“NHL 12” aims to round out the gameplay with net jostling and tweaked player physics.

The perfect combination of size, speed and presence, a good power forward can change the complexion of a hockey franchise. Legends like Peter Forsberg and contemporary bigs like 2011 MVP Corey Perry smother defenders on the forecheck, don’t shy away from contact in the corners, and are immovable enough to provide screens or position themselves for rebounds in front of the net. In previous NHL games, their general ineffectiveness made them the first guys I dumped in Be A GM mode; they weren’t fast enough to escape contact, and smaller players could easily knock them off the puck. Thanks to the addition of net jostling and a tweaked physics engine that makes it tougher for squirts like Daniel Briere to upend guys who tower over them, the power forwards are once again relevant in “NHL 12.”

The refined physics and net battles are just two of the many great improvements to the gameplay this year. With under-the-hood signature traits determining how an AI-controlled player should react, your teammates become more involved in the attack. Offensive defensemen join the rush, pass-happy centers hole up in Gretzky’s office behind the net, and snipers put themselves in position for one-timers. With goalies fighting to see through screens and pucks rebounding off their pads more naturally, “NHL 12” has the most diverse goal scoring I’ve seen to date.

However, some goals aren’t deserved. Refs blow calls regarding goaltender interference (leaving an open net), and defensemen are too lax in denying wraparounds or cuts toward the crease. Hopefully, developer EA Canada can address some of these problems with the downloadable tuner updates.

Be A Pro mode benefits the most from the new gameplay improvements. Since the revamped player AI is much more engaged in the offensive zone, it’s easier to trust your teammates and pass them the puck. The new in-game task system also helps the mode feel more dynamic. If your team is behind one goal in the third period, your coach may encourage you to even up the game and reward extra experience points for doing so.

While moving up the ranks in Be A Pro, players unlock nine legendary NHL players like Wayne Gretzky, Ray Bourque, and Patrick Roy. Though it’s fun taking these stars for a skate, Be A Legend misses the mark by placing them on contemporary teams instead of recreating the retro vibe like 2K Sports did with “NBA 2K11’s” Jordan Challenge mode.

The franchise-style Be A GM mode also aims for the net but ends up shattering the Plexiglas. For the second year in a row, trades, free agency, and drafting all need major overhauls. AI-controlled GMs still propose boneheaded trades, above-average players in their prime still get stowed away on minor league rosters, restricted free agents sit out entire seasons, and some teams even let their highly rated prospects enter free agency rather than signing them.

The two other NHL destination modes, the EASHL online hockey league and Hockey Ultimate Team collectible card mode, maintain their high quality by making a few small but welcome tweaks.

Though the Be A GM mode needs a major overhaul and the new Legends feature falls flat, “NHL 12” is still strongest where it counts on the ice. Just like a well-rounded power forward who can dominate in all three zones, you can’t deny the benefit this brings to the club.

‘NHL 12’

8.75 (out of 10)

PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

EA Sports, EA Canada

ESRB rating: E for Everyone

Top 10

XBOX KINECT

The editors of Game Informer Magazine rank the top 10 Kinect compatible games for September:

1. “The Gunstringer,” Microsoft Studios

2. “Fruit Ninja Kinect,” Microsoft Studios

3. “Child of Eden,” Ubisoft

4. “Dance Central,” Harmonix

5. “Kinect Sports,” Microsoft Studios

6. “Kinectimals,” Microsoft Studios

7. “The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout,” THQ

8. “Michael Jackson: The Experience,” Ubisoft

9. “Kinect Adventures,” Microsoft Studios

10. “Rise of Nightmares,” Sega

— McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Weekly download

‘BloodRayne: Betrayal’

For: PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

From: WayForward/Majesco

ESRB Rating: Teen (suggestive themes, mild language, violence, blood and gore)

Price: $15

Some shaky games and awful movies left little doubt that a change of scenery would be good for the half-human, half-vampiric Rayne. Whether it’s also good for you comes down to whether you tolerate punishment or embrace it. “BloodRayne: Betrayal” takes what formerly was a traditional action series and re-imagines it as a lavishly animated 2-D sidescroller with cartoony but graphically violent look. That animation is elaborate to an arguable fault, particularly when you’re trying to dodge peril and one Rayne’s attack animation creates a slight but critical lag in control.

Responsiveness is at a premium, too, because “Betrayal” is stiffly difficult in a “Mega Man 9” kind of way and occasionally unreasonably hard when it asks you to make some very precise jumps with jump and dash controls that aren’t so precise themselves. Those who pride themselves on mastering cruelly challenging games will get their money’s worth several times over, thanks to a campaign that’s tough to beat and a scoring/ranking system that’s merciless and demoralizing.

— Billy O’Keefe, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

New game releases

The following titles were scheduled for release the week of Sept. 18:

• “Aya and the Cubes of Light” (Wii)

• “Call of Duty: Black Ops — Rezurrection” (PS3, PC)

• “Burnout Crash!” (X360, PS3)

• “Rotastic” (X360)

• “Cubixx HD” (PS3)

• “Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection” (3DS)

• “Resident Evil 4 HD” (X360)

• “Fallout: New Vegas — Lonesome Road” (PS3, PC, X360)

• “Brunswick Pro Bowling” (3DS)

• “Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2 — Innocent Sin” (PSP)

• “Supremacy MMA” (PS3, X360)

• “F1 2011” (X360, PS3)

• “Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns” (DS)

• “Gears of War 3” (X360)

• “Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2” (DS)

• “Kirby Mass Attack” (DS)

— Gamespot.com