NHL 10 is the newest entry in the well received and successful NHL series of games by EA sports (EA Canada to be exact). It has big shoes to fill as NHL 09 was extremely well received, winning many game of the year and sports game of the year awards. While NHL 10 isn’t the giant leap forward that last year's entry was, it is still an amazing game with many subtle innovations.
The Game
One of the things that impresses me most about the EA sports titles, the NHL series in particular, is the presentation wrapped around the game. As you boot it up you are presented with stirring music, slick visuals and amazing intuitive menus. The presentation really is one of the stars of the game and gets you excited right from the start.
When talking about a game in the EA sports series, especially the NHL games, it is important to understand that there are so many game modes that you could literally play it for years. Returning modes such as Season, Be a Pro and Be a GM are tweaked slightly with refinements to make them more involved and complete then ever before. New modes (and I use the term loosely) such as Battle for the Cup and Playoff are on hand to get you to playoff action as quickly as possible.
For those not familiar with the NHL series of games a quick rundown of the various game types is recommended, if you are well versed in the series, feel free to skip down a few paragraphs.
The main crux of the game will be found in Season and Be a Pro modes. In Season mode you choose a team and play through a full season of hockey whether it is in the NHL, AHL or any of the European leagues. This year they have added full roster control so you can change your lines and players as you see fit with full control. The Season mode allows you to simulate games and also gives updates on trades, injuries and general performance of the league and your team. Season mode is a staple of the series, but still an incredibly entertaining mode and one that will eat dozens of hours.
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