Platform Nation » Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith

Face-off to this NHL11 Review

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:49:45 +0000

It’s September 7^th, which means it’s that time of the year again. The latest NHL11 game is out today for the PS3 and 360. This current version of the game is promised to be bigger and better than last year’s game. This years’ game brings many new additions. From the very begging what I first noticed was the new physics engine. The goal behind this new system is to make every hit new and unique. I have found that the system does exactly that. It is much more enjoyable hitting someone this year because they seem to respond pretty closely to the way they should. Another thing I noticed is that if you miss a hit into the boards you seem to get penalized a bit more by having to wait and catch your bearings. You can’t skate a way immediately therefore letting the skater gets away.

The next major feature added to the game is the new face-off system. You now have multiple options during a face-off. You can go to backhand, forehand, tie-up the opposing player, take the puck and skate through, shoot the puck right off, or just do it like you always have and just pull back on the right stick. I am fairly certain this new system is based off timing and a rock – paper – scissors system. So far, I really enjoy this system. It breaks you from the monotony of the former system and gives you much more control over your style of game play. I did have some issues with using the tie-up the opposing player choice; I couldn’t get it to work most of the time. I am still not sure as to what style of face-off matches up to the other styles.

Some other additions that I had noticed were the addition of a new quick deke system and broken sticks. With the quick deke system it gave a chance for a less experienced player, like me, the ability to pull off those cool moves. In the NHL10 I wasn’t able to do most of the dekes and this new system gives me a much better chance of pulling it off. Though that isn’t to say there aren’t harder moves to try. There are, I just am not good enough to succeed. One of my favorite new additions is the ability to sprint. I know what you’re thinking, “They have had sprint in other games for years”. Well this is sort of different. It gives you a few extra steps of speed to beat out the defender or get to the puck first. I have wanted something like this for years and they added it, which makes me a happy boy.

Hockey Ultimate Team

This brand new mode introduces a sort of card game to the mix. As you play this mode, you will receive various cards that you can use to create a hockey team to play online against other teams or through single player tournaments. These games will earn you points that can be used to trade in for more card packs. The types of cards range from player cards (4100 players from over 10 leagues), arena cards, uniform cards, training cards, contract cards, and management cards. All used to create your teams. When creating teams, you have to keep in mind how well players play with each other and how long their contracts last. In the time I have spent with this mode, I spent much more time playing with my card configuration then I did playing hockey and in the end has been the favorite part of the game for me.

Overall Impressions

I have been a big fan of the NHL series since NHL07 when EA first overhauled the game. I felt that each year they had made enough advances in game play and features that it warranted a purchase for only the hardcore hockey fan, which included myself. If a causal player asked about the newest version, I would direct them to a previous year where they could get it for really cheap. This year I feel completely different. The addition of the new physics, face-offs, and dekes make this the best hockey experience you can get on a console. I especially enjoy the HUT (Hockey Ultimate Team), which brings out the inner (outer) geek in me. I love tinkering with all the cards to create the best team I can. There are still some minor issues. Such as players on the point will often not try as hard as they should to keep a puck onsides when trying to cycle the puck in the offensive zone or passes not going in the direction they should. As well as some presentation issues in the UI (User Interface) I have felt for a long time the menu system was not the easiest to use and in need of a major overhaul. This can be seen especially in the HUT part of the game. It is a bit wonky trying to move cards around. Looking at all the cards in your collection at once can be difficult if not impossible. Also I have never been a fan of the music they put in the game, but that is easily changed by creating a custom soundtrack. I have also had a chance to play some multi-player and it is incredibly fun. The brand new physics make the trash talking a lot more fun. With bigger hits and physics based dekes you can do some pretty cool stuff.

Thanks goes out to the team for making, what I believe is, the best sports game of the year. Overall I highly recommend this game to any sports fan. If you have an older version I suggest you pony up and get NHL11, it is cooler than the other side of the pillow.

I received my review copy of NHL11 (360) for free from EA Sports Canada

Target Demographic – Episode 100 The Reason for the Leading Zero

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:37:11 +0000

Our final episode. We hold back the tears, and soldier on with one last Around The Pool Table. Our community comes through for the final time with plenty of great emails and messages. It’s been an awesome ride, and we hope you enjoy one last party.

Around the Pool Table:
Bryan
- Watching college football
- Planning to explore the world of Online poker

Jonathan:
- Watched The Expendables
- Finished Kane and Lynch 2
- Played through Mushroom Wars and Shank
- Played Vanquish Demo
- Playing Mafia 2
- Playing Metroid: Other M

Matt:
- Played Castlevania XBLA 360
- Playing Singularity
- Playing DJ Hero
- Played Vanquish Demo
- Beat Read Dead Redemption

Wayne:
- Watched The Expendables
- Plants V Zombies
- FaceTime History

Mr. Matt’s Song of the Week:
- Emails from Eli, Woody, and Jonesyman
- Calls from Owen, Doug, Steve, Tony, and Mik

Target Demographic – Episode 099 Ubuntu!

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:24:23 +0000

Some things never change. Bryan will always dislike Pat Hill. Wayne will always pretend that convergence devices haven’t arrived. Matt will always enjoy The Big Pink. Jonathan will always love Google.

Around the Pool Table:
Bryan:
- TV is committing suicide
- Fresno State is in the Mountain West league. That matters for some reason.

Jonathan:
- Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game
- Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days
- Found out that my TV can talk to my PlayStation 3. Almost fainted with nerd joy.
- Watched Date Night

Wayne:
- iPhone 4

Matt:
- Saw Padres vs Giants in San Francisco
- Lucky Louis: Season 1
- DeathSpank

Mr. Matt’s Song of the Week:
- The Big Pink – A Brief History of Love

TD Newscast (all sources are links):
- Sony Took Our Advice. Maybe. Rumors of a PSP Phone with Google’s Android (via Engadget).
- Google Chrome Web Store Coming in October (via Next Gen Online).
- Microsoft Reveals Windows Phone 7 Gaming details (via Joystiq).

Community:
- Phone call from Phil
- Email fro Craig (check out his roadtrip).

NHL11 Demo Out Now!!!

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:46:01 +0000

If you have been waiting hands on NHL11 now is your chance. As of today, in North America at least, you can download the demo on XBLA or PSN. Whatever your vice, I really do suggest that you download the demo and give it it a try. If you like it as much as I hope you do then in a few short weeks make sure to pick up your very own copy of the game. In the meantime check out this video of the demo.

Target Demographic – Episode 098 Google Games?

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:34:15 +0000

Bryan is apparently now into astronomy, Wayne fights for justice against AT&T and Jonathan still finds way too much time to play games. Google has continued to circle around the games space and the crew dives into a man topic guessing when they will get serious about it.

Around the Pool Table:
Jonathan:
- Picked up DJ Hero
- Played through Plants Vs. Zombies
- Playing Landit Bandit and Wakeboarding HD
- Tried Lego Harry Potter and Transformers: War for Cybertron
- Watched The Other Guys

Wayne:
- Watched “The Other Guys”
- AT&T Data Plans for Smartphones

Bryan
- Recommend the Perseid Meteor Shower – August 12th & 13th

Mr. Wayne’s Song of The Right Now:
- Freelance Whales – Hannah

TD Newscast – Google’s Gaming Ambitions Edition (all sources are links):
- Past dipping their feet in the water: Lively and Pac Man.
- Plans to distribute games and other apps in Chrome OS and Browser (via Joysyiq).
- Reported investments in Zynga (via 1up).
- Purchase of Slide (via Endgadget).

Community:
- Big Announcement!

Target Demographic – Episode 097 You Can Now Call Wayne “Dr. Xbox”

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:22:16 +0000

After skipping a week for vacation, the crew is back with stories to share. We’re also all ready to have Christopher Nolan’s baby, although Wayne is not sure he’ll keep the baby. Finally, if you are wondering, those are bloddy marys (and Bryan’s was way too much for him to handle).

Around the Pool Table:
Bryan
- Watched Inception
- Downloaded the This American Life iPhone app.
- Listening to The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
- Climbed Mt. Whitney

Jonathan:
- Inception
- The Losers
- Vacation: Drove all over the Country (Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado)
- Read a book: Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates

Wayne:
- Vacation: Portland,Seattle, Vancouver
- Crackdown 2
- Inception
- Jersey Shore Season 2

Matt:
- Watched – Inception
- Watched – Predators
- Watched – Brick
- Watched – Dod Sno
- Hulu Plus Blows ASS
- Platinumed Borderlands
- Platinumed Lego Harry Potter
- Playing Red Dead Redemption

Mr Matt’s Album of the Week:
- Spiritualized – Let It Come Down

Community:
- Phone call from Phil

Main Topic: How Hard Is Too Hard? (that’s what she said?):

NHL11 Gamestop Preorder Surprise

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:59:09 +0000

I know all of you are eagerly awaiting September when we can all get our hands on NHL11. Until then there are a couple things we can do to bide our time. One thing you can do is make your way down to your local Gamestop and preorder NHL 11. What this will do is snag you access to a set of stat boosting equipment from Bauer that includes skates, gloves and a stick. You get all of this in celebration of EA’s NHL series 20th anniversy. The other thing you can do is follow the EA’s NHL games on facebook http://facebook.com/easportsnhl. There you will be able to find the most up to date news and video’s straight from EA itself. Lastly you can check out some awesome new screens below.

Target Demographic – Episode 096 The LeBron of Podcasts

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:23:57 +0000

This week we are down two good men as Matt and Wayne are out of town. Tony Cordova steps in to do the job of two men and amazing it turns out ok. Jonathan discovers that vodka enhances his love of Modest Mouse, Bryan prepares to make Bear Grylls look like a girly man, and Tony lets us all know that Terry Gilliam has still got it.

Around the Pool Table:
Bryan
- Getting ready to climb Mt. Whitney
- Watching The Wire

Tony:
- The Last Airbender
- Mass Effect 2
- Pokemon Diamond

Jonathan:
- Played through Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
- Played through Fieldrunners (PSP)
- Finished Red Dead Redemption
- Finished Singularity
- Played Crackdown 2
- Playing DeathSpank

Community:
- Phone call from Jonesyman

Main Topic: Stuff of the Week:
Mr Bryan’s Podcast(s) of the Week
- This American Life
- Planet Money
- Freakanomics
- A Life Well Wasted

Mr Bryan’s Movie of the Future Week
- Inception

Mr Tony’s Podcast of the Week
- All Songs Considered

Mr Tony’s Booze of the Week
- Stone Brewery Ruination India Pale Ale

Mr Tony’s Movie of the Week
-The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Mr Jonathan’s Artist of His Life
- Modest Mouse

Mr Jonathan’s TV Show of the Week
- The Wire

NHL11 More Stuff!!

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 04:27:08 +0000

Its been a while since I last posted about NHL11. I was so lazy I didn’t even get an article posted when EA released the cover artist to this years game. So without further ado (drum roll) NHL 11’s cover athlete is Chicago’s own Jonathon Toews. I am also including two video’s. One from one of NHL11’s producers discussing the new features. The other video is of my time in Vanouver. You can see me putting a helmet on at 15 sec in.

Producer Sean Ramjagsingh

Community Day Video (Check me out at 15sec in)

Target Demographic – Episode 095 Four Guys, One Snowball

Matt Elliott, Jonathan Maher, Wayne Richardson and Bryan Griffith — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:39:24 +0000

Wayne went to see the new Twilight. Matt watched The Karate Kid. Bryan hates Heavy Rain. Jonathan is lukewarm on Mario Galaxy 2. Still interested? That’s why we love our audience. Forgiveness: it’s a good thing.

Around the Pool Table:
Bryan
- Playing Heavy Rain
- Burnin Rubber a.k.a. Bump-n-Jump
- E3 Games:
- EA MMA Game
- Spare Parts

Jonathan:
- Played through Joe Danger
- Playing Red Dead Redemption
- Playing Singularity
- Watched Green Zone
- PlayStation Plus

Wayne:
- Watched Twilight Eclipse
- Watched Green Zone
- Prestige mode on MW2
- E3 Games:
- NHL Slapshot
- medal of honor
- EA MMA
- Kane and Lynch

Matt:
- Watched The New Karate Kid
- Playing Alan Wake
- Playing Super Mario Galaxy 2
- Watched Boondock Saints II
- E3 Games:
- OnLive
- Dead Space 2
- Laura Croft and the Guardian of Light

TD Not Really Newscast (all sources are links):
- Interview with Activision’s Dan Amrich. Big companies are not necessarily evil! (via Platform Nation).

Mr Matt’s Album of the Week:
- The Charlatans – You Cross My Path

Community:
Email: Woody! Asks us in vain for insight on the X-Com reboot.