Is NHL 13 good for beginners?

I've recently been gaining some person interest in hockey. I would like to give NHL 13 a try, but find it kind of hard to know what I am doing or the different aspects of the sport. Is the game good for beginners in that it can teach the different positions and rules of the game and can teach me how to get a good handle on playing it? Or will I be just skating around and trying to get the puck in the goal, while fiddling with the controls and angry I can't figure anything out?

I second this question. The game looked weirdly enjoyable from the quick look, but I have had a miserable time with any sports game that isn't Backbreaker because I have no concept of the sport or anything like that.

@MordeaniisChaos: KInd of the same for me, except for me it's football. I hate football, but I've grown up in a football crazed family and I understand the sport, so I can at least play Madden and know what I'm doing.

I haven't played NHL 13 but I wouldn't count on it telling you how to play a position or what are common strategies in hockey. NHL 11 certainly didn't. Even with the Be A Pro mode when you select if you're a Sniper, Play Maker, Enforcer, etc it doesn't explain any of that. It very much assumes you know whats going on.

NHL Arcade is awesome on PSN/XBL. Get that. It is mercifully not stupid loud aesthetics like a lot of arcade sports games are or try to be Urban or Xtreme. See Madden Arcade for a stupid obnoxious dumbed down arcade version.

Sports games are becoming too complex. People who say sport games are for stupid jocks should try playing one these days. I keep trying to play MLB The Show every year with a new demo but I have no idea of how to play it which sucks because the game looks so beautiful.

I don't have 13 but have owned the past 3 or 4 editions and I can say that they do usually assume you have some previous knowledge of the sport they are not that hard to get into. The actual basics of hockey is way simpler than say football or baseball, it's just put the puck in the net essentially, though some rules such as offsides and icing could be slightly confusing at times most penalties are pretty straight forward. I would recommend picking up NHL 11 cause it should be like 10 bucks now a days and see if you can get the hang of it.

As someone who has never played an NHL game, I picked it up following the Quick Look and have been having a blast. It could certainly do with a more detailed explanation of some of the game rules and mechanics but the core gameplay is great. Alex's review is spot on. The game itself is fantastic once you get out on the ice but the stuff around it - menus, career modes, tutorials etc. need some work to make the game more accessible for new players such as myself. Worth a look for sure.