NHL 2K3 (Xbox)

Like most of Sega's recent sports releases, NHL 2K3 hangs its hat on stellar gameplay and sweet graphics. Little, if anything, is overlooked: players move and react much like their real-life counterparts--goalies are especially acrobatic; the puck seamlessly glides, flips and bounces around the rink and off the posts and goalie's pads; players can be pinned to the boards during a scramble for the puck; missed shots are covered up by a diving goalie or slapped in off ensuing rebounds; arenas are painstakingly re-created and feature music and sounds specific to each. Off the ice, there's plenty of strategy and options to tinker with. NHL 2K3 boasts over 30 sliders to alter effects ranging from ice friction to referee collisions. And, of course, there's the franchise mode that allows up to 250 years of dynasty building. --Larry White

I can't really say this is a game I love. The Franchise mode is excellent and the rosters are superb. The puck physics are pretty good (most of the time) and the ESPN/Sportscenter presentation is certainly one of it's plus points.

What lets this game down, for me, is just how bland and uninspiring it is during most of the matches. The commentary leaves a lot to be desired, especially with the inserting of team or players' names into phrases. It's one of those things which just smacks of amateurism and to me lets this game down, presentation wise. The players look pretty square at times and mostly unrealistic (I can kinda tell who it is most of the time).

Body checking is another issue as players normally just skid infront of you whilst on the floor as fast as you're skating once you've hit them. This is another thing for me which makes the game look amateurist. I'm not saying I could do any better but you expect decent gameplay when you fork out so much money. On the plus side the puck moves around the rink beautifully (except for the the odd time is crashes onto a post, stops dead and drops onto the ice) and the opposition, expecially the goalies, are pretty intelligent. The number of things to be tweaked is pretty awesome although I wouldn't have minded a few better camera angles.

Oh well, it's not all bad. As I said the Franchise mode and ESPN presentation are great and the puck physics and opposition are pretty smart and despite my critisms NHL 2K3 is still a very playable game. I suppose I'm just one of those people who isn't hell-bent on playing the most realistic hockey game out there. I like to see the odd huge hit now and then and I like to be entertained. So if you're like me go get one of the NHL games (or if you really like big hits and lots of entertainment and aren't too worried about realism, I thoroughly recommmend NHL Hitz). If you're a fan of realism and sports management without the arcadey gameplay getting in the way then NHL 2K3 is certainly the game for you.


Hockey for purists   March 9, 2003
Wicker-king (North London, England)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

Well, it took its sweet time coming over from the states, seeing as the season is almost over, but EA's competition has finally arrived.
The first thing you ask yourself about NHL 2k3 is whether or not its better than NHL 2003 and the answer to that question is yes and no (not helpful I know but wait). The two games really come at hockey from two different angles with 2003 being a touch arcadey with your hard hitters and big shooters whereas 2k3 is all about realism. In 2k3 you need to dump the puck, grind away in the corners and go to the front of the net if you're going to be successful.
The programmers have really gone all out to put in all the nuances about hockey that make it such a fantastic sport. Not all passes go stick to stick, a checking line forward can't skate around the entire opposition like Beliveau and the goalies actually act like goalies. The tenders are the best I've seen in computer hockey with great animation and you need to move them post to post or crash the front of the net for rebounds if you are going to score. There is a genuine learning curve and you get a genuine sense of achievement when you score a goal.
Another great thing is the strategy aspect whereby you can assign certain lines to combat the oppositions stars and the team tactics are easily accessible and play a big part in how you approach each game.
The ESPN style presentation is a nice touch and really mimics the actual coverage style although the commentary is a touch hit and miss with some incite, a little repitition and a lot of generic catchphrases which aren't always appropriate. EA's commentary team are much more entertaining.
As with most sports games around at the moment the franchise mode is what really sets this game out with no stone unturned. Here you can set up your team just the way you want it with trades, free agency,the draft, contract extensions, who are your captains and alternates,etc...You can set everything up so that its as real as you want it to be. My only gripe is that you can't create players in franchise mode but I'm getting over that.
All in all this is a game for the real fan of hockey (the kind of guy who doesn't shave through April and May) with the kind of authentic gameplay that hasn't been seen before. If you are only a casual hockey fan then NHL 2003 is more accessible and flat out fun, but if you love hockey you will love what this game has to offer. It may not have the fancy music or bullet-time camera angles but 2k3 is all about gameplay. This is hockey.