<s>
NHL	B-Application
Powerplay	I-Application
98	I-Application
is	O
a	O
sports	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Radical	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Virgin	O
Interactive	O
and	O
Sega	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
in	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
NHL	B-Application
Powerplay	I-Application
'	I-Application
96	I-Application
;	O
there	O
was	O
no	O
"	O
 '	O
97	O
"	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
NHL	O
Powerplay	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Virgin	O
opted	O
not	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
,	O
Sega	O
acquired	O
the	O
rights	O
and	O
published	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
NHL	B-Application
All-Star	I-Application
Hockey	I-Application
98	I-Application
so	O
as	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
a	O
continuation	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
own	O
NHL	B-Application
All-Star	I-Application
Hockey	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NHL	B-Application
Powerplay	I-Application
98	I-Application
received	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
reviews	O
,	O
with	O
critics	O
expressing	O
differing	O
opinions	O
on	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
points	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
widely	O
complimented	O
the	O
player	O
A.I.	B-Application
,	O
while	O
the	O
most	O
strongly	O
emphasized	O
criticism	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
the	O
slow	O
play	O
speed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
EGM	O
were	O
particularly	O
vehement	O
about	O
this	O
in	O
their	O
review	O
of	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
,	O
characterizing	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
fatal	O
flaw	O
in	O
an	O
otherwise	O
well-made	O
game	O
;	O
Ricciardi	O
said	O
that	O
"	O
it	O
almost	O
seems	O
like	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
running	O
in	O
some	O
sort	O
of	O
slow	O
motion.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
McDonald	O
(	O
reviewing	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
)	O
and	O
GamePro	O
(	O
reviewing	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
)	O
instead	O
argued	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
fails	O
to	O
excel	O
in	O
any	O
category	O
and	O
,	O
while	O
an	O
overall	O
solid	O
outing	O
,	O
would	O
not	O
compete	O
well	O
against	O
upcoming	O
hockey	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
NHL	B-Application
98	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
GamePros	O
review	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
gave	O
it	O
a	O
positive	O
recommendation	O
,	O
saying	O
it	O
"	O
brings	O
a	O
fast	O
and	O
fluid	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
rink	O
with	O
nice	O
graphics	O
,	O
solid	O
control	O
,	O
and	O
authentic	O
sounds	O
"	O
,	O
even	O
though	O
the	O
reviews	O
were	O
both	O
written	O
by	O
the	O
same	O
critic	O
and	O
did	O
not	O
note	O
any	O
differences	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rubenstein	O
(	O
reviewing	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
)	O
also	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
positive	O
assessment	O
,	O
though	O
a	O
more	O
reserved	O
one	O
:	O
"	O
If	O
you	O
like	O
the	O
sport	O
,	O
you	O
'll	O
enjoy	O
this	O
game	O
;	O
the	O
3D	O
graphics	O
are	O
smooth	O
(	O
although	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
noticeable	O
slowdown	O
at	O
times	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
play	O
control	O
is	O
solid	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
laundry	O
list	O
of	O
features	O
adds	O
to	O
the	O
realism.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
you	O
really	O
want	O
a	O
hockey	O
game	O
for	O
your	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
this	O
one	O
is	O
probably	O
your	O
best	O
bet	O
for	O
now.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	O
version	O
held	O
a	O
71%	O
on	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
GameRankings	O
based	O
on	O
four	O
reviews	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
held	O
a	O
69%	O
based	O
on	O
five	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
