Now, considering NHL 10 is coming out around September (at least in the US, if not around the world during that month), should you still invest your money in the last game? I say absolutely, as you'll be getting quite possibly the most fun time you have ever had playing hockey, other than playing it in real life. Most sports games, as I'm sure most of you have realized by now, contain some form of Exhibition mode, and NHL 09 is no different. The one thing that this game does have a ton of teams to choose from, ranging from all of the NHL teams, including the 2007-2008 (correct me if I'm wrong) All-Star rosters, and it also includes teams from all the way out to the Russian Superliga league, which is great if you're a fan of hockey outside of the realms of North America and Europe. The game also contains a Be a Pro mode, which when compared to NBA Live's Be a Pro actually lets you play as your own created character or any of the hundreds of players in the game, and go through an entire career in the AHL or NHL, which is a lot of fun, although the different viewpoint in this mode can take some getting used to.
Also, you can't have a sports game without an online component (except on the Wii), and NHL 09 is no different. The online in this game is a lot of fun, with many different modes to whet your appetite, including the expected versus play, but it also has what is called the EA Sports Hockey League, which is essentially normal versus games, but with a large group of people able to play different positions, which adds to the realism of being able to play in the NHL, which is a very nice touch. The only real gripe that I had with the online play is that it has some lag issues, and it has a tendency to reset. What I mean by reset is that the game pretty much "rewinds" to a previous faceoff after a few minutes of play every so often, which leads to you having to repeat the few minutes you lost, which drags out the game a little bit, and can be somewhat aggravating. Other than that, A+.
Lastly, the customization is extremely extensive in this game. With the aforementioned create-a-character, the ability to mix around rosters and set team lines however you wish, NHL 09 is quite possibly the most interesting sim (of sorts) that you'll ever have the chance to play. Also, the achievements/trophies for this game will definitely give you a challenge. It shouldn't take you an incredibly long time to get all of them, probably around 20-30 hours as an estimate, but don't really take that for granted.
Overall, NHL 09 is a definite must-buy for any hockey fans out there who own a 360 or a PS3. Feel free to buy it if you like, or rent it if you wish to wait on buying an NHL game for NHL 10 to come out.
Final Verdict: Buy It
Also, you can't have a sports game without an online component (except on the Wii), and NHL 09 is no different. The online in this game is a lot of fun, with many different modes to whet your appetite, including the expected versus play, but it also has what is called the EA Sports Hockey League, which is essentially normal versus games, but with a large group of people able to play different positions, which adds to the realism of being able to play in the NHL, which is a very nice touch. The only real gripe that I had with the online play is that it has some lag issues, and it has a tendency to reset. What I mean by reset is that the game pretty much "rewinds" to a previous faceoff after a few minutes of play every so often, which leads to you having to repeat the few minutes you lost, which drags out the game a little bit, and can be somewhat aggravating. Other than that, A+.
Lastly, the customization is extremely extensive in this game. With the aforementioned create-a-character, the ability to mix around rosters and set team lines however you wish, NHL 09 is quite possibly the most interesting sim (of sorts) that you'll ever have the chance to play. Also, the achievements/trophies for this game will definitely give you a challenge. It shouldn't take you an incredibly long time to get all of them, probably around 20-30 hours as an estimate, but don't really take that for granted.
Overall, NHL 09 is a definite must-buy for any hockey fans out there who own a 360 or a PS3. Feel free to buy it if you like, or rent it if you wish to wait on buying an NHL game for NHL 10 to come out.
Final Verdict: Buy It