NHL
Hitz Pro is jammed with various modes, so many that it very well may take a few days to
try them all out. First is the season mode, the usual 82 game NHL season. You can play
through this with multiple players, having someone take control of every team in the
league. Create-a-player, trades, free agents, salary caps, and loads of stat tracking are
available. The franchise mode is a bit different than what most people may think. Instead
of taking your team through multiple seasons, you'll create an entirely new team and take
them onto the ice against other fantasy teams. You'll earn power-ups to make your team
play better by completing pre-determined tasks assigned to you before the game gets
underway. Win enough games and you'll roll right into the NHL. Then you can play an entire
season with your new team.
If the controls bother you, take a shot at the excellent training
mode that features Scotty Bowman and some other NHL stars (in video form) teaching you
about the game. If the actual ice isn't your style, try street hockey, roller blades and
all. Sadly, you can only select from 2 teams in this mode, but slapping a ball into a
telephone booth is still fun. You can also check out some DVD style extras as well.
Every aspect of the game can be edited to your liking. Not a big of fan of penalties? Turn 'em off. Think that goalie is just TOO good? Tone down his A.I. Don't like the opposing team poke checking you? Turn it down. There is very little in the game that can't be edited to your liking. Shockingly, turning down the speed a notch and turning on the rules gives you a simply superb game of real hockey with only the checking being a bit over the top. It's far more appealing than any of EA's recent efforts.
The smooth analog controls give the precision you need to pull of some spectacular moves. Excellent dekes, stick checks, shot blocks, and checks are all available when needed. You can also control were your shot goes into the net, but if this is too complicated, make it automatic. It's in the options menu.
On the ice, you'll be treated to some superb visuals and animation. The fine details are numerous from the water bottle that can be knocked off the net to the great scoreboard displays. Cinemas occur after every stoppage a play, something this generation of consoles has done so well. A lot of the animation is new so watching a guy get blasted through the glass has never looked more painful. Oh, and for HDTV owners, the entire package runs in progressive scan. Of course, I can't forget the fully polygonal crowd who will do the wave when you pause. They look great during the cinematics as well. They do cause a bit of a hit in the framerate and it causes you some grief, turn them off. It's all in the options.
Tim Kitzrow is back this year for some play-by-play along with
color commentator Harry Teinowitz. Their pre-game commentary is by far the funniest in the
industry and the in game comments are great too. The arena music that plays is fully
customizable which means that yes, your custom soundtracks can blare over the PA system
during the game. Though it doesn't say so on the box, rest assured the entire game runs in
full 5.1 Dolby Surround thanks to the XBox. You simply haven't lived until you've heard
organ music in full-on surround sound. Of course, if you don't like any of this, turn it
off in the options menu.
I don't know if there is a group of people out there who won't simply fall in love with this game. Anything about the game you don't like can simply be changed. Midway wasted nothing and pulled out all the stops to create the ultimate game of hockey. The only things missing are a full franchise mode and some type of season for that really cool game of roller hockey. This is a must own game and one that will age extremely well.
