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Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 35 Ratings

  • Summary: OPEN ICE CONTROL: Seamlessly switch between players with or without the puck -- call for passes, tell a teammate to shoot, set up a vicious one-timer, or call for a defensive double-team on the fly with the push of a button. TOTAL PLAYER AWARENESS: With more player awareness than ever before, make saucer passes just before the blueline, call in a second defender to break up a 2-on-1, or fire off wrist shots at the perfect angle on net. FACE-OFF PLAYBOOK: New playcalling system allows you to choose offensive and defensive face-off strategies every time the whistle blows. Plan an attack in your opponent's zone or protect the net right before the puck drops. THE WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY: Take part in the excitement of this year's World Cup of Hockey event featuring teams from USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Russia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia playing in authentic European and North American venues. ALL-NEW SKATING ENGINE: Glide then use explosive speed to get to the open ice -- now you have more puck-handling and turning control. A refined backwards skating system also allows for unprecedented defensive precision and control. THE DRILL: The intensity explodes off the ice with The Drill -- one net, one goalie, and every man for himself. Up to four can play and the one who scores the most goals wins. [EA Sports] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Negative: 2 out of 11
  1. 83
    If you're more into the strategy of real hockey—the poke checks, the traps, the dumps, the dekes -- then you'll either have to try to design this game to fit your tastes (which can be frustrating) or go elsewhere.
  2. The only ice hockey game worth giving a flying puck about.
  3. While the game's is an improvement over the 2004 edition, it's still not quite up to snuff.
  4. The AI improvements make it worth picking up if you don't have a console system, and if you like big dumb vaguely hockey-like fun, but just barely. [Jan 2005, p.65]

See all 11 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 24
  2. Negative: 15 out of 24
  1. SergeyK.
    9
    Very good game! But you must learn to play it, for a while.
  2. JimH
    8
    The gameplay and graphics are very good. Yes the AI is very aggressive but with a little practice you can learn to control the puck in the zone and make plays. Don't care about Create A Player, and think it's a little (or a lot) pathetic so many do, BUT would like to see league wide stats and that song title thing is annoying. Expand
  3. JustinK.
    7
    Nice graphics, but I too want to know what the hell happened to create-a-player.
  4. JasonL.
    4
    Good graphics, love the new foreign hockey league addition, but where's the Create-a-player setup??? I spent 30 bucks for that game, and then they fall short. Not entirely a ripoff, but very close. Expand

See all 24 User Reviews