NHL 12 Review

The heart of NHL 12 is nearly identical to that of its predecessor. Controls involve the same precise mix of analog sticks and buttons. They remain a great balance of pure arcade twitch reactions and a simulation of hockey because you can pull off some nifty moves with the right stick yet still play a formidable game by keeping to the basics. All of the main modes of play have been brought into the new game with few changes. You can still get into quickie solo matches and play-off runs for the Stanley Cup; create a rookie in Be a Pro and skate him to stardom from the juniors to the big leagues; go online for lag-free one-off games and full seasons; head into the front office with Be a GM; mess around with the oddly compelling Hockey Ultimate Team and its card-driven game mechanics; and so forth. EA held the line here on new features. Core elements of the game are right where they were last fall, so you don't need to even glance at the manual.