PC HOCKEY SIMWAR 98!!!

Pre-game introductions

Well, it's been a looooooong summer and finally, hockey season is back! Two games have entered the fighting match this year to duke it out (Acclaim has delayed their game yet again!) and take this battle on skates to center ice to see who wins the Stanley Cup, er, make that the title for the Ultimate Hockey Sim of the 1997/98 season. Without further ado, here are the contenders;

Powerplay '98 - Virgin/Radical Entertainment

Clearly the underdog in a world where PC and console hockey games for the last 7 years have been dominated by EA's NHL XX series (and before then it was Bethesda's Wayne Gretzky Hockey series, which eventually died out after two sequels). When Powerplay 96 was released, it surprised a lot of people. It had good AI and fun game play, but lacked the flair and graphics that EA's hockey series has had since it's inception many years ago. Well, the folks at Radical took the 1997 year off to work overtime on this year's version, Powerplay '98. Although the game has two versions, a 2D and 3D mode, all the games I've played have been with the 3D version, so I won't comment on the 2D. Since the majority of gamers will be playing the 3D version, this is what I have based all of my opinions on.
IMPORTANT NOTE - Anyone who made their assessment of Powerplay '98 by playing their 36 meg+ demo can't really pass judgement on the game. I too, was not impressed, especially on how easy it was to score goals. Fortunately, the final product is much improved, including the goalies, who now actually stop the puck! Game play and overall graphic smoothness are improved as well. I've heard that if the game is choppy in the non accelerated version (ie: too many graphic options turned on when playing on a less than capable computer/ video card) than the scoring is increased and game play suffers accordingly with scores in the double digits. I haven't had this problem nor can I confirm it, but people who have are reporting that when turning off some of the details on their slower computer, the AI and goalies improve and scores return to close 3-2, 2-1 affairs. It must have something to do with the FPS relating to animation and hindering how quickly the goalies react. It's the only explanation I can come up with. (Note : also make sure you activate the RUN IN HARDWARE graphic option on startup to take advantage of any 3D accelerator you may have).

NHL '98 - Electronic Arts

Well, another year, another hockey sim by EA! That's the way most cynical people view it as EA's series never seems to take that extra leap from a below average hockey game to a great one. My favorite hockey game by EA is still NHL '95. Will this be their year? Well, they certainly have the financial backing to pump tons of money, marketing muscle and programming gurus into this product. But money can't buy you everything as the saying goes. Can NHL '98 possibly be the best hockey game of the year?

FIRST PERIOD

Here we go! The puck drops and EA wins the draw! It's a 2 on 1, the pass, fake, deke, they score!!! Since Electronic Arts released their game first, they won over a lot of the potential hockey gamers right away with the first goal. This was probably the biggest blow to the rest of the competition. Since everyone seems to be busy playing NHL 98, why would they need another hockey game? Well, for the majority of players out there, NHL 98 will fulfill their needs to the tee. There are so many great features about this game. Too many to mention in fact, but I'll try to include as many as I can think of later in this comparison. Score - EA 1 - Virgin 0

SECOND PERIOD

Still no sign of Virgin as EA takes control of the play in the second period and scores again! NHL 98's front-end, sound, presentation and especially their graphics (3DFX = WOW!) is top notch and worthy of an all-star nomination. But how does the all important AI stand up? Surprisingly well. Although not perfect, the AI has been improved from NHL 97 and players actually play their positions for the most part. My team players though, sometimes don't drive the net as often as I'd like, no matter what I set the team strategy to. The computer passes VERY effectively, usually outnumbering the human player at the end of the game in the pass totals. Shot totals still favor the human player by a wide margin and I always outplay the computer, regardless of the score. The goalies are their usual superhuman self in pro and all-star mode, which for some will take away from the fun aspect of the game. It can be very frustrating trying to score after getting quality shots and one-timers, one after the other with nothing to show for it. Sure, real hockey can be like this too, but only on rare occasions. This is one of the real problems I have with NHL '98; no matter how bad you outplay the computer, the final score always seems to come down to the computers super goalie saving everything, and your goalie letting shots go in that would NEVER go in against the computer. This really shows it's ugly head during season play and make's me wonder if EA has implemented something in the AI code that allows the computer to get easy goals (cheat) regardless of how bad they are being outplayed. I played a 25 game season and started out with 9 wins and 2 losses with 1 tie. I averaged 3 or 4 goals a game. But suddenly after that, I lost 7 in a ROW, with scores like 2-0, 4-1, 3-0 etc no matter who I was playing. And my game play didn't change AT ALL! I continued to outplay the computer and outshoot them with 40 or 50+ shots (with a lot of very good quality scoring chances) to their 20 or so shots. It's like the computer has to cheat by stopping everything I shoot and getting cheap goals on my own goalie just to win. I ended up finishing the season at .500. I don't mind losing, but when you are always outplaying the computer and still losing games that you shouldn't be, well that gets frustrating very fast and takes away a lot from the fun factor. And because the skaters move way too fast compared to real hockey (especially with the over exaggerated speed burst), it's difficult to really see plays develop the way they should because they're over before they even start. There's really no need to set up passing plays to work your way up the ice. Speed burst with the puck to the opponents end, shoot, ah, surprise, another save lose the puck, speed burst back to your end, steal the puck from the computer, speed back and shoot again, maybe use a one timer this time, and yes, another save! Line change. Repeat until the end of the third period. If you use a speedy player, you can single handedly do this for most of the game, with no EXTRA loss to the players endurance than if you were not to use the speed burst at all. After experimenting with various things in NHL '98, there are several options you have that can improve game play, IF you want to implement them! You can find my recommendations HERE.

Sadly, I feel the speed burst is one of the major flaws with NHL 98 because it's directly related to the single most important aspect of any hockey game; GAME PLAY! Sure, we don't have to use the speed burst, but it would have been better if EA just toned down the rate and amount of the speed burst, or gotten rid of it all together!

Well, Virgin has finally regrouped and are starting to show signs of life by releasing their hockey game a few weeks after NHL 98, although it may be too little, too late! What's this? Virgin makes a brutal hip check to EA at the blue line and goes in for a breakaway and scores!!!!! Out of nowhere, Virgin has gotten back into the game with great AI and solid game play. Not only is the game play solid, but hey, it's fun too! I honestly have to say that Powerplay '98 is more fun to play than NHL '98. Yes, that's a bold statement, but this comes from someone who has been playing real hockey for 20 years and computer and console games for the last 12 years or so. People who have put lots of time into both games seem to agree, so I'm not in the minority on this one. Does that mean PP98 is the better product? Depends on who you are and what you want in a hockey game. In Powerplay '98, you can't speed burst all over the place and are forced to pass the puck and rely on solid TEAM play to get setup in the opponent's end and get a good scoring chance. You have to WORK to get the puck up the rink, just like in real hockey. And it can be a real chore just trying to get the puck out of your own end sometimes! So instead of always worrying about super goalies (NHL 98 - pro and all-star modes), you can concentrate on playing solid game play (PP98), and when you do GET a good scoring chance, you may actually be rewarded with a goal! This is a tribute to the wonderful AI of Powerplay '98. Hey, the computer even out shoots AND outplays me sometimes, especially the good teams which is what I would expect. I've NEVER had that happen to me in NHL '98!!! The only thing I've noticed that is a REAL problem is the computer's inability to score on the PLAYER sometimes. Even though they can get the shots on net, my goalie seems to stop everything they send MY way, which is kind of the opposite of NHL '98. This is a HUGE game play issue that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Happily, a patch is on the way to resolve this very issue. There is a quick and dirty fix for this which I'll discuss in my post game wrap-up. This problem seems to occur mostly in exhibition games and the regular season. The problem went away after playing in the playoffs, where the AI team's seem to pick it up a notch and can score and outplay me regularly, especially in their home rink which is realistic. Despite these problems, I actually enjoy losing in PP '98 because I've been outplayed by solid hockey play, not by super goalies and AI cheating goals despite dominating game after game(as in NHL '98).
EA - 2 VIRGIN -1

THIRD PERIOD

Welcome to the final period of this great battle on ice! After a hard fought game, Virgin has pulled their goalie in desperation (ie: recent price reduction of PP98) in hopes of scoring the tying goal. But before they get a chance, EA wins the draw and scores on the empty net! Sorry folks, but despite a close game, they'll be no overtime this year! To the average gamer, it will appear that EA won the game. But in my post game wrap-up, you will see that Powerplay '98 actually came closer to winning this years battle than ever before. In some people's view, PP '98 would have won if the comparison just focused on the game play aspect of both games instead of the overall package. FINAL SCORE; EA - 3 VIRGIN - 1

POST GAME WRAP-UP

PP '98's graphics and player animations are good but nothing to write home about, but damn, I love those great goalie animations! The puck is way too big, which isn't very realistic but sure makes it easy to find! In fact, PP '98 lacks the features and options we've taken for granted in EA's series in the last couple of years. The interface is below average at best, and isn't the prettiest or easiest thing around to navigate in! There's no keyboard or mouse ability to navigate in the menus and force you to use your gamepad! There's no modem play, no play by play commentary (just an announcer for the players names when goals or penalties occur) and no way to print out statistics or standings, not even as a simple text file. The statistics for the players and teams are not even very in depth, with only the most basic stats like goals, assists, and points etc. being recorded for each player. The player attribute ratings, although fairly accurate, don't have the depth and complexity that EA's NHL '98 player ratings have. And the manual is even worse than NHL '98 if you can believe it! The instant replays are too short, and the fight sequences are quite comical but not very realistic (when a player loses a fight, he goes spinning and flying back 10 feet in the air before landing on the ice and sprawling out!). The music and sound are good, but the menu screens and overall look of the game just don't have the appeal that NHL '98's ultra sharp menu screens and professional presentation offer. The arenas are generic except for the team logo at center ice and don't look like any NHL arena I've ever scene! This doesn't do much for atmosphere, especially when the stands and crowd look kind of cartoonish. The arena design, roof and upper deck look just look plain ugly, granted it's not something your going to see all of the time. As a result, it lacks the tremendous atmosphere that the arenas in NHL '98 have. If a casual hockey fan and gamer has poured sufficient hours into NHL 98 first and don't mind the game play issues, well, there may just be no going back to ANYTHING else (hey, why would want to leave the honeymoon!). It's too bad, because if Radical could have improved all of those negatives and added the features that it needs to compete with EA, it would have won this years battle! In the old days, computers didn't have the power to really give you great graphics. Game play was the most important factor to designers because this is what ultimately decided if the game succeeded or not. There was nothing to hide behind so to speak. Now a day's, it's flashy graphics that seem to sell games. For both of these games, most consumers will base their buying decision on how the game looks and word of mouth and/or reviews, since it's hard to play a computer game at the store. The majority of people will make their decision based on what they SEE, rather than how each game plays, which is unfortunate.

Besides PP98's game play, there are a few other things that stand out. When the home team scores, you can actually see the fans cheering, and the announcer says the names of who scored with more enthusiasm than he does for the visiting team. And unlike NHL '98 where you just pick a corner and hope it goes in, you can sometimes see an opening in the net, aim for it, and have a good chance of picking the corner and scoring. The goalies move around a lot and can be caught out of position sometimes, which is realistic. This really adds to the excitement of the game when you see the goalie racing back to the net while you struggle to get the puck and shoot before he can recover. And since good scoring opportunities don't come by very often, you have to make 'em count! In NHL '98 though, it just seems like one good scoring chance after the other which never materialize with goalies coming out of no where to make impossible saves (they hardly ever go down and aren't as animated as the ones in PP '98). This takes away a lot from the thrill of the game in NHL '98. When you actually accomplish a perfect play in Powerplay '98 and score, it feels great because you've beaten the ENTIRE team through solid passing and play making, not just the goalie. Sometimes in NHL '98, it seems like it's just YOU against the computer goalie, and the other computer opponent players on the ice are just a second thought because I always outplay the computer. I also like the ability to change the forward lines SEPERATELY from the defensive lines during play. This prevents the computer from getting a breakaway during a line change on the fly and is very realistic. It also gives you the control and ability to mix different forwards with different defencemen for various line combinations. The three star selection is well done, with the players being announced from 3rd star down to #1, each accompanied by a close up picture of the player. I also like the team strategy section; any changes you do make seem to affect the players more than in NHL '98's strategy options (although in NHL '98, you can change them on the fly which is handy!).

I mentioned earlier about PP '98's computer team's inability to score on YOU and not passing the puck enough (I've found that this problem isn't as severe once you get to the playoffs, as I've played some very tough games where they've scored there share of goals quite easily!) Anyway, there is a patch on the way from Radical that specifically addresses this problem. What can you do until then. Well, a quick and dirty fix is to use the manual goalie! Believe me, when you do this, the CPU has NO problem scoring...

The great thing about Radical is that they listen to their customers, unlike EA! If you don't like something, tell them! They will take it to heart and work to improve it until everyone is satisfied. Maybe next year they will get it perfect!

NHL 98's many positive aspects include an excellent front-end, in-depth and printable stats and easy to use interface, sound, atmosphere, play by play and colour commentary, and modem/network play. The graphics are spectacular and quite awesome. The list goes on. It's no wonder they've won this year's battle in the eyes of most before it really even started. This may be long winded but here goes! NHL 98 has so many neat little features. The way every player has his real face plastered on his computer generated head, which is for the most part easily recognizable (they even blink if you watch closely in a replay!). The odd comment the colour commentary guys will make during a break in play about an individual players stats or an historic moment in their career, all of this happening as the camera zooms in and follows the player; it looks and sounds just like an NHL broadcast on TV. The National Anthem being sung in French when playing in Montreal. The camera flashes at the start of each game and the players holding their chest during their National Anthem (which by the way, include six or so different types of singers!). The arena specific scoreboards and detailed and authentic team/sponsor ice logos. The historical championship banners and retired numbers that hang from the rafters. The GREAT fight sequences that are by far the best ever done by any hockey game on any platform. The great instant replay mode which allows for loooooong plays to be reviewed and watched any which way, and even saved for later reference and/or gloating. The superb animation that the players exhibit as they skate around, check, fall over etc. The inclusion of the special 3rd jerseys. I could go on and on. Taking this all in while playing is truly an amazing experience. Even after you play your 30th + game, the graphic 'wow' factor will still remain due to a culmination of all of the above factors. Sure the game play isn't as fun as PP98, but it's good enough to keep most people coming back for more. The AI still needs work as it's still way too easy to get A+ scoring opportunities and good quality shots on net, always outplaying the computer teams. They've compensated for this AI shortcoming, by pumping up the goalie abilities and making them A LOT better than they are in real life.

Besides this, there are a few weird things that readily make themselves apparent. The computer team always pulls their goalie when down by 2 goals for some reason, which makes it easy to get the empty net and win games by three goals. The defencemen sometimes look lost in their own end even when the puck is right in front of them. There's absolutely NO friction what so ever on the ice, so the puck slides along forever like butter on a Teflon pan! Player control, although improved from NHL '97, can be a real problem, especially when taking control of the defencemen, who seem to have a mind of their own sometimes. Overall, this is the most exciting hockey game to ever grace the PC from a graphics standpoint and brings the general LOOK of a real hockey game to life on your computer screen.

Which do I like better? Well, after finding out how the computer scores goals to win no matter how much I outplay them, I now play PP '98's single player season and tournament mode exclusively. But it's too hard to make that ultimate decision and play ONE only. I like both games for their positive aspects they bring to the computer hockey gaming world. I still play NHL '98 once in a while for it's modem play only (although that's not very often anymore). Powerplay '98 is the hockey game I play the most now because I ENJOY playing it (can't beat that FUN factor!). NHL '98 just leaves me shaking my head time and time again in frustration. No matter how badly I outplay the computer (which is all the time), the final score is determined by the computer's ability to score cheap goals and save every shot that comes at their goalie. I don't mind losing, but the way the computer goes about it in NHL '98 is what really detracts from the overall game, for me anyway. It's hard to get excited about the end result of an NHL '98 hockey game, win or lose, unless it's a modem game, which can still be quite fun. After trying a PP '98 game head to head against a friend on my computer, even that aspect is better than NHL '98. But with no modem play, it obviously doesn't give me the opportunity of playing another human as often as NHL '98 does.

Until one of these products can bring everything together into ONE game, I'll continue to keep playing both, although by now you know which one I prefer to play the most!