NHL 08 360 demo out!!!!

[HawkeyeXP]

Its out and the PS3 demos is coming soon so hold on.

[Maverick]

VAST IMPROVEMENT! Wow... 100% better than '07. Skating is phenomenal compared to the wanabe mechanics from last year. Just about everything is improved, it is the same graphics engine but it has been seriously revamped. Passing, shooting, skating, AI positioning, and goaltending have all been vastly improved upon. I am very happy, this is getting pre-ordered.

Edit, did I mention that the skating was improved? Seriously it is like the difference between Sega Genesis and what Xbox 360 should have been... The goaltending isn't 100% They still let in pucks that they only miss like once every 20 games but I mean, with a engine like this, I am not complaining. Plus it is a video game, you need some scoring excitement thrown into like 5 minute periods... Also defensemen can play defense! :P They follow the shooter and can pick up passes much more effectively.

Edit #2 While it is great the defensemen actually play point now, there still is the problem with one of the players always standing still doing nothing like the game can control only three of your guys at a time =/

Also, hooking/high sticking is called quicker so someone can no longer grief you all day with it, diving poke checks are more limited to certain situations, mainly defensive ones, and you can receive passes while skating backwards instead of stopping and missing them! The passing system was improved too, no longer wild passes out in the middle of no where for mass icing calls so easily, the players are a lot more aware of their teamates around them and pass between the legs etc...

By far the key improvements overall is the increased ability in puckhandling, controlled movement, and revamp defensive system. Offense is drastically improved when your players are passing on target and when your defense actually plays and pressures the offensive zone on point. The same can be said for defense. Also instead of having to skate a circle to do an about face you can just do a standard hockey stop and push off the other direction, very key.

[McKingfan]

I like the way you can actually work the puck in the offensive zone now. You can get a cycle going and positioning of your player seems to have more of an effect now as to if you're going to retain posession of the puck or not.

The faceoffs are less predictable. 07 was kind of a joke and you always knew when he was going to drop the puck.

You actually have to work at getting the puck out of the zone with adds another element of realism to the game. No more one pass out of the zone and you're on the break. You actually need to work it out and get it up to one of your forwards or the D will clamp down on you.

Shots seem to be placed more accurately. By that I mean that in 07 I would often try to roof it and it would just slide along the ice. More often than not it seems I'm able to lift the shots.

As mentioned above, passing is much improved. But you can't just pass to a guy and expect it's always going to get through to him. I found in 07 you would almost always recieve the pass in traffic. Not so in 08. This again makes it more realistic and forces you to make good passes and work your way into the zone.

Skating is much better and it allows you to play better D in and set plays up on O. I also like how you actually have a better chance to get the puck when you blow someone up with a check. 07 seemed to allow too much time for the offensive player to recover and get the puck back. Not so in 08. If you blow them up, you'll more than likely get the puck.

Some quirks I found were that the puck can get stuck in a spot right in front of the goaltender where the D man seems to have difficulty getting posession of it and the goalie flops all over the place but can't get it.

I also scored a goal that would piss me off if someone scored it against me. I centered the pass on a rush looking to one time it in the slot. The defender tipped it and it went right over the goalie's shoulder and in. If it's a one in a million shot, that's pretty realistic. If it happens often, this will be the goal that drives you insane like the tricklers between the goalie pads.

I like the new move to drag the puck around the defender but I'm obviously going to need some practice at it. Right now I pull it off at the last second and have little or no time to make a move to beat the goalie. But the way the move works, I could see getting very good at it and pretty much owning my buddies with it.

Overall, I'd have to say I really like the improvements. The game play is very smooth. The control they've added to both O and D makes it so realistic it's amazing. I can't wait to set up an online league and play online against my friends. 9/11 can't come soon enough.

[SDG517]

This demo was solid, can't wait till it comes out and the skating engine is awesome this time around.

[King Henrik]

this game is definetly awsome im still trying 2 learn how 2 do tip ins and deflections, but one goal that i scored and suprised me was when i shot the puck and it hit the goalies pads deflected and went top shelf that actually happens in the real nhl and now it happenes in nhl08

[George Parros!!]

has anyone gotten into a fight yet? the fighting engine is pretty ridiculous

[Kubrick]

Originally Posted by George Parros!!

has anyone gotten into a fight yet? the fighting engine is pretty ridiculous

Very Rock'em Sock'em Robots-y. Felt like a throw back to the old 16 bit hockey game fight engines.

[evilgeek]

Still learning the controls (I need to learn to receive a pass and take face offs still)- but it does feel more like real hockey than the arcade style of the past versions. The biggest improvement i see over past versions is the players that don't have the puck - they do a much better job of getting into position and reacting to the plays. The ducks freakin destroyed me in all three games so far. What a brutal powerplay they have! Neidermayer on the point and Selanne in the slot - ouch!

Well done EA - your game is growing up!

[Watti]

This game is absurdly addictive, especially considering it's just a quick one-period demo...

I scored my first 1-on-1 skill stick goal with Heatley, where I pushed the puck ahead to the left, cut hard right around the defender, caught up with the puck in front of the crease just in time to roof it over giggly-Giggy's ridiculously oversized pads... it's really tough to do but extremely rewarding when it happens. Can't wait to do the same with Fro and Anze!

[Fropitar]

Wow. Huge improvement. All you 2K sports lovers... put it down. EA Sports actually has a decent product this year.

[OrangePuck]

I can't believe how good this game is and it's only a demo. They improved just about every single part of the game. I'm not talking little improvements either. I'm talking leaps and bounds here.

[Fropitar]

On second thought. Last years game had some huge bugs in it with the new features they added... I hope 08 isnt full of bugs as well. The score display already flickers sometimes during cinematics for me. Also the puck movement during shots is a bit... fast heh. Looks odd at times

[Fropitar]

http://www.easports.com/nhl08/
neat A.I.

[Defgarden]

Originally Posted by Fropitar

Wow. Huge improvement. All you 2K sports lovers... put it down. EA Sports actually has a decent product this year.

I liked 2k too. I have really high hopes for NHL 08.

[Chartrand]

I can't stop playing the demo. After each game, I want to play one more. It's like crack.

[MontrealKing]

Originally Posted by Chartrand

I can't stop playing the demo. After each game, I want to play one more. It's like crack.

If I go by the gameplay in the 360 Demo, EA did a bang-up job with the player control. It's amazing, you can actually get the player just where you want him. And the ability to actually set up nice plays is very cool too. Much better that 07.

MK