But lets not get ahead of ourselves. As with any sports game, there’s the training level where you learn the skills necessary to play the game. Like shooting. The only problem with the training is it’s easy to flick a stationary puck into the goal where there are no goalies – who always seem much bigger than the actual goal) and no defenders trying to smash your face in. That’s right, if there is one thing i know about Ice Hockey is that its’ a very physical game, and its not uncommon for a fight or two to break out. But not to worry, EA have got this sorted, and as part of the training, you get taught the basics of fighting. Sweet. But a word of warning for any rank amateurs like me, EA really want to entice you to play the EA Sports Ultimate Hockey League (EAUHL), and you will have to sit through the overview before you get to choose game modes. EAUHL is really for the nut jobs that love, live, breath Hockey and adds a very complex layer of team management to the game, no doubt adding a whole level of depth and game-play for the hardcore fans. Fortunately for wimps like me, you can just jump in and play a game without having to worry about stats cards, training, transfers and team make up. Not that jumping into a game of Hockey is easy. The game is fast an furious and the goals are much to small. It’s a fairly complex game and one that will suck away a lot of your time if you want to master it. But it is a game that flows very smoothly, and has plenty of satisfying moments, which aren’t all about scoring. The first time you get into a punch up and manage to knock the guy out will give you a buzz, and it never gets old being able to slam into the opposition and send them flying. Though getting sent of for 5 minutes does get old! So essentially the non-Hockey fan may struggle to find any long term enjoyment in NHL 11, but there seems to be a wealth of options for fans of any level, giving you as much – or as little – depth as you require. Bundle this with the online features, from the obvious vs matches to online trading and you have a solid game that should keep fans tied to their XBoxes for the rest of the season.

Related

I’m not really a sports fan. I have no allegiance to any team or sport. To be perfectly honest, I really don’t understand a lot of sports, nor do I care to. I do on the other hand enjoy playing games. being a passive supporter watching the game on a TV screen seems dull and lifeless. Who cares if one team just score a goal? It had nothing to do with me. If on the other hand, I had scored that goal, now that would be something. Even if it was just by using a combination of thumbs and fingers on the XBox controller. And if you want the total sports experience, EA seems to have that tied up. Head out onto the ice in NHL 11 and you almost feel like you’re part of a televised game of some weirdly popular sport.

But lets not get ahead of ourselves. As with any sports game, there’s the training level where you learn the skills necessary to play the game. Like shooting. The only problem with the training is it’s easy to flick a stationary puck into the goal where there are no goalies – who always seem much bigger than the actual goal) and no defenders trying to smash your face in. That’s right, if there is one thing i know about Ice Hockey is that its’ a very physical game, and its not uncommon for a fight or two to break out. But not to worry, EA have got this sorted, and as part of the training, you get taught the basics of fighting. Sweet. But a word of warning for any rank amateurs like me, EA really want to entice you to play the EA Sports Ultimate Hockey League (EAUHL), and you will have to sit through the overview before you get to choose game modes. EAUHL is really for the nut jobs that love, live, breath Hockey and adds a very complex layer of team management to the game, no doubt adding a whole level of depth and game-play for the hardcore fans. Fortunately for wimps like me, you can just jump in and play a game without having to worry about stats cards, training, transfers and team make up. Not that jumping into a game of Hockey is easy. The game is fast an furious and the goals are much to small. It’s a fairly complex game and one that will suck away a lot of your time if you want to master it. But it is a game that flows very smoothly, and has plenty of satisfying moments, which aren’t all about scoring. The first time you get into a punch up and manage to knock the guy out will give you a buzz, and it never gets old being able to slam into the opposition and send them flying. Though getting sent of for 5 minutes does get old! So essentially the non-Hockey fan may struggle to find any long term enjoyment in NHL 11, but there seems to be a wealth of options for fans of any level, giving you as much – or as little – depth as you require. Bundle this with the online features, from the obvious vs matches to online trading and you have a solid game that should keep fans tied to their XBoxes for the rest of the season.