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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

System: Microsoft Xbox 360

Also available for: Sony PlayStations 2 and 3, Windows PC

Publisher: EA Sports
Reviewer's rating: ***½

ESRB rating: Everyone 10+

Game type: Sports

Kind of like: 'NHL 07'

Best feature: The game's adaptive artificial intelligence is pretty impressive.

Worst feature: The Lightning still have no goaltending.

The bottom line: After years of stagnating, EA sports finally breathed new life into its 'NHL' series last year with the introduction of the Skill Stick. Instead of assigning different buttons for passes, wrist shots and slap shots, the game lets you control all stickhandling and puck movement with the controller's right thumb-stick.

This was not warmly received by those of us who'd spent a decade or more mastering the old-school, arcade-style controls. It was more realistic, sure, but it was also really hard.

As a result, games were more strategic, more deliberate and lower scoring. (Gary Bettman would not be pleased.) In other words, they were more like hockey. But with 'NHL 08,' which tweaks last year's revolutionary formula, we're starting to warm up to that idea.

Executing your own backhand deke may be tougher than pressing a button and watching a canned animation, but it certainly looks better - and when the puck knocks the goalie's water bottle off the top shelf, it feels absolutely amazing.

Add a more robust Dynasty mode, improved online performance and updated rosters that even include your home team's AHL and European prospects and you've got quite a package.

And, yeah, you can switch back to the classic control scheme, but if you give the new one a chance you're likely to be glad you did.
Rommie Johnson

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