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NHL 12: XBox 360 Game Review

Reviewed by on Sep 16, 2011
Rating: 4 Star Rating

Glass-shattering body checks and goalie fights! NHL 12 brings even more hockey realism to your game console! Read our game review for more details.

Hockey season is about to kick off once more! If you can't wait, you can get ahead on the action now by picking up a copy of NHL 12. There are lots of new gameplay features and a new game mode as well!

Realism vs. Reality

EA Sports has added a lot of little details that can make your games epic and memorable. The collision and object physics in NHL 12 have been revamped so that you can hit more things and hit harder. Now you can send a player through the glass or up into the benches. You can even knock their helmet off! Crashing the net takes on a new meaning as you can actually hit the goalie and knock the goal off its posts.

NHL 12 has a new feature called "signature traits" where specific players are programmed to really act like how they do in real life. Now, when you pick your favorite player, you can expect them to be able to do the awesome one timers, deflections, or snipe shots that made them your favorite in the first place. Unfortunately, NHL 12 isn't perfect in terms of realism. The graphics look good but animation can lag sometimes.

Goalies vs. Everyone

One of the big gameplay updates in NHL 12 is the technical battles in front of the net. Strong players can hold their position and push other players out of the way while faster players can shake off their check and knock loose pucks into the goal. Goalies can also push and shove for their right to see the puck and can even drop the gloves to duke it out with the opposing goalie in a fight.

Popular modes, like Be a Pro, returns in NHL 12. There is a new mode, Be a Legend, where you can play as some of history's greatest players. And, of course, there are various onlines modes returning as well.

Have Your Say

So, are you excited for hockey? How about NHL 12? Have your say in the comments below!

Rating:4

Price: $54.99

ESRB Rating: E 10+

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