Background Info
From 989 Studios, formetly Sony Interactive, comes the latest installment of Sony's hockey series: NHL Faceoff '99. Faceoff will feature an all new 3D engine capable of showing 25% more polygons and twice as many textures as last year. We here at SGN are very pleased about this, as last years title was very good, but surpased graphically by NHL 98 from EA Sports. NHL Faceoff '99 also features texture mapped faces of hundreds of the NHL's top stars, something never done before on a console hockey game. The obligitary motion capturing of Faceoff was done by Sharks goalie Kelly Hrudy and Mighty-Ducks winger Scott Young. Of course the game will feature all 27 teams, with up-to-date rosters. The stadiums have been recreated right from the arena's blueprints too, so players should feel like they're actually there. Faceoff '99 will also feature an enhanced AI and updated icon passing. It looks like 989 Studios is trying really hard to make Faceoff the game of '99. Lets hope this competition ends up meaning higher quality across the board for you and me.

Key Features

• Unrivaled 3D Game Engine with 20 percent more polygons and two times the textures of the '98 edition
• Never-before-seen 3D player models deliver unique player sizes with specific faces
• All 27 NHL arenas derived from the actual blueprints presented in lifelike detail
• Eye-popping TV-style presentation featuring two-man commentary, including the New Jersey Devils' acclaimed Mike Emrick
• Unprecedented camera "zoom-ins" and "cut-aways"
• Each arena's characteristics are included in vivid detail, including championship banners and Jumbotrons(TM)
• Motion captured animation provides the most realistic hockey action available. Players "captured" include the San Jose Sharks' goalie Kelly Hrudey and Anaheim Mighty Ducks' forward Scott Young
• Realistic goalie moves including glove, stick, blocker, kick, butterfly and stack-the-pads saves
• Real offensive and defensive moves are featured with crossover and lean turns, backwards and forwards skating, hockey stops with spray, violent slapshots and every glass breaking check imaginable
• New Icon Switching(TM) on defense and a refined Icon Passing(TM) translate into the most realistic hockey control available
• New on the fly strategy control lets you change your attack with the touch of a button
• Superior artificial intelligence has teams executing just like the NHL
• Every player, arena and teams is included -- even the expansion Nashville Predators
• Complete roster management with player creation, trades and free agency
• Full season and game statistics available in every offensive and defensive category