'NHL 2K8'

I recently made the jump from PlayStation2 to Xbox 360 so it is safe to say I was majorly impressed when I slipped this puppy into my new machine. The graphics are freakin' amazing. Seriously. I was playing this game and watching the Dallas Stars/Columbus Blue Jackets game on Fox Sports recently and was blown away by how much better the video game looked than the TV broadcast. I realize there are some limitations to what the regional broadcasting crew can do, but come one, the game blew away the real (televised) deal. This game is so impressive that I've set aside my beloved Madden in favor of my new love, NHL 2K8. Now if I can just get my girlfriend interested in sports video games I'll really have it made.

The biggest adjustment I've had from my upgrade to Xbox 360 is getting used to passing and shooting with the bumber controls. I still occasionally pass when I mean to shoot and vice versa but I've been able to adapt well enough to slip a couple pucks past the computer-controlled goalie and pick up a few wins in the process. I still have a way to go to master this game, but that just makes it more fun, right? Now, for the new stuff. The goaltending system has been completely overhauled and simulates actual play more realistically than ever. Make that more real and more difficult to play against. The way it should be. The all-new face-off system is pretty bad-to-the-bone too. Admittedly it took me a game or two to figure it out, but now I see that 2K Sports' hard work has paid off. With tie-ups, warnings, and toss-outs, this aspect of the game has never been better. And when you get tossed out of the circle, the computer takes over control of your player for that particular face-off. D'oh. I haven't spent a ton of time digging into the new Franchise mode, but it looks to be as all-encompassing as that of the Madden franchise. Once I've mastered the game I'll dive into the Franchise mode more deeply. The soundtrack features cool music from artists Bloc Party, Les Savy Fav, and Tokyo Police Club to name a few of the white-belted-crowd favorites. Altogether a completely fun and kickass game that'll have my copy of Madden gathering dust for at least another week or two. And, by the way, Go Stars!