockey Ultimate Team game mode (HUT) and many more new options and goodies, the game has really stepped up.

The NHL games have always been good, but they have never felt as real as it does now. This is the year that the game itself starts to feel more and more realistic, close enough to almost feel like you're right there on the ice. With brand new face-offs that add strategy to each level, you feel like you are in total control and not just under the command of a random dice roll from the game. This was definitely one of the best new features added.  The game has also added a brand new physics engine that makes each hit feel different and unique, though at times it is a little off and it does need some tweaking. Nonetheless when it works its amazing. EA also added broken sticks and a "hustle button," which can completely change moments within the game. Whether you can hustle and skate past the defensemen to get that crucial breakaway, or your stick breaks and you miss an open net. This new feature makes playing the game feel much more realistic.

The developers have also added new leagues, which was really good to have for game types like GM mode and for fans of those leagues. Some of the leagues include the Czech leagues, the Canadian Hockey League and more. Another new selling point of the game is the HUT. This is a cool new add on, in which you get trading cards and you can build a team from real players and deciding their pay and their training routines. This is becoming a common thing in EA sports games, but the NHL series really added to it this year by adding more depth.

NHL 11 definitely has stepped itself up this year with new game types, new physics, and many more features throughout the game. These are all definitely cool, but are still works in progress, and by next year's game will be perfect. NHL 11 is by far a much better game than last years' version and really is just showing how this game is evolving more and more each year. I know this game will keep hockey lovers wanting to play more each night and will leave you going back to show your friends that crazy hit again and again.