NHL 13
Producer: EA Sports
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Rating: E10+
Genre: Sports
He Shoots, He Scores
Written by Jesse Seilhan
Hockey has always been a lost sport in the American landscape. Its players are not beloved, its logos are not synonymous with greatness, and those that dribble basketballs or toss pigskin have always gotten more glory. However, when it comes to digital versions of the real-world product, hockey has always been one of the most, if not the most, exciting sports videogame to play. Back in the 90’s, Electronic Arts set the gold standard for what a sports game should be, but the 21st century has birthed a control scheme so intuitive and on-ice physics so lifelike, that any casual fan should instantly be hooked by the style and performance of NHL 13, while diehards will be glued to their televisions for months.
Skating has never felt more realistic, and with that small tweak comes new opportunities for mind-boggling gameplay. Skaters actually feel different for the first time, as small, speedy guys can barrel down the ice in hopes to sneak one past the five-hole, while the brawlers lumber their way into the zone before delivering a glass-shattering hit. The puck-handling is excellent as usual, allowing for creativity as long as your player is actually blessed with some skilled hands. Off the ice, the possibilities are nearly endless, with a gaggle of game modes that ask you to recreate legendary on-ice moments or make new ones with a pick-up game of 6-on-6 with 11 of your closest friends or internet strangers. The new GM Connected mode allows up to 750 people to create a league, play as any position, or run a team’s coaching strategies, setting up months’ worth of substance for those truly invested. With so many modes and options, however, something had to sacrifice and this time it is the presentation.
Playing GM Connected is a blast, if it ever works. Even with patches, the time it takes from the selection of the desired mode to playing a game is ridiculous for a $60 annual product, but that’s only if online play is your style. Offline zips around fast enough, but the menus, font, screens, and in-game commentary have been the same for nearly a decade and needs an overhaul. The same glitches that fans have screamed about for years are prevalent, with defensemen suddenly standing completely still as a pass whizzes past their stick or goalies magically teleporting to where the puck is, instead of using their fancy new animation system to make desperation saves. I had a player fly through the air like his skates were filled with flubber, something I saw back when I purchased NHL 08. If EA Sports ever wants to justify their exclusivity with certain sports, they need to make more than just big fixes and roster updates. When the puck drops and the on-ice magic that is professional hockey begins, there is nothing like it. But the package it’s wrapped in, the superfluous modes and menus, and the overall lack of willingness to go above-and-beyond hurt this fantastic franchise. Hopefully we will not have to wait for the next generation of consoles before we see something more progressive, but this trend of minor improvements and graphical refinement is probably gamers’ lot in life for the time being.