NHL 2003

Posted Oct 11, 2002 by TBO.com

Updated Sep 10, 2007 at 04:44 PM

System: Sony PlayStation 2

Also available for: Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Xbox, Windows PC

Publisher: EA Sports

Reviewer’s rating: B+

ESRB rating: Everyone

Game type: Hockey

Kind of like: ” NHL 2002,” of course.

Best feature: After scaling its steep learning curve, the new “dynamic dekes” feature lets you perform signature moves such as Fredrik Modin’s toe-drag and recreate plays such as the sweet backhand move Vinny Lecavalier used to undress St. Louis goalie Fred Brathwaite last year.

Worst feature: Online support (for the PS2 version) would’ve been nice. And how many years is it going to be before we can ice a team of NHL legends?

The bottom line: Tired of watching the Lightning flounder through season after season with one of the league’s lowest payrolls? EA Sports feels your pain.

“NHL 2003” gives you the chance to take control of the Bolts (or the Red Wings, for you front-runners) and help them make a run at Lord Stanley’s Cup.

It won’t be easy, of course. But it won’t hurt your chances to use the game’s excellent create-a-player feature to add rookie pivot Alexander Svitov to the Lightning roster. And you might consider dipping into the free agent market or pulling the trigger on a trade to bring in an impact player.

(Or, in the interest of realism, you could just pretend you’re Lightning GM Jay Feaster and give players away for nothing. What fun!)

Of course, what happens on the ice is all that really matters and ” NHL 2003’s” gameplay rocks harder than a Jassen Cullimore hip-check into the boards.

The game’s puck physics seem to get better every year, and in this year’s version it reacts just as you’d expect in real life, whether it’s bouncing off the boards, ringing off the goal-post or skidding across the ice after a saucer pass.

Everything from the speed of the clock to the elasticity of the puck is customizable, so players can perform surgery on ” NHL 2003” until its gameplay suits their fancy.

Goaltenders are better than ever, with improved artificial intelligence (they always know when to play the puck and — more importantly — when not to) and individual styles of play. For example, Colorado’s Patrick Roy plays a textbook butterfly style while New York’s Mike Richter plays a classic stand-up style.

There’s also a “game breaker” meter you can fill up by performing “dynamic dekes.” Once it’s full, you’re “in the zone,” and your surroundings (including opposing players) temporarily move in slow motion giving you a clear advantage.

It’s a dramatic effect that works in conjunction with nice visual touches (ice spray, glass-shattering checks) and exceptional audio (on-ice sounds, PA announcers, roaring crowds) to make you feel like you’re right there at the Ice Palace.

Or, uhhh, whatever they’re calling it these days.