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Scotty Bowman, coach of the Detroit Redwings, is the winningest coach in NHL history, and arguably the greatest ever. 989 Sports has hired Bowman as a consultant for their FaceOff hockey series. In a press release from 989 Sports, Bowman states, "This is the hockey videogame that the players play, and after meeting with 989 Sports, I know why. They really pay attention to detail and are meticulous about including every element of offensive and defensive strategies." These are impressive claims from a coach of the stature as Bowman.

NHL FaceOff 2000, by 989 Sports, is the latest hockey title in the long-running series. The game boasts a slew of new features. More than 80 new animations have been added, a new AI (I.C.E.) has been implemented, the camera angles have been improved, and the sound has been upgraded to Dolby Surround Sound, just to name a few of the new features. It is clear that 989 Sports is serious in vying to release the best PSX hockey title.

All of the new features in FaceOff 2000 do not mean a thing if there are superior hockey titles on the market. The other PSX titles have some items absent from FaceOff 2000, but are also missing some elements that make FaceOff 2000 a fun game to play. The following review takes a look at NHL FaceOff 2000 and provides some perspective on how it stacks up against NHL Championship 2000 and NHL 2000. When all is said and done, gamers should be sure to check this game out and give it a spin in the old Playstation.

One gameplay option that has impressed me about the FaceOff series is the ability to adjust gamespeed. FaceOff 2000 also offers this nice feature. Gameplay speed is a very subjective item for gamers. Some folks like a lightning-fast pace, while others prefer time to set up plays with a slower speed. A host of other options are offered in FaceOff 2000. Period length, penalties, rules, injuries, fighting, and sound are just a few of the configurable items. The modes of play are exhibition, season, playoffs, and a quick start mode. In addition to the NHL teams, the user can choose from international and All-Star teams.

There is no denying that NHL FaceOff 2000 plays a smooth game of hockey. However, there are several areas of gameplay that are inadequate. First, there are still only three lines from which to select. Second, the players fatigue too quickly. I am amazed at the frequency I have to change lines. These guys must be on the John Kruk exercise regime. Third, there is a nasty little glitch in which passes from a man below the goal line to a player on the sides just below the blue line tend to stay close to the boards and sail the length of the ice. This action occurs even when using icon-based passing. Fourth, on occasion, the CPU defense is totally unrealistic. The defensemen stay near the crease and do not pressure the pointmen. I was able to score frequently in these situations off of deflections on hard shots that were not adequately challenged. Fifth, rebounds are not cleared adequately by the defense. It is way too easy to move in and score off a rebound because the defensemen are not active enough. Sixth, the user can win far too many faceoffs. I routinely won over 90% of the faceoffs in each game. Finally, the physics suffer in some areas. The puck still moves around the boards too far and travels too far down ice. Also, the players actually speed up and "shoot" around the boards behind the goal line.

The difficulty levels of NHL FaceOff 2000 are Rookie, Veteran, and All-Star. The first two levels are fairly easy. My scores at Rookie level were generally ugly-12-0, 13-1, etc. At Veteran level, the scores were not as lopsided, but I had no difficulty beating the CPU. The All-Star level presents a reasonable challenge. My winning percentage at this level in a season with the Bruins hovered around .800. I played with 5-minute periods on all levels. The fact that the lines fatigue quickly made for some interesting races among the league leaders in goals, assists, and points. The scoring is spread out due to the frequent line changes. Overall, the gameplay is smooth and fun, but there are too many AI and physics problems to warrant a high score.

Unfortunately, NHL FaceOff 2000 does not offer a career/franchise mode. With many major sports games on the PSX now offering a career feature, I will assume that such a feature will be implemented in FaceOff 2001. Despite the lack of a career mode, NHL FaceOff still has a reasonable amount of replay value. Games can be played fast, which makes going through a season a relatively quick process. A welcomed feature is the ability for multiple gamers to play in the same season. I love this feature! Within the season play, the fact that the season stats are realistic, make for a fun competition for league leaders. There are also a ton of post-season awards given.

I absolutely love the feel of FaceOff 2000. The game feels smooth. While the animations are not the greatest, the game still plays great in regard to control. A wide variety of moves are possible. On offense, the user can pass, shoot, speed burst, do a one-timer, execute a give-and-go pass, make a drop pass, fake shots, and redirect shots. On defense, the available moves include speed burst, shoulder check, and hip check. The moves work well-sometimes too well. For example, hip checks are devastating and have a total arcade feel. It is possible to execute a hip check and have the player thrown halfway across the ice.

The graphics in NHL FaceOff 2000 are truly a mixed bag. The arenas are designed from the actual blueprints. They look very good, as each arena looks unique and features some of the characteristics that fans will recognize from the actual arenas. The Zambonis and blimp that appear between periods are a cool touch. The logos and ice also look good.

The animations range from great to pitiful. While most of the animations look realistic, a couple poor ones bear mentioning. When using the speed burst on offense, the player looks like he has an electric cattle prod up his rear. The jerky effect looks pretty bad. Also, the goalie animations could use some help. One of the better animations is when the skaters use a crossover step while skating backwards and turning. It is very convincing. Also, the checks and shots look very good. Oh, by the way, hats are thrown onto the ice when a player scores a hat trick.

The sound in NHL FaceOff 2000 is above average. First off, something I have liked about recent FaceOff titles is the inclusion of arena-specific horns. It is cool to hear different sounds at different arenas, and this effect adds a nice touch of realism. Second, the commentary is solid. Mike Emrick does the play-by-play, while Darren Pang is on color. Both men do a respectable job of covering the action and adding info about the players.

NHL FaceOff has licensed music that plays at appropriate moments during the game. "Respect," "Mony, Mony," and "Shout" will blare over the speakers from time to time. The team-specific chants add a nice feeling of excitement to the game. Finally, the renditions of the national anthems sound terrific-the best of any hockey game.

This year, no one of the three Playstation hockey games stand out as a clear-cut winner. NHL FaceOff 2000 has as much going in its favor as the other two titles--NHL 2000 and NHL Championship 2000. It just depends on what you want in a hockey game. The adjustable gameplay speed, oustanding camera work, and smooth feel, make it the most playable of the three titles. However, problems with the AI, a couple passing glitches, and horrible fighting system might turn some folks away from NHL FaceOff 2000. Gamers who have played the recent titles of EA and 989 will know what to expect when choosing the best hockey game. My best advice is to give NHL Championship 2000 a look, and if that does not float your boat, get either the EA or the 989 game. Personally, for my Playstation hockey needs, I will still be enjoying FaceOff 2000 and NHL Championship 2000, while NHL 2000 gathers dust. NHL Championship 2000 has a better AI and better roster management, while FaceOff 2000 is more fun from a gameplay standpoint. NHL FaceOff 2000 brings the fast-paced excitement and fun of the NHL to the PSX.