NHL08x360SCRNaction14

Originally uploaded by gamertagradio.

Loads of great video games are developed in local studios, but nothing impresses our fellow Canadians like the fact that Electronic Arts’ Vancouver/Burnaby studios do the bulk of the work on their NHL franchise. If you’re like me you don’t get truly excited for a new season of hockey until you’ve lost a few hours of sleep trying to guide your team into the playoffs.

Critics, such as my former (freelance) employer IGN, have generally been a bit hard on the series for being overly arcade-y, especially when compared to the NHL2K series. This year though IGN is loving the EA [ign] and the game scored slightly better than NHL2K8.

Having picked it up last night and spent a few hours already, I must say the game is so much better this year than it’s ever been. The on-ice experience is splendid, and for the first time I feel like I’m actually playing a hockey game. Sure you can score the odd breakaway goal, but for the most part it’s about cycling the puck around the offensive zone before taking a shot instead of just setting up the glorious one-timer.

Oh and the Canucks’ much hated new jersey? It’s in there, but you’ll have to unlock it (and the other 2007-2008 shirts) with a code. Thankfully the code is after the jump.


The code is: h3oyxpwksf8ibcgt