NHL '07 Shootout Demo [360]

[vanpeebles]

Well what can I say, the game looks fantastic. The amount of detail is superb, down to the texture of the hocket shirts and the stitching on the numbers. Lovely reflections, impressive arena etc

The gameplay itself seems great too, you now use the right stick for your hockey stick bit like Tiger woods or Fight Night. Proper hard to score which it always is during shootouts. I think I played like 12 shootouts and only scored 3 times!

Roll on the full game cant wait! :)

[Fat_Bob]

cool i thought it was just me that couldn't score. I was really impressed with the demo and it def left me wanting to try the full game. I'm no NHL nut either. Special mention has to go to the goalie's helmet?!? They look fantastic :)

[Geezer]

What's a hockey "shootout"? Is it like penalties?
I'll download it if you can play a proper game, but if it's just that I won't bother.

I haven't played a hockey game since the MD days!

[vanpeebles]

its a one on one penalties thing, its still worth a look though :)

[Yoshimax]

Yeah I've been looking forward to this as NHL is my favourite EA Sports franchise - The goalies helmets looked incredible didn't they ?

Is it out here on the 12th or is that just the US ?

[vanpeebles]

i hope its here too, id love to know if the uk elite league is in the game too

[stainboy]

The players look too chunky to me and I'm a bit worried about how hard it'll be to score while playing a proper game.

Still, hockey is one of the only sports I can tolerate, used to have loads of fun with the original EA Megadrive one.

[analog dog]

The players look too chunky to me and I'm a bit worried about how hard it'll be to score while playing a proper game.

I know most of the EA hockey games have a slider which can allow to select the difficulty of scoring,hopefully this will too.

[MartyG]

It's graphical very impressive, and from the limited functionality of the demo, the players seem to control nicely. Not a massive Ice Hockey fan, but I may well check this one out when it's released.

600 meg d/l for a demo that lasts about 60 seconds is a bit meh - pity you couldn't at least play a proper game.

[Matt KB]

Graphics do indeed look stunning but the demo is ridiculous in giving you a feel for the game.

There's a 2K7 demo out on US Marketplace though (1gb) that gives you a period. Can't compare with 07 obviously but it's a bit step up from 2K6 on 360.

Release date, this is 22nd Sep at the mo over here. 2K7 is something like 27th Oct (but cheaper).

[tom-nook]

Probably the most pointless demo released so far. Gives you no idea at all what the actual game will be like. They should have done something along the lines of 2K7 and give you a period of an actual game to play.

It's very glitchy too. On one of my attempts the camera & puck involuntarily went off to the right-hand side of the screen & my player ended up off screen. However, you could see his reflection on the plexiglass as he continually looped round & round in circles!!!

[dvdmike]

It looks good a bit too easy to score tho, mind you I like the new control method

[prinnysquad]

Shockingly bad programming tbh on the auto goalie side. Playing this today, I noticed that whenever I play as Carolina, Edmonton's first shooter, Ryan Smyth, ALWAYS scores. He drifts left and hits it in off the bar every time without fail. My netminder just can't seem to save it!
Also, Playing as Edmonton, when Carolina take their third shot (Cory Stillman), you ALWAYS save it, as your netminder pokes the puck away from him.

Manual goalies it is, then, although you have to switch the option on :(

It's not like an EA sports game to have set routine glitches...

[Yoshimax]

Might just be the demo prinny.

Anyone thinking of buying this should deffo check out the 2K7 demo - I'm really torn between the two at present especially considering that 2K7 apparently has a much better, more fleshed out LIVE component.

[prinnysquad]

Might just be the demo prinny.

Anyone thinking of buying this should deffo check out the 2K7 demo - I'm really torn between the two at present especially considering that 2K7 apparently has a much better, more fleshed out LIVE component.
That factor has swung it for me (as well as the price). I've always enjoyed the 2K7 series, but was considering going with NHL07 after (initially) enjoying the demo. However, the online components of 2K7 have persuaded me!

[Yoshimax]

Yeah I'll probs be the same - 8 player leagues online locked down to just your buddies = Sold :D

[Oh_Mutants]

But then i enjoyed NHL 2006 (Xbox) more than i've enjoyed any of the 2k games recently, it truly is a superbly enjoyable game. If 2007 is a shiny version of that i'll be happy. Decisions, decisions...

[Matt KB]

I just hope 2K7 works online better than the last one on 360 which was a nightmare. £30 at Amazon now and you can send games back to them if you don't like em (that's an actual return reason although you have to pay for postage). 30 days beats 10 days, especially with some GAME stores not doing that anymore.

[prinnysquad]

But then i enjoyed NHL 2006 (Xbox) more than i've enjoyed any of the 2k games recently, it truly is a superbly enjoyable game. If 2007 is a shiny version of that i'll be happy. Decisions, decisions...
I didn't like the PS2 NHL06 much, far too blurry for my liking, like everything was smeared in vaseline. Also had the feeling that when I scored it was nothing to do with me, a 'how did that happen?' moment. Not at all satisfying. I felt that NHL2K6 (also PS2) was slower and firmer, you actually felt in control, and you really felt like scoring goals was down to your own skill, rather than the crash bang wallop of EA's game.