This year's 2009 version of the NHL franchise looks as great as ever. The player models look outstanding, and the arenas top the charts as well. The normal mapping of the player uniforms helps bring realism to the ice as well. One of the sweetest graphical pluses may go unnoticed at first, but as you are skating, the ice does get more and more skate and scuff marks, also adding to the realism.

Unfortunately, the Create-A-Player isn't as good as in some of EA's other sports titles. Unlike those others, NHL 09 doesn't allow for putting your own mug onto the player models via EA's Game Face, which would have been a very cool feature for a smash-mouth game such as hockey. It also has very little in the way of character features to choose from. Another disappointment is a crossover between graphics and gameplay in that it is often very hard to distinguish where the puck is on the ice, and could have stood out more with a brighter or more noticeable highlight around the puck, especially when it ends up toward the sides of the screen.

I do have to mention that as far as Menu graphics go, NHL 09 isn't as eye-friendly as some of EA's other sports titles are. It's weird, because they appear to use a similar Menu system, but in NHL, the text is once again hard to read on an SDTV.

As far as the audio goes, NHL 09 does a great job in all aspects of the game. In the Menus, the music holds your interest and doesn't get too annoying. On the ice, the commentary is top-notch and has never sounded better. The pair of Gary Thorne and Bill Clement has very smooth transitions from play to play, and calls the action immediately when the puck changes hands in most circumstances. There is often little dead air, which adds to the overall presentation of the game. I don't think the commentators have ever sounded better in a sports game to this date. A really sweet addition to the game this year is the ability to put your custom tracks in. Okay, that has been around for years, but not like this. You can actually customize your Xbox 360's playlists, and then set up the game to play certain songs at specific times. As an example, when you take the ice or score a goal, your custom anthem will play, among many other opportunities. The sound fx are great too, and I especially love the sound of the puck hitting the boards.

It has been a couple of years since I have played EA's NHL series of games, but there has always been one constant for many, many years. I suck. Thank you, NHL 09, for coming into existence. Okay, so I probably still stink up the ice, but the playability seems as if it has changed for the better. I can now actually score, and with the addition of the sweet defensive Skill Stick moves, I feel like I stand a fighting chance in each and every game. One can now poke check the puck away from the offense, and on both sides of the ice, you'll be using the analog sticks as much as the face buttons, thanks to the switch to passing with the right trigger. Of course, it takes a while to get used to not speed-bursting, so there is a learning curve here as well.

NHL 09 offers up some cool modes of play, from the standard Exhibition and Dynasty Modes, to new features like that of Be A Pro and Online Leagues. While Dynasty is great for taking control of your favorite team and leading them through the ranks of a championship franchise, the new Be A Pro has you at the helm of controlling a single player (by default), which is a ton of fun. I have to admit that at first I wasn't that impressed, but with the goals set forth in front of your player by the coaches and management, there is a tangible light at the end of the tunnel for you to perform. There are two sub-modes, if you will, as you can either choose to take control of your favorite current NHL star's career, or you can work your way up from the farm teams to the pros. Since you will only control your created (or professional) character, for the first time you feel the intensity as you will have to change lines and recoup your stamina, watching from the sidelines as you ride the pine. In fact, for the first time, you'll also feel the pain of not being on the ice due to a penalty, as your five minute major for fighting forces you to sit and watch from the penalty box. Cool Beans! The Be A Pro feature actually can help out people that aren't so hockey-savvy as well, because there will be an arrow helping you out with where you need to position yourself on the ice, depending on the player position that you choose to control.

NHL 09 goes online in a big way with the addition of Online Leagues and the EA Sports Hockey League. Here you'll have the opportunity to become the best in the world and show your prowess off to the rest of the online hockey fans in an MMO for sports, as you can join 6-on-6 teams in a giant online community. You can also hop into Quick Matches for singles or team play, as well as have online Shootouts. There are a ton of ways to play, which helps make NHL 09's replay value extremely high, both online and off.

There are a few annoyances with NHL 09's gameplay this year, but for the most part, they are very forgettable due to the greatness that surrounds the game. The biggest annoyance for me came in the Be A Pro feature, especially. Unlike other modes, where the camera follows the puck better (due to your character having it), in Be A Pro, the puck can often times be off the screen while on offense, so calling for a pass is a bit more risky, and knowing the best position to get into can sometimes be a guessing game. It also seems a bit easier to shoot wrap-around shots this year, so I see that as a possible exploit. Despite these nit-picky issues, NHL 09 is the best hockey game in years, hands down.

Like most of EA's sports titles, NHL 09 offers up players with multiple difficulty modes to choose from, but the default Pro setting is probably where most players will want to start out because it offers a great balance of fast gameplay and intelligent A.I. In fact, the biggest difficulty of NHL 09 falls within the realm of the learning curve of mastering different shots, how to pass effectively, and in where to position yourself on the ice.

Fortunately, by playing through different modes of play (including going through the Tutorial section), you can gradually get used to these types of actions. By practicing your slap shots and wrist shots, you'll be able to learn valuable techniques in how to score. Likewise, by playing the Be A Pro gameplay modes, you'll be directed to the correct positions on the ice for your particular players by following a dynamic arrow that updates as the puck changes hands and teams. This feature is great for people who don't know the ins and outs of hockey, and will help them... ahem, us, find our way around in other gameplay modes as well.

Of course, whether you are playing locally or via Xbox Live, multiplayer game difficulties will rely not only on your ability to skate, shoot, and defend, but also on your reactions to human-controlled players. Fortunately, defense got a huge boost in controls this year, which also helps even the odds between those who may be offensive-minded and those who haven't played as much before.

NHL 09 has gotten a bit of a facelift in the controls department. While I was skeptical of the default controller scheme at first, I have become a true believer. There will be a bit of a learning curve though, especially when you consider that pulling the Right Trigger now passes the puck instead of giving a speed burst, which can be a bit hairy until you get used to it. You'll also use the Right Analog stick more this year. Not only will you be able to perform fake shots or shots on goal on offense, but you'll also be able to use the Right Analog stick on defense. In addition, one can now poke check easily in all directions, and even drop to a knee while putting your stick to the ground to block pucks, both of which have helped step up the defense immensely. NHL 09 also features a Create-A-Play mode, so those of you who like to strategize will also find a home in your coaching abilities.

If you're like me and haven't played a good NHL game lately, or if you have long given up on the series because of its difficulty factor or your inability to score or play defense, it is time to step up and face the reality that NHL 09 is one of the best hockey games that I've ever played. There are so many new features and modes of play present that you really can't miss with this year's installment. All of the basics are there, but the addition of the Be A Pro and Online Leagues is outstanding, and shouldn't be missed. I highly recommend NHL 09 for not only fans of the series and fans of the sport, but those who have strayed and are looking for a reason to come back to EA. NHL 09 is the new standard in sports gaming!