Considering the juggernaut that Electronic Arts' NHL series presents to anyone trying to make a name for themselves in hockey games, Virgin's meticulous effort, courtesy of its Radical Entertainment sports line, should at least make a big splash in the hockey pond. NHL Powerplay '96 features the most faithful replication of actual NHL play of any computer game. Whether it's the best of the hockey games is another matter entirely, but it's won the realism face-off. Playing this game feels like watching an NHL contest, with all the good and bad implications therein. This is gritty, detail-oriented hockey.
Ugly goals outnumber pretty passing plays.
Stifling D forces your finesse guys to dump and chase. Gamers who have weathered the past three or four years of decidedly so-so hockey AI know this all too well. But the AI in Powerplay is extraordinary, and the programmers at Radical deserve a stick-pounding salute for their achievement. Even the superstars work hard for their opportunities. Defensemen cover their checking assignments.