If you can get past some of the sloppy control and strong defensive qualities of the game (including a too-effective poke check), you'll find a game completely opposite all other arcade based titles on the market.
While it has all the makings of a great game, its ho-hum presentation, standard graphics and gameplay, missing online play and overall lack of innovation make this a game to pass on if you can.
The sound of skates on ice is particularly grating here, sounding more like nails on a blackboard than thin knives of steel dragging across a slab of frozen water.