Fighting engines throughout EA’s enduring NHL franchise have ranged anywhere from passable to abysmal depending on which year you dial into. For the race to win the Stanley Cup in NHL 10, EA is focusing on what happens after the gloves hit the ice for the first time in the series.
Rather than fights erupting when two tough guys come together, a new first-person perspective fighting engine can kick in when an “enforcer” player comes to defend a “skilled” player who is taking a beating along the boards.
Board play has been developed into its own mini-game of sorts along the lines of post play in NBA Live where stronger players will be able to pin weaker players along the boards as well as have a better chance of kicking the puck out from a boards scrum to a teammate. Using one’s body to shield the puck along the boards will be crucial in buying a few extra seconds to hit a streaking winger with a quick pass. This is all possible thanks to a long overdue all-new boards physics engine.
Some of the other 200 gameplay refinements built into NHL 10 by EA Canada include one-timing loose pucks, scoring from the knees, knocking pucks out of the air and lifting a leg to fake a shot on goal, and a new 360° precision passing mechanic delivering control over the speed and direction of passes so players can bank passes off the boards or play the puck into space for teammates to skate on to it.
Crowds have been reworked to be more reactive to action on the ice and include towel-waving fans and glass bangers.
Look for NHL 10 exclusively on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in September.
