NHL 13

Forty-seven seconds after NHL 13 drops down through the letter box and I'm passed the first loading screen for the first of what is going to be hundreds of times this year. Before jumping into the game proper, with its promise of revolutionary skating, I'm tasked with naming my favourite team. Without giving it much thought I pick Chicago Blackhawks, something that carries with it a few (mainly cosmetic) changes to the experience.

On the ice it is quickly apparent that the game engine has been changed a lot. This may be a good place to remind readers that I noted at the same time last year that the engine was difficult to improve and that I was looking for innovation elsewhere. After just an hour with NHL 13 and its realistic physics, it leaves NHL 12 in the dust.

The changes made are really rather simple and easy to relate to in every day life. The heavier a body is or the faster it moves, the harder it is for it to stop. It's all about "momentum". Where players used to be able to turn on a dime regardless of speed, and reach top speed almost instantly, they are now all abiding to the laws of physics.

The feeling when you take a spin behind your own net and build that momentum to create an offensive threat passing line after line is tremendous. It reminds me so much of the real thing, that I find myself regretting the day I put an end to my own career in the juniors. Skating ahead at full speed has its drawbacks as well. Sudden turns without first slowing down are unthinkable, even if players like Ovetchkin are better equipped for this than your average minor league goon.

I willingly admit that I was completely wrong. An evolution of the core of the experience, rather than the surface, was the best thing that could have happened to the long running series. So what about the suggestions I brought forward one year ago? First, a feature I asked for, that is now included almost exactly the way I wanted it.

In the game mode GM Connected we are given the chance to test our skills as general managers against other players online. You can face off with up to 29 other human managers, with plenty of tactical options available if you're not able to play a game within the alotted time window. And we don't have to worry about "real life" interfering too much, as line ups, trades and other parts of the business can be conducted via a handy app on your smart phone.

What about my other expectations then? Among these were a major improvement in the graphics department and something new when it came to the commentary. Such as retirement for the skilled, but overused commentating duo of Clement and Thorne. However, most things remain the same. Players look marginally better up close, but still have to be seen from a far and in motion to really shine.

The commentating has also taken a small step in the right direction, thanks to a set of new and well timed phrases. With that said, it doesn't take more than an intense week with the game and it feels just like I'm listening to NHL 08 and every subsequent game after that. The biggest improvement in the sound department this year is the soundtrack, that used to be fairly horrible, but with bands like Anti-Flag and Gaslight Anthem it's actually pretty decent.

Among the other new features, a set of challenges called Moments Live stands out. Here you're given an opportunity to relive some of the main events and most dramatic sequences of last season, with rewards in the shape of credits for the brilliant Ultimate Team mode. Among these moments there are also classic games with the likes of Gretzky and Lemieux involved. The idea is that more of these moments are to be made available from the upcoming season - if owners and players can agree on a new deal that is.

As a hockey lover it is easy to be drawn to this kind of realism-based feature, especially when you're stuck in Europe with fairly normal sleeping habits resulting in very few opportunities to watch live NHL games. An extra nice touch is that all challenges can be completed in four difficulties with better rewards as the difficulty is turned up.

The most impressive thing about all these new modes is that they don't seem to eat away at old options, and thus the game grows with every year. You're guaranteed to find a game mode that is to your taste, whether it's online or offline, and regardless of whether you have lots of time on your hands or if you're looking for a quick fix. Hardly anyone will have the time to fully explore all game modes in the coming twelve months.

So what is the final verdict on NHL 13? Well, to put things in perspective I find it to be the best hockey game of the generation, even if NHL 07 will go down as the most influential one as it brought us the new controls. And even if the season is in its infancy, this feels like a strong candidate for sports game of the year, a title that I usually award FIFA, just ahead of NHL and NBA 2K.

As far as the future goes I'm staying away from speculation and advice this time around. Sure, there are details and areas that still need improvement, but I'm more confident than ever before that EA know what they're doing. In the meantime I will spend the next twelve months online, defeating opponents en masse and putting as much fear in them as a toothguard left behind on the bench.