Nhl 21 review6/24/2023 ![]() ![]() So it's just more safe and efficient to use the same moves over and over, as has been the case for a few years now in the franchise. ![]() All other attempts are simply too risky – offline and online, you are likely to get dispossessed by taking too long or by an errant pass, and the goalies save pretty much everything that comes from outside the circles. So everyone waits for the usual breakaways, so they can pull off the same deke or cross-crease snipe move that always results in a goal. The goalies this year got a boost, and so trying to play more true-to-life hockey just doesn’t pay off. The lack of goal variety isn't perhaps entirely to blame on the lack of player creativity. Everything will feel very familiar to returning players, as the vast, vast majority of the goals will still be from close-in shots after a deke move. Poke checking is still good and effective, while slashing penalties from stick lifts seem to be the flavor of the week for the referees. Online, passing accuracy has been tweaked so that you can actually make good plays without sending the puck wayward. Offline play remains highly customizable, and the AI seems to be improved this year and able to break into the attacking zones more easily, and generally play better. It continues to make a minor difference on the ice, where the gameplay remains quite familiar. The system returns again this year across all modes, with a few balance tweaks to the special zone abilities (stat boosts in certain situations) and a few new ones added for the best players in the sport. If you're looking for major steps up, you're not getting it.The major addition in NHL 22 was the X-Factor system, in itself a port of the idea that EA Sports Madden introduced a few years back. If you're on PS4 or Xbox One and looking for a much different experience, you're not getting it with this. If you're new to hockey, this is a fantastic starting point. You truly have to look at this as a transition into the future, with the move to the Frostbite engine and first real crack at next-gen gaming.So, should you get it? If you enjoy the series, it'll feel like a nice move up. While there isn't a single big 'WOW' factor to this game, it's better than previous iterations. To draw people in beyond roster and team updates, you need enthralling game modes. "In the end, there's only so much you can change about a video game based on hockey. The arcade modes and even a collector's haven are there, too, but everything pales compared to just how souped-up the gameplay feels." - Chris Roling Sports Illustrated - Unscored It now both resembles the real-life product and asks a little more of players in the way of skill. This is the biggest leap the series has seen on the ice in a long time. But the game leans into the next-generation hardware to provide what matters most-better gameplay on the ice and overall immersion. No, every mode doesn't have some big shiny new feature. "If last year was a holding pattern of sorts for this series, NHL 22 is a big step forward. It’s time for something new." - Michael Gwilliam Bleacher Report - Unscored For myself, however, I’ve been there and I’ve done this. If you’re completely new to EA’s NHL series, then by all means, this is a must-play and would be a 9/10 otherwise. But I just can’t recommend this game to anyone who bought last year’s installment unless you’re the world’s biggest hockey fan. If this was a $20 upgrade for those who bought NHL 21, then sure. "The end result is a sandbox that I’m happy to return to, but dear lord, not for $60. ![]() The switch to Frostbite does massively improve the fidelity of the rink-even if character models still look downright demonic-but should that really be the biggest change to the game? The ultimate question is: can the price increase be justified on the PS5? And given how little really has changed from last year to this year, the answer has to be a 'no'." - Graham Banas Dexerto - 6/10 X-Factors on paper should be a game-changer but are mostly underwhelming. "NHL 22 surprises by making its debut on a new console without removing any of its modes, but those who played NHL 21 may find this version a little too familiar. At the end of the day, NHL 22 is the de facto hockey gaming experience and the energy that went into refining the current product was not spent in vain." - Riley Little Push Square - 6/10 With that said, for the series faithful or someone that skipped out on NHL 21, there's a lot to enjoy in the current-gen polish that the Frostbite Engine and the more powerful hardware bring with them. "At this point, consumers are likely well aware of whether EA Sports' NHL franchise is something that appeals to them, and NHL 22 won't change that.
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