NHL 07

NHL 07 was released during a transition period for the series, when the developers were learning to reinvent hockey on the new generation of consoles. The main effort went into controlling throwing and dribbling: instead of buttons, it became possible to set the direction with a brush, which made attacks more accurate and varied. The defense received more honest tackles and power moves, and collisions began to look impressive. The modes remain the same: in Dynasty Mode, the club goes season after season, dealing with the roster, injuries and money, while friendlies and tournaments allow you to simply play without obligations. Online matches attracted an audience that gradually got used to the new rules of the game. The commentators and match design are done in the usual television manner, replays and analysis of episodes add weight to what is happening. Players remembered this part more as a springboard: it felt like the series was trying out new tools and preparing for a big update. A separate issue is injuries: missed matches put key players out of action, so the depth of the squad has to be kept at the ready. Fights and power moves added emotion to the matches, but at the same time the punishments for them were strict. The presentation and design of the menu looks at the level of its year, and the atmosphere of the arenas is conveyed through the sound of the crowd, which reacts to every dangerous moment. To get acquainted with the history of the NHL 07 series, it is useful: here you can see the first steps towards the control that later became the standard of the genre.