NHL 09 isn’t just a great hockey game, it’s one of the best sports games to be released in the last decade. It takes the right analog stick controls first pioneered in last year’s game and pushes them forward ever so slightly while pouring on features that everyone from newbies to diehards will appreciate. The only question remaining is how they’ll follow this sports game of the year contender once next season rolls around.
Simply put, this has all the refined career and play modes EA has been perfecting for more than a decade smothered on top of the best playing mechanic in any hockey game to date. Hockey fan's dream.
Though, I could care less about 'Be A Pro' mode, but I seem to be a minority. Perhaps it's because I play hockey on a regular basis and it just feels like a pale imitation of that experience. At least in the normal playing mode, I can control the entire team, which feels very different to what I do on the ice every week.
For a Hockey Fan, This is the most complete hockey game experience to date. With a wealth of game modes (notably the new 'Be A Pro') it can be easy to overlook the gameplay and controls which really sets this game apart from others and make it a joy to play.