NHL 12 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

[gopher_guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

Hopefully this never happens but if the demo is any indication, you can use just about anyone. In the games I've played Zdeno Chara is getting leveled by the Sedin twins. This game needs some serious slider work.

Is anybody else experiencing this?

Every game I've played (5, all playing as Boston), Chara has been a dominating force. He clobbers anyone in sight, I don't think I've seen him get checked to the ground yet.

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher_guy

Is anybody else experiencing this? Every game I've played (5, all playing as Boston), Chara has been a dominating force. He clobbers anyone in sight, I don't think I've seen him get checked to the ground yet.

Eh not really, though on SS it seems a bit harder to knock the cpu down unless you really drill him perfectly, I chalk it up to the sliders being lock. At any rate, the more I play on SS, the easier it's getting to set up in the zone.

[LM1213]

I never really played NHL game. I'm more of basketball 2k man. however, with picking it up and giving it a try I gotta say it was a lot more fun that I expected. I don't know squat about hockey so I wouldn't be able to notice what was not right. I had to look at the controls a little to learn how to switch players, do a shuffle pass (whatever it's called with the RB button), do a normal pass and put the puck out a little. after passing it around and taking some good shots, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It didn't feel cheap or cheated. I feel like I did what I meant to do and got a realistic response.

Again, I am not a pro at hockey, but as a first time pick up and player, I gotta say it was very interesting. I like it. not sure I would pay 60 bucks..but if it was 40 I would grab it in a heartbeat. To me, NBA just felt more polished, but again, I don't play hockey

[gopher_guy]

Just played as Vancouver, chased Chara into a corner and threw a check with Daniel Sedin, Chara brushed him off like a mosquito. DS looked like a fool, and fell in a heap against the boards.

I've been trying to set up a scenario that would make a player toe the line. Has anybody seen this happen? I've always thought it should be in the game. I suppose the best way to do it would be to lock on as a player and do it while your team is carrying across the line.

[Stormyhog]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

Eh not really, though on SS it seems a bit harder to knock the cpu down unless you really drill him perfectly, I chalk it up to the sliders being lock. At any rate, the more I play on SS, the easier it's getting to set up in the zone.

I usually play All-Star with slider tweaks. I always find with the highest difficulties in sports games that everyone plays like a superstar and goalies are like brick walls. I guess it depends on my skill as well as I may not be as good as others that play on higher difficulties but it usually is just too frustrating and low scoring for me.

[jyoung]

Yeah I think the extremity of the hitting depends on what difficulty and slider setting you play the demo on.

I played all day on All-Star with default sliders, and nobody could touch Chara.

Everyone who tried to hit him slid off his 6'9" 255 pound frame and fell to the ice in a heap.

But still, I never did see any broken glass. Maybe tomorrow.

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by wEEman33

Yeah I think the extremity of the hitting depends on what difficulty and slider setting you play the demo on. I played all day on All-Star with default sliders, and nobody could touch Chara. Everyone who tried to hit him slid off his 6'9" 255 pound frame and fell to the ice in a heap. But still, I never did see any broken glass. Maybe tomorrow.

I might actually try all star to see the difference with the hitting, though I fear it'll be way to easy for me.

[jwilphl]

I haven't extensively played the NHL series since '09, so I'm a tad out of date with improvements. That said, the game feels quite a bit different from '09. That is the good news. The bad news: the game looks and sounds quite a bit similar to that three-year-old game. To me, that is not entirely acceptable.

Based on just the demo, the game needs a lot of updates visually in the presentation department. I think the graphics are fine, but I'm not sure if generic venues and faces have yet been fixed? Also, it seems as though cut scenes have hardly changed. I see some more shots of the crowd, but they seem awkwardly executed. The TV-style, broadcast presentation is essentially non-existent, and I feel like it has not changed since '09.

The audio is also very similar, although I imagine this has a lot to do with NHL still using Thorne and Clement and less about added dialogue. I cannot comment on how much dialogue has been added, nor can I tell if the audio has received other lifts. There was not a ton of commentary in the demo.

Now I've noticed that quite a bit has been done to gameplay, which I definitely can appreciate. The game felt slower and perhaps more precise in shooting/passing. I also noticed improvements in momentum, and the interactive goalies are a big plus. However, I also felt when checking guys, your own player falls down on top of them too easily.

After plays, if I would tap the goalie in any way, the opposing defense would assault me. I got slashed in the back of the knees and checked face-first into the boards, but never was a penalty called for roughing or anything else. The only penalty I saw called was when I tripped a guy attempting to poke check. Not sure if this is a demo issue or not, but it is concerning.