|
NHL Rock the Rink (PSX) ReviewRelease Date: March 2000 Background Info
In case you haven't figured it out, Rock the Rink is the hockey equivalent of
games like NFL Blitz. The game emphasizes over-the-top gameplay without
attention to annoying things like realism, lines getting tired, players getting
injured, penalties, offsides, and so on. In fact, in some respects the game
takes a step back in time to the days when gamers didn't demand simulation
style sports games.
Sure Rock the Rink carries a full NHL license, but that's where the realism
stops and the fun begins. Besides boasting 28 NHL teams, look forward to
playing as your favorite rink heroes, such as the Dominator, Eric Lindros,
Brett Hull, and the multitude of other NHL stars. Or take one of many Rock
the Rink specific teams to the top or create your own. If that weren't
enough, the game has fighting, power-ups, upgrades, and unlockable features.
Presentation/Graphics : 85
The players are a mixed bag. Coming in two sizes, the skaters are either bulky
or a little scrawny. The larger players have huge torsos compared to the
quick offensive players. While player numbers are clearly visible on each
skater (even on the skinny boys), the uniforms are rather blocky. It's hard
to explain, but there just seems to be something missing in the player models.
They simply don't have the same quality as the players in some of EA's other
sports franchises, such as the FIFA series or NCAA football games.
When a fight occurs, you get a close-up view of each combatant. At this point
you really notice the cheesy player graphics. This was the lowlight of the
game. You'll think you're playing a first generation PSX title. With only
two players on screen, you'd expect more detail comparable to some of the
boxing or fighting titles. Instead you get players that actually look worse
than the on-ice skaters.
As you progress through the game, you earn equipment upgrades such as better
skates, sticks, and gear. Each upgrade is accompanied by the respective
piece of equipment flashing during the game. A little annoying, but you get
used to it. But the real jewel in the graphics department is the animation
in Rock the Rink. Special moves are earned in the game, such as high-powered
spinning slapshots. Each move has a distinct animation. You need to watch
closely as some of them are over in the blink of an eye, but they are there.
Slapshots utilize different animation sequences than wristshots, and goalies
kick their legs out and dive to the ice to block the incoming puck. As players
circle around the rink, ice is kicked up; however, skates do not leave
impressions in the surface.
A totally bizarre animation concludes each game. The first time I saw it I
nearly fell out of my chair laughing. After a game, both teams line up
shoulder-to-shoulder and start doing a dance like the Rockettes. It was so
queer and unexpected that it just fit right in with the game.
Rock the Rink provides three camera views. Unfortunately, all the views look
down the ice. If you like to play side-to-side, you're out of luck.
Furthermore, all the views are somewhat low. Playing with the highest view,
you can't see over half the rink. This can affect gameplay if you want to
pass out to the point. At times you have to blindly pass the puck and hope
a player is there to receive it. Another complaint is the lack of a replay
mode. Some of the goals are spectacular, and I'd love to see how I beat the
goalie.
Presentation/Audio : 98
The post-goal comments are always fresh, and unless you play many games in a
sitting, you'll rarely hear the comments repeated. The comments tend to be
wisecracks, such as "Nostradamus predicted that goal over 400 years ago."
Truly unique and entertaining, the comments keep the game light.
The music, while not my first choice for casual listening, fits right with the
game. The soundtrack includes a dozen songs from the Hanson Brothers (not
the teenie boppers), Facepuller, Feisty, and Transmitter. The hard-rocking
tunes reflect the raucous nature of the play and add to the adrenaline rush
as you move up ice.
Interface/Options : 95
While the small number of game modes appears to limit the game, most gamers
will find that the game has a considerable amount of life in it. Of the three
modes, two are available to the single player, and each mode utilizes the
unlockable items in the game. The Rewards menu shows the available options
as well as how to unlock the remaining rewards. Rewards range from playing
with tiny players, players with huge heads, soundtrack options, goal sizes,
crazy shots, etc. The fact that you can utilize any reward in any game mode
is a pleasant surprise.
The Records screen shows the cumulative record of a user. User profiles can
be maintained with the memory card, and each user has a unique set of records.
The amazing record system keeps track of every game you have played (you do
need to save and load your profile to update your profile), and tallies wins
and losses, goals, one-timers, hits, fights, and more. At the time of writing
this review, I was amazed that I've played nearly 100 games in Rock the Rink!
The available options include difficulty (easy, medium, and hard), game length
(first to 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, or 20 goals), camera view, catch-up logic, sound,
and memory card access. Playing on easy, the game has a slow pace and the
scoring is easy. Moving up through the difficulty levels quickens the pace of
the game as well as leads to longer attacks since the computer goalie improves
his defense.
Gameplay : 93
When you first start the game, the only available teams are fictitious EA
created lines. The Easy Championship consists of two games in each of three
categories. The categories reflect the types of upgrades (better sticks,
skates, and gear) that are won in Rock the Rink. With the upgrades comes
better performance in areas like shot power, agility, and goaltending. Winning
two games in one category automatically makes that upgrade to the team you
chose. After winning two upgrades, you can play in the championship game,
where you wager one of your upgrades. Since each upgrade enhances your team's
skill, it's best to earn all three upgrades prior to playing the championship
game. Each game you play is against an NHL team, and as you beat the teams,
those teams are unlocked for play in all the game modes.
Moving up to the Medium Championship, you still earn upgrades, but now it takes
three victories in each category to win the prize. Likewise in the Hard
Championship. Winning the Hard Championship opens up the final game - the
Ultimate Championship where you take on the defending NHL champs, the Dallas
Stars.
When you first start Rock the Rink, the only level available in the NHL
Challenge mode is the easy level. If you can't win each game your first time
out, you are in for a rough time. The speed of the game is agonizing
and the computer opponent is downright easy to beat. Once you move up to the
medium level, the CPU teams are much tougher but still beatable. Some are
especially tough, and I found it best to abandon my chosen EA team in favor of
a real NHL team. Doing so required me to replay the easy level and earn
upgrades. You can't use the upgrades earned with one team with another team,
which in essence extends the life of the game.
Winning the medium championship with an NHL team was easy, but the real
challenge came with the hard level. This level featured some of the fastest
hockey I've ever played. With a short rink and a tough AI, scoring was
extremely difficult. Even seasoned hockey gamers will find this level a
tough play.
To beat the goalie on any level, the best approach is the one-timer. On the
higher levels, this is almost the only way to score consistently. The control
of the skaters is tight and passing is quick which makes one-timing a simple
exercise. Passing, incidentally, is done by tapping the X button. Tapping
the square button sends a wristshot, and holding the square button unleashes
a slapshot. Rock the Rink also has a "cool shot," which send the puck to the
net with a little extra speed. However, the problem with these shots,
especially on the higher levels, is that they require a couple of seconds to
complete. With a quick AI defense, your shooter is never open long enough
to finish the move. Your player ends up getting flattened and you lose
possession of the puck. To be honest, I quickly stopped using this feature
as I progressed through the game.
Two lines are used in Rock the Rink. Usually one line is speed oriented while
the other is power oriented. Players fit either a finesse or power player,
and they are distinguished based on their size in the line selection screen
as well as on the ice. Since the players never fatigue, it is possible to
play entire games with the same line. At times you will find that some lines
work better than others against select opponents.
If you read the preview of Rock the Rink, you will recall I made mention of
several money plays in the game. I am glad to say that these money plays are
gone in the final version. While you can still knock the goalie down and get
a cheap goal, it occurs less frequently. On the higher levels where the
competition is tough, cheap goals are nearly impossible. About the only
guaranteed scoring method is the one-timer, and even those come infrequently
on the hard level.
While the CPU goalie is rock solid on the more difficult levels, the AI of your
goalie is highly suspect. I found my goalie out of position on many shots
that led to cheap goals by the CPU. What made me even more frustrated was
when I accidentally pressed the L2 button. According to the manual, the L2
should cause your player to taunt the opponent. However, every time I hit the
button when on defense, my goalie leaves the net and charges the puck. This
leaves the goal completely exposed for a wide open goal.
Replay Value : 95
Realistically the main reason why the replay value is high is because of the
NHL Challenge mode. Winning the Ultimate Championship requires a minimum of
twenty wins. If you want all the upgrades, you need another eight wins. I
guarantee you'll need more than twenty tries to beat the game. Along the way
you can unlock an incredible number of features. Rewards are spread across
all three game modes, so unlocking them all will take some time. Some of the
rewards are useless, but others make for some interesting play.
Even without the upgrades and rewards, Rock the Rink is a fantastic game. If
you want a change of pace from the traditional hockey simulation, you can't
go wrong with Rock the Rink. The true arcade style action appeases the single
player and head-to-head players.
Overall : 93
© 1998-2006 Sports Gaming Network. Entire legal statement. Feedback
Other Links: |
|
||||||||||