Not developed in Montreal (this game is done by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C), but it’s still nice to see some new NHL gameplay.

This year NHL devs take it to the next level.

Video Games | NHL 10 | Gameplay Innovations Doc HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

First person brawlers are few and far between—only a handful, like Condemned, Breakdown and Zeno Clash, have found some degree of success with their attempts—but that’s not going to stop EA from letting you rain blows on the professional athlete of your choosing. The new addition is just one of "more than 200 gameplay refinements" shipping with the next iteration, according to EA, including the arrival of "towel-waving fans." Jeez, finally.

Of course, EA has slightly more worthwhile gameplay improvement planned for NHL 10, including bobble passes, scrums, and the option to one-time loose pucks, three things that illustrate how out of touch I am with the sport of hockey. Other additions include an all-new board physics engine, 360° precision passing mechanic and the ability to shoot while kneeling.

The game is scheduled to arrive on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year, skipping the PC and PlayStation 2.