Hockey is rough, and
Hitz 20-03 is even rougher. With 3 on 3 action, bulldozer pucks, and fights galore, the name does not deceive. But with the intrinsically brutal nature of the sport of hockey, it seems that
Hitz 20-03 could have gone even further with the violence. Instead of making you cringe at all the carnage, the action just makes you think, 'Yeah, that's probably what hockey players would do if there were no rules'.
The lack of extreme chaos is partly remedied by all the options you have to deal with. Every team from the NHL and most of the great players are included, and you can take any one of them through a Season or Tournament. You'll find the sweetest nectar, though, in the Franchise mode. Here, you create your own team, right down to the logo, and take them through a series of international games in an RPG fashion. Skill points and even authentic equipment can be allocated to your players, increasing their abilities per your orders. Once you have gone through the entire world and proven yourself, your team will then be able to partake in the Season and Tourney modes with the big boys of the NHL.
Newcomers to the sport of hockey will appreciate the Hockey School, taught by none other than the all-time most winning NHL coach, Scotty Bowman. This mode teaches you the controls, as well as good hockey strategy. Also included in the game are a few mini-games, some of which are unlockable, but despite the 4 player action, you'll quickly want to get back into the real game.
