Cheap NHL FaceOff 2001 (Video Games) (PlayStation) Price

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Customer Reviews of NHL FaceOff 2001

Erik S's Review
NHL Face-Off 2001 is a great game. It seems like you are controlling a real game. You have a good selection of shots and the sound effects are killer. I have to say this the best hockey game on the market.

This Years Best PS1 Hockey Game, But That's Not Saying Much.
Hockey titles on the Playstation just aren't too good this year. NHL 2001 by EA Sports was not a good title. 989 Studios has finally bested the hockey battle this season, but that's not saying too much.

The good. It's hockey. The gameplay is done very well. Control is excellent, goalies are very realistic, line changes are unique (there's a button to change your forwards, and a different button to change your defensemen). Scoring goals is realistic where if you have a defensive breakdown, you're going to give up goals (you let someone wind a slapshot in the slot and your goalie will most likely get beat). However, great goalies do cover their own with some amazing saves after they give up bad rebounds--whereas lesser goalies will most likely give up a rebound goal with no defensive help. The play-by-play is done well with one of the best in Mike Emerik. There's even Zambonies bewteen periods and the three-stars-of-the-game and introduced when the game ends.

The bad. Well, this game looks terrible. With the exception of the "C" and "A's" on certain jerseys, the players and goalies look underdone and blocky. Player animation is beyond chopy, and the sounds are the worst I've ever heard in a hockey game ("Go Baby, Go"??? And hitting the post sounds pathetic--sounds similiar to a coffee mug being tapped with a spoon). Line changes are unique, but they are done poorly and slow--Every player exiting the ice during play uses the trap door? Not to mention the puck usually goes out of play along with the players going to the bench via the trap door. One of the biggest problems is the sim mode when in season play. You had better turn off injuries or you'll eventually be in trouble. How? You are only allowed 17 players on your roster! There's no "dressing" and "scratching" players for games like in EA's NHL series, you need to sub injured players with players already on other lines. How stupid is that?!? There are so many player missing in this game, it's upsetting. Also, color commentary is poorly done. Darren Pang is one of the best at doing this, but it's just not done well in this game. As for the voice acting? Just try to ignore the public address announcer--the worst I've ever heard next to Faceoff '97. The fighting is terrible in this game (guys who NEVER fight are dropping the gloves on a regular basis. I've gotten in fights against Paul Kariya--what's that all about?). Winning face-offs is a breeze (this game needs EA's NHL '99 feature of kicking out centers from the faceoff spot when a player cheats by tapping the faceoff button too much before the puck is dropped). This game even has those annoying "hot spots". Winning offensive an offensive face-off to your winger in front of the net for a one-timer is almost a sure goal. Too many weak penalties, and that ref needs to be either more detailed or removed (I've tried to hit him with a breakaway pass more than once--DOH).

This game may be the best to play because it's the least annoying. This years PS1 hockey titles are weak. I hope to get my hands on a PS2 soon to try it's hockey titles in hope for a near perfect hockey game. I've tried nearly every hockey game on the market for the PS1. Here's what I've found out so far: Best Gameplay: Faceoff 2001 Best Graphics: NHL 2000 Best Sound: NHL '98-2001 Best PA Announcer: Powerplay '98 Best play-by-play: Faceoff 2001 Best Color Commentary: NHL '98-2000 Best Options: NHL '99 (see above about the faceoffs), NHL 2001

I feel that all hockey games this year were not done too well mainly because the attention went to the PS2. So, with that said, NHL Faceoff 2001 is this years best PS1 hockey game, but that is NOT saying much at all. I still say that the best hockey games are on the Sega Genesis (EA's NHL '97, '98).