NHL Breakaway 98

NHL Breakaway 98 is a 1997 ice hockey video game for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. It was the first hockey game to come from Acclaim Entertainment.[1] The Nintendo 64 version has Rumble Pak support. It was followed by a sequel, NHL Breakaway 99, released the following year.

"NHL Breakaway" redirects here. For the ice hockey term, see Breakaway (ice hockey).
NHL Breakaway 98
Developer(s)Sculptured Software
Publisher(s)Acclaim Sports
Producer(s)Douglas Yellin
Designer(s)J. David Elton
Rich Reagan
Chandler Holbrook
Programmer(s)Thomas Carbone
Dave Lang
Christopher Braymen
Platform(s)PlayStation, Nintendo 64
ReleasePlayStation
  • NA: September 30, 1997
  • EU: 1997
Nintendo 64
  • WW: February 26, 1998
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Features

NHL Breakaway 98 has a momentum-based checking system. Players can out-skate and out-muscle each other, depending on a player's size and speed. Some players are small but fast, while others are slow but possess strength and size. If a large, fast player such as Eric Lindros gets moving at high speed, the power behind his check is greater than what someone like Pierre Turgeon could produce.

Gameplay

Two players can compete in the Versus mode. If a player is edited, the name and number appear on the player's back. The game does not feature play-by-play announcers, but there is a public address announcer that only speaks when penalties are called, and when a player scores a goal, the name and number are said.

Reception
Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
N64PS
AllGame[2][3]
EGM7.25/10[4]N/A
Game Informer8.25/10[5]7.75/10[6]
GamePro[7][8]
GameRevolutionN/AC−[9]
GameSpot7.8/10[10]7.9/10[11]
Hyper87%[12]N/A
IGN7.4/10[13]7/10[14]
N64 Magazine62%[15]N/A
Next GenerationN/A[16]
Nintendo Power7.6/10[17]N/A
OPM (US)N/A[18]
Aggregate score
GameRankings78%[19]66%[20]

The Nintendo 64 version received "favorable" reviews, while the PlayStation version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[19][20] Reviewers were split about the PlayStation version; GameSpot and IGN both hailed it as a strong entrance into the crowded hockey genre by Acclaim, while GamePro and Next Generation opined that though it has some good features (the management mode and its point system were almost uniformly praised by critics[11][16][8]), it fails to effectively compete against established franchises from EA Sports (NHL) and Sony Computer Entertainment (NHL FaceOff). Where Next Generation said the graphics are rough[16] and GamePro said the players move stiffly,[8] GameSpot and IGN both said the graphics and animation are incredibly detailed and lifelike.[11][14] And while GameSpot asserted that "Even my puck-head of a roommate who is still addicted to NHL 96 for the Sega Genesis could immediately play Breakaway without being intimidated by the control",[11] GamePro maintained that "the unruly movements of your players make controlling them very frustrating",[8] and Next Generation found that "The speed is so intense that it takes away from the control and strategy by making the game a bit random. Often a goal will happen and no one realizes it until the players start to celebrate."[16] IGN, which called the momentum-based checking "one of the most innovative features ever to appear in a hockey game", summarized that "Acclaim has definitely poured its hearts into its initial entry -- and it shows."[14] On the other side, Next Generation concluded that "Breakaway is a solid hockey game that would've been best a year ago. However, strong showings by all the major competitors make this one that can be missed."[16]

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References
  1. "NHL Breakaway '98 (Preview)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 94. Ziff Davis. May 1997. p. 113.
  2. Cook, Brad. "NHL Breakaway 98 (N64) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  3. Kanarick, Mark. "NHL Breakaway 98 (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  4. EGM staff (April 1998). "NHL Breakaway 98". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 105. Ziff Davis.
  5. Anderson, Paul; Storm, Jon; Reiner, Andrew (March 1998). "NHL Breakaway 98 - Nintendo 64". Game Informer. No. 59. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on September 9, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  6. "NHL Breakaway 98 (PS)". Game Informer. No. 55. FuncoLand. November 1997. p. 83.
  7. The Rookie (April 1998). "NHL Breakaway '98 (N64)". GamePro. No. 115. IDG Entertainment. p. 89. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  8. The Rookie (November 1997). "NHL Breakaway '98 (PS)". GamePro. No. 110. IDG Entertainment. p. 161.
  9. Cooke, Matt (October 1997). "NHL Breakaway 98 Review (PS)". Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on June 13, 1998. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  10. MacDonald, Ryan (April 1, 1998). "NHL Breakaway 98 Review (N64)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  11. MacDonald, Ryan (October 22, 1997). "NHL Breakaway 98 Review (PS)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  12. Toose, Dan (April 1998). "NHL Breakaway '98 (N64)". Hyper. No. 54. Next Media Pty Ltd. pp. 48, 53.
  13. Casamassina, Matt (February 26, 1998). "NHL Breakaway '98 (N64)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  14. IGN staff (September 10, 1997). "NHL Breakaway '98 (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  15. Mortlock, Dean (April 1998). "NHL Breakaway '98". N64 Magazine. No. 14. Future plc. pp. 52–55.
  16. "NHL Breakaway '98". Next Generation. No. 37. Imagine Media. January 1998. p. 154. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  17. "NHL Breakaway '98". Nintendo Power. Vol. 106. Nintendo of America. March 1998. p. 97. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  18. "NHL Breakaway 98". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 1 no. 2. Ziff Davis. November 1997.
  19. "NHL Breakaway 98 for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  20. "NHL Breakaway 98 for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
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