ESPN NHL 2K5

ESPN NHL 2K5
ESPN NHL 2K5
Cover art featuring Martin St. Louis
Developer(s)Kush Games
Publisher(s)Sega
Global Star Software (PAL)
SeriesNHL 2K
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
  • NA: 1 September 2004[2]
  • AU: 28 January 2005 (Xbox)[1]
  • EU: 4 February 2005
  • AU: 7 February 2005 (PS2)[3]
Genre(s)Traditional ice hockey simulation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

ESPN NHL 2K5 is an ice hockey simulation developed by Kush Games, co-published by Sega and Global Star Software, and released on the Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles. ESPN/ABC's Gary Thorne on play-by-play commentary and Bill Clement on color commentary calls all the action. This is also the last NHL Game to be published by Sega, and the last to be branded by ESPN.

Gameplay

The game includes an extensive franchise mode where the player can perform many team management functions, including hiring staff, managing player contracts, editing players, scouting new players and sending players back to minor teams for training. It also includes more traditional game modes like season, playoffs, exhibition and shootout. The game manual is also built into the software.

The 2004's edition of the game also introduces an advanced control setting which allows much more flexible control of the player, using the entire control pad rather than only a few buttons.

The North American release of the game features a number of specific game additions, including the ability to play the Heritage Classic, the first time an official outdoor hockey game was represented in a video game.[4]

The cover of ESPN NHL 2K5, features Tampa Bay Lightning's Martin St. Louis. The cover of the Canadian edition surrounds the "NHL 2K5" lettering with a maple leaf.

Controls

The controls in the game allow the player to have full stick control on both offense and defense. On the offensive side they can control their dekes by moving the right analog stick. This does a deke in the direction the analog stick was pushed. Also on offense when they want to deke out a goalie they hold the preset button (ex: for Advance hold L1+O) and move the stick with the left analog stick and then release to shoot. This provides for exciting dekes, but also on offense they can protect the puck from poke-checking defensemen by hold circle and choosing where they want to protect it with the analog stick. On the other side the defensive stick control allows them to skate backwards and also swing their stick across the ice to hit the puck away from the opposing player.

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[16][17] It received runner-up placements in GameSpot's 2004 "Best Traditional Sports Game" and "Best Budget Game" award categories across all platforms, losing both to ESPN NFL 2K5.[18] During the 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated ESPN NHL 2K5 for "Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year", which was ultimately awarded to ESPN NFL 2K5.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ van Leuveren, Luke (January 17, 2005). "Updated Australian Release List - [year mislabeled "January 17, 2004"]". PALGN. PAL Gaming Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  2. ^ Goldstein, Hilary (September 1, 2005). "ESPN NHL 2K5". IGN. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  3. ^ "ESPN NHL 2K5". Gameplanet. Archived from the original on 17 March 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ Sapieha, Chad (18 November 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b EGM staff (October 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 183. p. 99.
  6. ^ a b Reiner, Andrew (September 2004). "ESPN NHL Hockey 2K5 [sic]". Game Informer. No. 137. p. 103. Archived from the original on October 31, 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  7. ^ a b The Enforcer (December 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". GamePro. p. 144. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Gee, Brian (October 7, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5 Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Navarro, Alex (September 1, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  10. ^ Steinberg, Steve (September 8, 2004). "GameSpy: ESPN NHL 2K5 (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 17, 2005. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  11. ^ Valentino, Nick (September 6, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5 - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Goldstein, Hilary (September 1, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". IGN. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  13. ^ "ESPN NHL 2K5". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. October 2004. p. 99.
  14. ^ "ESPN NHL 2K5". Official Xbox Magazine. October 2004. p. 78.
  15. ^ Hill, Jason (February 17, 2005). "Terrific compilation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  16. ^ a b "ESPN NHL 2K5 for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  17. ^ a b "ESPN NHL 2K5 for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  18. ^ The GameSpot Editors (January 5, 2005). "Best and Worst of 2004". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "2005 Awards Category Details Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
Preceded by ESPN NHL 2K5
2004 		Succeeded by