Real hockey fans may know who Dion Phaneuf is, but I’d wager he’s no Wayne Gretzky. That is to say, he doesn’t transcend his sport in the manner of other superstars.
However, the capitalist machine marches on, and a new athlete must appear on the cover of EA Games’ NHL 09. Phaneuf is the man this year.
NHL 09 features a number of cool gameplay elements, including the return of the Skill Stick system, as well as the new Defensive Skill Stick, which allow you to make fine-tuned adjustments to your puck-slapping skills. It also has 6v6 online play, which could be pretty amazing if everyone plays their positions properly.
See this excerpt from the press release:
Players new to the series can now shoot, pass and check with ease. NHL 09 features Be A Pro, a game mode that will put you on the ice with a dynamic new 3rd person camera that allows you to play the role of one player. With a performance tracker grading your progress in more than 50 categories, you will know exactly where you need to improve to become the next NHL superstar.
The full press release is available from EA as a PDF. Continued…
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