NHL 2K5 vs. NHL 2005

...okay, the annual debate begins anew..

Last year, i was highly disappointed in BOTH games, but if i was forced to award a winner, it would have to be 2K4...Simply because the goaltending control was SLIGHTLY less frustrating in Sega's game then it was EA's ... (This was the first year ever, by the way, that i actually hated EA's hockey game.. I even enjoyed NHL'96 for the PC!)

Now, i know NHL 2005 doesn't come out until September 20th, but seeing as how 2K5 is already out, i figured i'd get this started..

SO people who have played 2k5, what do you think?

And what's the overall opinion?

Which game are you going to try for?

 

I'm liking 2K5 so far. NHL 2004 sucked badly. Neither can compare to NHL Hitz though.

 

Neither can compare to NHL Hitz though.

You're right. Hitz is just to horrible for words.

I for one have always been pleased with what EA has done and am looking forward to getting NHL 2005 in a few weeks.

 

...see, i'd always been pleased with EA's NHL games, too, until last year...


The goaltending control was just so flippin' frustrating that it sucked ALL fun out of the game...


Today, i managed to find ESPN 2K5 on display at my local gaming store.. No one else was around, so i had a quick game...

Have to say it's definitely better then EITHER game was in 2004...I actually had some fun, though it IS flippin' difficult to score..

I'm gonna hold out till NHL comes out before making my final decision...Hope to give it a go on display somewhere in a store..

 

Obviously, I haven't played NHL 2005 yet, but after what I considered a very disappointing release last year with 2004, I decided go with 2K5. The critical praise of Sega's franchise over the past few years, coupled with the refreshing price tag of twenty dollars made this one too enticing to wait for EA's game.

The decision was a wise one. The gameplay and graphics are superb, and never before have I seen the game translated into a videogame with such authenticity. Gone are the 9-1 drubbings on a more difficult setting (something I was doing with ease in NHL 2003 thanks to the invincible one-timer), as well as ridiculous bone crunching checks from small forwards and skating circles around the defense. Passing, skating, and generally penetrating the defense are extremly lifelike in 2K5, and real life strategies have to be implemented to move the puck. I found myself actually working the powerplay, and constantly becoming the victim of blocked shots. Player animations are really well done, from goalies becoming hand-cuffed to players swiveling their bodies in order to put themselves in the proper position for a one-timer.

The only complaint I have is minor, that being goalies wear generic masks instead of their real life designs, but then again I recall NHL 2004 doing this as well. However, I noticed that 2K5 was extremely accurate when it came to portraying the other goalie equipment of the goaltenders from my favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury had his trademark bright yellow Koho pads, blocker, and catching glove, and Sebastian Caron's gold and white pads were the exact style and color he actually wears.

Basically, 2K5 is the most excited a hockey game has gotten me since NHL 95 for Sega Genesis. EA's game will have to be stunning to match the quality of 2K5.

 

Basically, 2K5 is the most excited a hockey game has gotten me since NHL 95 for Sega Genesis.

Ya know, that's actually exactly how i feel about the game, too, and i just played it for maybe 10-15 minutes on a display..


It was actually FUN, which is more then i can say for NHL 2004 last year...

My original plan was to wait for NHL 2005 to be released before making my decision, but the price and how much i enjoyed (a very limited sampling) of the game has me thinking i won't be able to wait that long

However, for you guys who have played the game, have you run into any of these 'notorious' bugs at all?

I've been to other gaming boards, and i keep reading about how, when saving, the game tends to freeze up..

Now, personally, i seem to have had this problem with sporting games BEFORE, and it never really was an issue..Every so often, you wind up having to replay a game because, for whatever reason, the game just freezes.. But i've gotta say, this is the first time i've ever heard THIS many people CRY about this sort of problem.. Is it really that bad?

 

I just got 2k5, and like it. To my brother it was blasphamy. We have played the EA games since 92 and love them. both are good, but 2k5's $19.99 price tag, and the great mini rink game are just clinchers.

 

To my brother it was blasphamy. We have played the EA games since 92 and love them.

I don't mean any ill will toward you, but I chose your words to use for a point. These feelings above are what kill Sega's sports franchises. So many people are familiar with EA (Many unwilling to budge from their loyalty), and not with Sega, so sales numbers are a no-brainer. The ones that hurt Sega the most, though, are the ones that are unwilling to try something new, and just assume that EA is the best sports game maker. Both make franchises that are worthy, and sports gamers should give both a chance. Ok, back to the originally scheduled thread.

I am happy with NHL2K5. I haven't played a hockey game this great since....NHL2K3. ESPN NHL 2K4 was a step back in terms of gameplay, but a graphical masterpiece. However, when you change the great gameplay from one of the greatest playing NHL games ever (NHL2K3, and I'm not saying it is the greatest), it makes long time NHL2Kers angry (Like myself). This year, the graphics seem to be less polished, but the gameplay is great. The slap dump-in is awesome, it should have been there years ago. The sliders work perfectly yet again, much like NHL2K3. My main complaint---I have an obsession with having accurate rosters once again this year (Just like every year), and I'm currently mired in creating the last 2 seasons' 1st round draft picks who aren't in the game. I already did Thomas Vanek (I'm a Buffalo fan), and Drew Stafford is next.

 

...well, i was having a particular bad day in my life (slept in and missed a staff meeting on the day that the new director was being presented. GOOD ONE, DREW )

So, to try to improve things, i went out and picked up NHL 2k5..(my original plan was to wait for NHL 2005, and then see which one was better, but i needed hockey)

I did a fantasy draft, and started a regular season (set on Rookie)..

It is a bloody fun hockey game, although Rookie is a bit too easy (i've won my first two games 6-0 and 6-1, and the one goal was my goalie giving the puck to the wrong guy)..When i get home from work tonite, i'm gonna try upping the diffculty to PRO to see how that goes..

Definitely much more fun to play then either of last year's offerings in the Hockey genre! (though i still think i'll give NHL a chance)

 

...well, i played my first couple of games on PRO setting..

Won the first game 3-0, lost the second 3-2 (should have been tied, at least, i hit the post about 5 times), tied the third one 2-2 (i put Ilya Bryzgalov in net. I was lucky to get a tie!), and then i won the next one 3-1, and the most recent one 5-1..

It's amazing how this game eats up time LOADS of fun.

Though it sure is hard to develop a dominant team when you do a fatansy draft.. League is really even, when it comes to parity..

You almost NEED to take a goalie with one of your first 2 picks...Without a goalie, you're toast in this game..

And this is the first game i've played in a LONG while where your third line actually gets some significant playing time.. That was nice.. (Forget about the 4th line, though.. )

I'm quite pleased with this game, and to be honest, probably won't even bother with NHL 2005..

 

I played a game of 2K5 in honor of the lockout last night. Good bye Hockey!

 

..yeah, i was doing the same all this morning, to give hockey a good send-off..

For the FIRST TIME, today, my 4th line ACTUALLY saw the ice...It was a brief 30 second shift that ended rather quickly, but Steve Reinprecht, Brent Tapper and...some other guy saw some legit action

OH, and Dan Blackburn is ridiculously overrated in this game...Guy should NOT be the wall that he is..He's about the only player i can complain about, so far...

Oh, and anytime i see Brett Hull on the ice, i go into convulsions.. He's lethal!