Something Is Off

• Posted by talugo October 27, 2010
• Recommended for Gamers or Budget Hawks

I am a really big hockey fan, and I have been playing hockey games since the (wait for it) Sega Genesis version of the NHL games (just dated myself). While playing games on my iphone I look for a number of things: fun games, easy to stop and start, and something that pulls me away from reality, but not something that stops me from interacting with my world (you know like being able to walk)
There is something off about this title. I don't know if it is the large file size for what you get, or if it is just the lite version. If I want to try something I shouldn't have to worry about how big it is. A good majority of games and lite versions, full featured and amazing to play are well under the file size of the major company releases. If I see a large company like Electronic Arts, I know that it is going to be large.
Even though EA understands that you can't have a real console version of the game on the iphone, they didn't get the buttons right in my opinion. If you are going to have three buttons to control the game and a directional pad, why not have them be programmable buttons like a console controller to make it easier for the end user? Instead, I feel pigeon holed in these three buttons that don't give you the control of a console.

It is a console styled game (and beautiful graphically), with arcade style controls (which don't feel right) which never goes the distance to solve the age old problem of shooting where you want on goal (instead of just shooting and praying) and being the goalie (which seems impossible to control).
They can really learn a lesson from Gamevil, who takes an arcade styled game (albeit a little cartoony) and has more immersion and addictive gameplay than the standard or much anticipated simulation game.

Hope the full game is better.