2k8 vs. 2k9 vs. 2k10

[StormJH1]

I've been playing EA's game the past 3 years (and loving it), but the formula has been pretty much the same for several years, and I like to see what the competitor is doing. So I got 2k8 for like $3.50 used somewhere, and actually was having some fun with it. Do I like it better than the EA game? No, but it does a lot of things noticeably well that I wish the other game did, and I'm interested in trying out this franchise mode.

How do the last three games compare to each other? When I watch videos of them (and play demos), I don't see much graphics improvement, except perhaps in 2k10. The reviews have been steadily going down for the series, but I wonder if that's just because it's been stagnant.

Is 2k9 the best option, since it offers R stick shooting (like EA's game), while retaining a lot of the other gameplay (and adding stuff like playoff beards!)

Thanks.

[Money99]

I didn't play a whole lot of 2K8 or 2K9 but from my perspective the goalies and puck physics were better in 2K8 and 2K9 compared to 2K10.
However, 2K10's AI is much better. The CPU was very one-dimensional in 2K8/9 in that they'd simply charge the net. Barely any puck-movement or cycling.

[Fiddy]

stick with 2k8...

but

if you can find nhl 2k10 cheap on ebay or half.com, then go with 2k10.

[StormJH1]

Wow, so I picked up 2k8 AND 2k9 (for like a combined $15), and I'm not sure that 2k8 isn't significantly better than the newer title. Neither of them is great, but the goalie A.I. in 2k9 is TERRIBLE. I actually thought the goalies were a strength in 2k8.

Also, while the ProStick was a pain to use in 2k8, it was very responsive for deking and hiding the puck. In 2k9, it's so sluggish (and so extreme from one direction to the other) that you can't do anything with it. I was hoping to mess around with 2k9 so I could see the playoff beards and all of that, but I'm inclined to think 2k8 is a better game, sadly.

[savoie2006]

2K8 is better than 2K9 and yes the goalies in 2K8 are the games biggest strength. 2K10 suffers the same goalie flaws unfortunately as 2K9, the game is overall much better. The controls on D are better in 2K10 than 2K8, but dekeing is awful and stiff. If they could combine the strengths of 2K8 and 2K10, 2K would have an awesome hockey game once again.

[StormJH1]

Quote: Originally Posted by savoie2006

2K8 is better than 2K9 and yes the goalies in 2K8 are the games biggest strength. 2K10 suffers the same goalie flaws unfortunately as 2K9, the game is overall much better. The controls on D are better in 2K10 than 2K8, but dekeing is awful and stiff. If they could combine the strengths of 2K8 and 2K10, 2K would have an awesome hockey game once again.

Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed it! It's always the downfall of the "runner-up" franchise when they change the gameplan dramatically year after year trying to catch up. NHL 08 was a superior game that year, there was no denying it. Doesn't mean that NHL 2k8 was so terrible that they had to scrap everything about it. I like the goalies in 2k8. I like how responsive the ProStick is on offense, faceoffs, and defense, even though I don't like the shoulder buttons controlling shooting (changed it). And I hear the franchise mode was very detailed, which was the reason I debated between the EA and 2k products quite a bit at the time.

Look at what happened with the MLB 2k series, and it's very similar. 2k7 was a very attractive looking game that didn't play well. So, in 2k8 they screwed with all the controls, but also started over on graphics (and they were worse). 2k9 improved the controls, but they basically started over again, so the things was filled with glitches that were never properly fixed.

[savoie2006]

Quote: Originally Posted by StormJH1

Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed it! It's always the downfall of the "runner-up" franchise when they change the gameplan dramatically year after year trying to catch up. NHL 08 was a superior game that year, there was no denying it. Doesn't mean that NHL 2k8 was so terrible that they had to scrap everything about it. I like the goalies in 2k8. I like how responsive the ProStick is on offense, faceoffs, and defense, even though I don't like the shoulder buttons controlling shooting (changed it). And I hear the franchise mode was very detailed, which was the reason I debated between the EA and 2k products quite a bit at the time. Look at what happened with the MLB 2k series, and it's very similar. 2k7 was a very attractive looking game that didn't play well. So, in 2k8 they screwed with all the controls, but also started over on graphics (and they were worse). 2k9 improved the controls, but they basically started over again, so the things was filled with glitches that were never properly fixed.

It was a switch from Kush to Visual Concepts as the developer of both NHL and MLB that resulted in the scraping of so much that was previously right. It sucks, but VC had their own plans for each series and I feel they are on the right track. The question is, will the NHL series survive long enough to see the complete turnaround? They have already improved the graphics greatly over what Kush had in place and in half the time, as with the Offensive and Defensive AI. EA didn't build a champ overnight, so it's not really fair to expect VC to.

[StormJH1]

Quote: Originally Posted by savoie2006

It was a switch from Kush to Visual Concepts as the developer of both NHL and MLB that resulted in the scraping of so much that was previously right. It sucks, but VC had their own plans for each series and I feel they are on the right track. The question is, will the NHL series survive long enough to see the complete turnaround? They have already improved the graphics greatly over what Kush had in place and in half the time, as with the Offensive and Defensive AI. EA didn't build a champ overnight, so it's not really fair to expect VC to.

They must not have the resources for the hockey game to compete. VC also does 2k basketball games, and the menus and interfacing of 2k9 feel identical to NBA 2k9. But fire up the gameplay and it's not even close. The NBA 2k games actually do a great job with player models and especially with the ambience of the court and arena. There's bits and pieces of that in NHL 2k9/2k10, but it's still pretty ugly compared to what EA has come up with.

But I really don't think the graphics are what killed 2k hockey. What killed them is that they failed to evolve their gameplay in any meaningful way, while NHL 07/08 came out with new controls and A.I. that felt extremely different from their PS2 games. Back on PS2, I always thought the EA hockey games looked better, but that never stopped me from playing 2k instead.

[Money99]

Like Storm said 2K8's greatest strength is it's goalies and puck physics.
However, the CPU's AI is retarded. The game is only good for online games because the AI won't give offliners much of a realistic challenge.
In comparison the AI in 2K10 is much better. I really like it - for the most part.

I like the direction that VC is taking. It takes time to turn a ship around and by 2K8 you could tell that Kush had done all it could do with it's engine and AI.

2K10 is far from perfect or polish but a lot of what I dislike about it can easily be fixed. I didn't have much confidence for Kush's engine in the long run.

I really hope that 2K11 isn't cancelled because I think VC is on the cusp of giving us something fantastic. Just look at their NBA game. It didn't stomp on EA overnight.
If VC gets their chance I really believe they could give EA serious fits by 2K12. Maybe even earlier.

[jhordwell]

Edited: removed my post. Wrong forum.