NHL 2001 Download PC Game
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NHL 2001 is a video game released by Electronic Arts in 2000. It is the successor to NHL 2000. An add-on featuring Elitserien and SM-Liiga was released on the PC version on March 8, 2001, that added Swedish and Finnish hockey leagues and teams to the game. It is the tenth installment of the NHL series, the final to be released on PlayStation, and the first to be released on PlayStation 2.
Jim Hughson remains as play-by-play announcer in the game, with Bill Clement joining as an analyst for a second time, debuting in the previous edition, NHL 2000. This is also the first NHL game to appear on the PlayStation 2 and also to include Latvia and Ukraine to the 18 national teams first featured in NHL 98 (only available in the PC and PlayStation 2 versions). There is also a brand new feature called the Momentum Bar, which goes to the team who has scored goals, done big hits, etc.
An expansion pack for the PC version of NHL 2001 including the Swedish and Finnish elite leagues was released in early 2001, titled Elitserien 2001 (SM-Liiga 2001 in Finland). It includes all 12 teams from Elitserien and all 13 teams from SM-Liiga at the time. It also includes new intro play-by-play by Arne Hegerfors in Swedish, and Mika Saukkonen in Finnish. And new arena announcers by Magnus Gustafsson in Swedish, and Pentti Lindegren in Finnish. The cover athlete on Elitserien 2001 is Henrik Zetterberg of Timrå IK, and the cover athlete on SM-Liiga 2001 is Raimo Helminen of Ilves.[1][2][3][4]
The PC version received \"universal acclaim\", while the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 versions received \"generally favorable reviews\", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[5][6][7] Emmett Schkloven of X-Play gave the PS2 version four stars out of five and stated, \"EA has spent a lot of effort making NHL 2001 accessible to newcomers and non-hockey fanatics. Easier controls, clean gameplay and a fast, slick interface all contribute to the company's success in this endeavor. Fortunately, the depth and realism that make hockey lovers like myself such fans of the franchise have not been sacrificed. The game is not as flawless as it could be, but it is damn close. And it's still only launch year.\"[36] Jim Preston of NextGen said, \"EA's first NHL effort on Playstation 2 [sic] is almost as deep as it is pretty.\"[31]
Clayton Crooks of AllGame gave the PC version four-and-a-half stars out of five and said, \"Hockey fans are sure to enjoy NHL 2001. It offers impressive (albeit repetitive) audio, superb graphics and animation to go along with exciting gameplay and fans of both arcade and simulation-style sports games should be able to find some aspect to enjoy. Online play, customizable rosters that are available for download from the Internet and multiple season modes make this a game that should occupy the hard drive for a long time, at least until the next version is released.\"[37] Matt Grandstaff of the same website gave the PlayStation version four stars, saying that it was \"a better game than its PS2 counterpart. Even though it lacks some of the many customizations available in the PS2 version and is an ugly duckling in comparison, gamers looking for the most authentic hockey action for the 2000-2001 season should go with the PS version -- even if they own a PS2.\"[38] However, Terry Chung gave the PS2 version three stars, calling it \"a worthy attempt at bringing the series to a 128-bit system, but with a few minor problems that need to be worked out, it should have been sent down to the minors for some reconditioning before coming back up.\"[39]
Kevin \"BIFF\" Giacobbi of GameZone gave the PC version a perfect ten, calling it \"a must have\".[40] Kevin Krause later gave the PlayStation 2 version 9.3 out of 10, calling it \"a great game overall and the innovative new features put it yet another step ahead of the pack. My recommendation Pick this one up!\"[41]
The PS2 version was a runner-up for GameSpot's annual \"Best PlayStation 2 Game\" award, which went to SSX.[42] In the same way the PC version was a runner-up for the website's annual \"Sports Game of the Year\" award, which went to FIFA 2001.[43] The same PC version won the award for Sports Game of the Year at the CNET Gamecenter Computer Game Awards for 2000.[44] The staff of Computer Games Magazine nominated the same PC version for their 2000 \"Sports Game of the Year\" award, whose winner remains unknown.[45] It was a runner-up for \"Sports Game of 2000\" in both Editors' Choice and Readers' Choice at IGN's Best of 2000 Awards.[46]
One of the best recurring lines in Paul Newman's classic Slapshot concerned old-time hockey, as symbolized by Toe Blake and Eddie Shore. These two icons were supposed to represent what was once good and pure about the game...and what was so dreadfully wrong about Reggie Dunlop's mid-70s goon show. Of course, if you delve a little deeper into that comment, and the two legends mentioned, you'll find that it's actually got nothing to do with halcyon days of skill and scoring---though it is pretty illuminating about the dual nature of the game itself. Legendary Montreal Canadiens coach Toe Blake was the ultimate tactician. His strategic abilities and blending of skill and strength allowed the Habs to dominate the 1950s and win an incredible six Stanley Cups in a row. Eddie Shore, on the other hand, was equal parts talented defenseman and thug when he lined up for the Boston Bruins of the 1920s and '30s. Four Hart Trophies aside, he blindsided Ace Bailey in 1933 and cracked his skull open. Scratch one career. Shore ended his days as the American Hockey League's version of Bobby Knight, terrorizing players on the Springfield Indians team he owned and operated right up to 1978.
So hockey has never been about either beauty or brutality; it's always been about both, and you need to know this in order to truly appreciate and understand the game. Most people just don't get it. And one of the biggest consistent examples of just not getting it has been on display for a decade in EA Sports' NHL series of games for the PC. Something has always been missing, even during the good years. Different specific flaws presented themselves, such as the super goalies and scoring moves that always resulted in goals, but it always came down to the simple fact that the game wasn't well-rounded. Speed was about the only important aspect of every contest. You'd race up and down the wing, fire the puck back and forth with tape-to-tape passes, and blast as many shots on goal as possible in an attempt to win. This could be fun on occasion, but it was never satisfying for very long.
That's finally changed. NHL 2001 is the closest that the venerable series has ever come to a true simulation of hockey. The addition of AI slider bars allows you to tweak almost every aspect of gameplay, providing a fuller and more accurate recreation of both hockey as a sport and the NHL as its showcase. Individual contests are no longer about ripping around like Speedy Gonzalez on mescaline, pressing speed burst all the way. Manipulate those sliders a little bit and you'll soon be experiencing realistic scores, accurate shot counts, and, perhaps most importantly, on-ice play that's remarkably true to life. Slower, stronger players such as big bruising defensemen can now take their proper place in the lineup alongside speedsters like Teemu Selanne and Jeff Friesen. Developing a feel for the game and a knack for positioning has taken precedence over learning to thumb the speed burst button a thousand times per minute. Although there are still some fairly noteworthy flaws, I would recommend this game to anyone interested in sports titles. Without question.
The fullness of NHL 2001 is apparent as soon as you load it up. Like all EA Sports efforts, this one is packed to the brim with options. All the standard game options are present. Suit up for an exhibition game or quick shootout, or get a little more serious and start a season (which is really a franchise mode, as it features rookie drafts, free agent signing, computer trading, and up to 10 consecutive seasons can be played), playoff, or tournament. Online play includes one-off games that can be launched either directly via modem, LAN, or TCP/IP, or through the game's dedicated lobby at EA.com. Difficulty modes include Beginner and Rookie for those just getting started, and Pro and All-Star for those who need more of a challenge. All 30 current NHL clubs are featured, most with a good selection of sweaters from their entire history. So feel free to relive the glory days of the Minnesota North Stars or Winnipeg Jets, or simply throw those ugly old \"V\"s on the Canucks again. Twenty international teams are also on hand. If this isn't enough, you can create your own team based in the city of your choice, complete with custom logos and sweaters. Oddly enough, there isn't any way to use these custom teams in a season. Each club has also been programmed with specific coaching strategies. Numerous options are available if you don't like how your team performs out of the box, though.
Other noteworthy additions focus on adjusting the way that the game plays out on the ice. A Momentum Bar now tracks the ebb and flow of each game on the scoreboard (though it can be hidden if you want to just feel these shifts). Collect a few quick shots on goal, get a good scoring chance, or knock out the opposing heavyweight in a center ice tilt and you'll swing the bar your way and pump up your entire roster. This both accurately reflects the way that real games work and forces you to freeze the puck or ice it at times to relieve pressure. It's a great addition that adds much to gameplay. The designers at EA Canada also spent a lot of time on ensuring that each user could play the game that they want, and this shows in the presence of a whopping 17 AI slider bars that regulate almost everything that goes into a hockey game. You can adjust Game Speed, Speed Burst Length, Speed Burst %, Fatigue,