My first venture into the dedicated hockey game was a little title called Blades of Steel for the Virtual console. I don't know why I looked into it. I saw the name, and I thought it sounded familiar. So, one download later, and I was hooked on it. So, I guess that's what prompted me to take my first foray into a 'real' hockey game and a 'real' sports game in general.
Very few of the sports games I've played have involved any large degree of realism. Either the game is rendered in a way that could best be described as wacky or some of the immutable laws of physics are ignored. That's why I don't really consider games like NBA Jam to be all that real in terms of how the game is played. Oh, most of them have the game down in the academic sense - you throw and hit baseballs, shoot hoops, or kick a soccer ball around. But all of them are so exaggerated, it still feels like a video game. Even Blades of Steel didn't really have the same feel of the sport. Not that I have any actual experience mind you.
Then I saw NHL 12 in the catalog for the PlayStation Store, and strangely, I actually took notice.
I may have said this before, but I'll say it again, I don't watch sports. My only viewing of actual ice hockey consisted of one of two things - the movie Miracle and a certain TV show that showed one very exuberant fan of the New Jersey Devils. So, I wasn't sure what to make of a game that supposedly recreates the experience of an actual NHL hockey game. But with the bit of exposure to ice, pucks, and slap-shots still lingering, I decided to give it a try, especially since it was the earliest version they had available. I didn't want to try NHL 13 or up until I was sure I'd like it.
My first impression - this game is cool, no pun intended.
My first time on the ice was a recreation of the 2011 Winter Classic game between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins, not that I knew anything about it. Just for the heck of it, I picked Washington, and I took them to win. Imagine my surprise to learn they did in real life too, by about 3-1 (remember, I never followed any teams before). I can't remember my score, but I think it was a bit more than that. If I'd have known that, I probably would have picked the Penguins, just to upset NHL history a bit. From there, I discovered Be a Pro mode. I created a pro, or rather I just accepted the defaults, with a few minor changes. Since I'd already played with them once, I decided to get myself settled with the Capitals. And then the games began. For 82 games in the season, I controlled this short kid wearing number 13 skate up and down with the (virtual) likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Karl Alzner, and Mike Green. Not that I knew who these guys were mind you.
At first, I found myself a bit unsure about this game and whether or not I could actually play it. Like I said, I've been used to very unrealistic depictions of every sport around. So, the idea of playing a more authentic version of any sport did seem a bit overwhelming. I mean the number of games alone seemed staggering to me. Apart from that, I figured I'd need a few weeks of practice just to be terrible at it. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although setting it on easy mode did help a bit. For the first few games, I kind of stayed back, letting the bigger names handle it. In a few games, I started racking up goals. So much so, that I wound up becoming the number 1 scorer for the game, and the Capitals were getting win upon win. It wasn't always easy though.When we played the New Jersey Devils, it came down to a shootout, and boy was I ever nervous when it was my turn. All my games against the Philadelphia Flyers were pretty tense too.
Typically, I wait until I've won a game to tell you what I thought of it, but I figure I'm close enough. At the time of this post, I'm only one round away from the Stanley Cup. My final game will be against the San Jose Sharks, although I kind of wish that the match-up from the last game would have been the match-up for the finals. I met the Penguins on the ice again, and now that I know they're real life rivals, I would have enjoyed it more. But it was still quite the game, winning 20-6. I wish I'd been able to record footage of that game, just to prove it.
Either way, it looks like NHL history is going to be re-written a bit, since the 2011-2012 final was between the Los Angeles Kings and the Devils.
Anyway, I've come to really enjoy this game. I mean, I'm sure they've gotten even more so, but to watch the action unfold and then take part in it, I'm guessing this is a bit about what it feels like to actually watch NHL hockey, although you do have a bit more control over it. The graphics are impressively crisp, and the sound really captures the atmosphere. Everything from the sound of your skates, the buzz you hear whenever a goal is made, and even the running commentary could make you believe you were more than just playing a game. There are no gravity-defying shots or anything - just hockey in all its glory - right down to the fact that you want to scream at the refs for making a bad call.
I do wish I'd known a bit more about the game itself before I started playing. When I started my pro, I had no idea what the positions were or the play styles, so I just picked playmaker. While it's been a fun position, I probably would have rather been considered a sniper instead. Hey, I'm already one on the ice, so they say. I also wish I'd paid more attention to the whole creation process. Since I was in such a hurry to get started, I didn't make any major changes to my pro. The first few games, I didn't think anything of it, but I would later later learn that I'd been playing as a girl. I guess seeing the name Lexi should have tipped me off. But I was too far in to risk messing with anything, so I stuck it out.
I actually did find it interesting because I also learned that my kid is actually real. You probably already know the story, but this real kid, Lexi Peters, had her face, name, and number used for NHL 12. So, I found myself thinking...'wow.' All the same, I would have rather been a guy, although I have gotten used to her. Heck, with a record like mine, if she were a real player, I'd be telling everyone, "go get her" if I were a GM for one of the teams.
Apart from the tense games, there were a few other less-enjoyable moments. A few times, the game just froze on me. We'd be skating along, and then the next thing I knew, it was like the rink just froze the players solid. It wasn't so bad when it was at the start of a game, but when you're in the 3rd period and winning, it gets more than a little annoying. But all in all, it was still fun.
I don't know if I'll try out the other modes in this game. I'm happier being on the rink than behind a desk as a GM. I also don't know if I'll keep playing the other NHL games, although I do have some interest in the more authentic sports games. I also don't expect to turn into a sports fan either, although I am getting used to rooting for the Capitals. But I am glad I decided to give this game a shot. It's more fun than most of the other sports games I've tried (sorry NBA Jam and Mario, but it's true). Maybe it's because I know I could never do this kind of thing in real life, but whatever the reason, I'm enjoying pulling on the virtual skates, taking shots, and occasionally smashing someone into the boards.
Wish me luck for the finals, although I tend to think the Sharks should have been named the Hams with that home opener of theirs.
Keep playing.
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