25-04-2004 06:01									#1
	Nhl 2004 Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

I don't understand how you can make a game so fun, with relatively great improvement from 2003 (in both graphics, stat-tracking, and commentary), yet still miss out some fundamental (and, I would think, simple) facets.

1. No Trade Summaries page? I don't want to have to wait and watch that damn tracker scroll across the bottom, listing off the score to every game, just in case there may be a transaction coming up. Would it really have been so hard to add a page like that?

2. Expansion teams. I can understand having to "sub in" (that is, remove an existing team in order to create a new one) a team to balance the schedule or somesuch, but would it have been so hard to create a few fake jerseys, or customizable ones, instead of just picking from the existing 30 colour schemes, and adding a new logo? I mean, really. Look at NCAA Football 2003 (yes, I acquired it, even though I live in Canada, where it is not officially for sale; thank you, EB Used Section!): EVERYTHING about your school is customizable and creatable. Total freedom. Just an amazing expansion mode. Why can't the developers of the NHL series take a cue from their more-Southern EA brethren?

3. The music and pre-game presentation. This has been a problem in EA Hockey games for years now. Get rid of the pop-punk and wuss-metal, and get some good hockey songs in there! I don't want to hear some guy whining about his girlfriend, I want to hear "The Hockey Song" or some sort of hockey-ish music. And I don't like the weird "dream sequence" thing they do before a game begins. What's wrong with simply having goalie introductions, and a few stats & statements about how each team is doing in the season? That would be way cooler.

Still, I don't want to come off like I don't love the game, 'cause I do. The gameplay is great, as are the graphics and most of the stats & details like that. Nevertheless, the game could be nigh-on perfect if some of these simple changes were made.

And before anyone pops up with "SEGA ESPN Hockey is better because it has trade summaries, less crappy music, etc.", I will say this: That game has a lot of potential, and can be kinda fun, but it's gameplay is simply not up to snuff with EA hockey. And really, that's the main criterion in my evaluation of the greatest of all sports games.