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Mixed or average reviews - based on 44 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 14 Ratings

  • Summary: Fully redesigned next-gen player models with accurate equipment and updated player faces brings you realistic hockey. Goaltending has been completely overhauled with instinctive AI, entirely new animations, and situation specific behaviors. Goaltenders now come out and challenge, guard the post, perform spectacular butterfly saves, and much more. A new control system delivers an experience that transcends the hockey videogame genre. Take control of "the DEEPEST franchise mode in the business," now complete with realistic CBA features including waivers, two-way contracts, restricted and unrestricted free agents, and salary cap management. Off-season has also been revamped, boasting a brand new negotiation system, improved draft, and refurbished free agent signing. Topping off everything is the addition of an all-new player progression system and dynamic player types. 2K Sports Online - Go head-to-head against the best players on the planet and enter for your chance to win a new Dodge. [2K Sports] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 44
  2. Negative: 3 out of 44
  1. The most realistic hockey game both on and off the ice. However, controls are pretty complicated, so NHL 2K8 is not a game for beginners. [Dec 2007]
  2. 85
    The game looks and -- eventually -- feels great on the ice and features smooth animations, a robust online option or leagues and tournaments, a replay-editing tool called 2K Reelmaker, unlockable uniforms and more. It sucks that the interface is clunky.
  3. Should you be a casual fan of ice hockey then I just can't recommend NHL 2K8 as a game to pick up; the new control system and the maddeningly deep franchise mode are only for the most hardcore of fans. With this said, those of you who love everything about hockey will like this game, control problems or not.
  4. Get in your car, drive to a hockey game, support your local team, and go pay $20 for a deep-fried stadium lunch. Because whatever you do, don’t spend any time on this flabby substitute.

See all 44 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 2 out of 10
  1. HaydenK
    10
    This game is so realistic!!!!!! The players are so made up like they are real. I can see the beads of sweat down thier forehead!!!!! The comintators are non-repetitive, And very discribing. the Only flaw is that u use the right bumber to shoot. Expand
  2. JobA
    9
    This is a pretty amazing title!I review alot of sport games later then when they come out.Thats why my reviews are more accurate then all of the reviewers that do this as a job.Sometimes some reviewers get close but not like me.This game has legs,lets put it like that.Depth,graphics,replay,innovation,spirit,ect...I think out of all the years I have read reviews and wrote my own reviews that IGN,Gamespot and 1up is the best when it comes to reviews.Sometimes Gameinformer,OXM,Operation Sports and Gamespy get some right but I would have to say IGN is right on!Gamespot is right on but they are a little hard on games and a little to easy on hyped up games.Nhl 2k8 has everything that was excellent for 2k7 and fixwd everything wrong.They also added a new dimention to hockey games as we know it.Its 2010 now so like I said,I review later which makes it authentic but bad for people that want to know right away.Nhl 2k8 is the best Hockey game from this generation.Nhl 09 &10 are great games dont think I'm crazy but they dont hit you like Holy ..IT like ESPN NHL 2k4 &5 did.Espn nhl 2k5 is actually the best hockey game out to this day without a doubt but in the next gen systems nhl 2k8 is a clear winner in my opinion and this is were it starts..I'm by myself and I want to play single player,what am I going to play??Nhl 2k8--Yes thats is the game.Then the innovation,the multiplayer,ect..,ect..Nhl 2k9 is a true mess!I'm very disappointed with 2k for that.The players are to big,dont even let me get into that for this review.Nhl 2k8 is 100%-AWSOME.I give it a 9.5 Expand
  3. AndreM.
    8
    I bought both NHL games this year and I find myself playing this one a lot more than NHL 08. 08 is way nicer, but there seems to be a lot lacking in terms of controls. How do I dive to the ice to catch a player on breakway? How do I swing the stick left and right in defense to prevent entry into my territory? Why is every single penalty called a tripping penalty? Why can't you release players in your roster during a Dynasty? Why are other teams willing to trade their 21 year-old superstar players for my 38 year-old over-the-hill has-been?NHL 2K8 allows you to do pretty much everything real-life hockey would allow you to do. Its controls are difficult, but if you go through the training, you will notice that they have thought of everything and came up with a fairly logical control scheme. My only complaint is that slapshots and wristers should both be mapped to the same button (instead of a combo) and the length of holding the button should determine the strength of the shot. Other than that, this game is perfect. Expand
  4. JeffA.
    1
    2K's version uses triggers to shoot. It's a hockey game not a shooting game. EA's version is better again this year. Using triggers to shoot is just bizarre and feels unnatural. Maybe next year 2K. Expand

See all 10 User Reviews