It Is Clear What EA Canada Prioritized When It Came To NHL 15 And That Is Making Sure The Actual Hockey Gameplay Is The Highlight
Most years you will hear EA Sports flaunting the inclusion of new game modes, the improvement of visuals and game physics, and the level of customization made available to the player. This year, we have heard plenty about the new broadcast team, visuals, physics, and arenas, but very little about anything else. Upon playing NHL 15, it becomes immediately apparent why EA Sports has been so quiet about certain elements. The sad reality is that many features and game modes which may have been prominent in previous versions, are entirely absent from the most recent entry in the franchise. There are only three game modes which seem to be reminiscent of their old selves: online versus, quick play, and NHL Moments Live.
The biggest changes this year come in the way that the company has revamped the physics of nearly everything in the game. The puck now acts like an actual puck would rather than a tiny ball, meaning that there can be just as many random events happening in the game as they would in real life, such as rebounds, strange bounces, and hopping. Although this should be expected, the biggest improvement in NHL 15 comes in the graphical department. Team uniforms now move accurately and look amazing on the extremely detailed ice, allowing for some truly spectacular looking moments thanks to the new physics. Although player faces still need some work, especially since their faces are prominently featured compared to other sports titles, their facial expressions and goal celebrations are better looking than ever.
One final note about the announce team is that while it does add to the realism of the game and makes you feel as if you are watching a game rather than playing one, it did not have the desired affect on me as I happen to be Canadian (that large hockey-loving country that the NHL is trying to avoid giving more teams to). Before the announcement of this new commentary team, I had no idea who Mike Emrick was as I am far more familiar with the broadcast teams belonging to CBC and TSN. Had the game offered the option of choosing from multiple broadcast teams, it would have allowed for a more personalized feel while remaining authentic and true to the sport of hockey.
The rest of the visual bells and whistles are upgraded for the newer consoles as well, as players look better than they ever have, the arenas (and crowds in particular) are improved, and the ice makes noticeable changes as you play, becoming more and more worn. The only complaint I have is that some of the arenas’ board signage and on-ice advertisements are inaccurate: for example, St. Louis will have a Tim Horton’s logo on their ice, when in real life it’d be Jack in the Box instead, especially since there isn’t a Tim Horton’s within 100 miles of the Blues’ home games.
In addition to these above niggles there are a few minor flaws to the game that don’t ultimately ruin the experience, but diminish the overall package due to the lack of attention to detail. The lack of music during menus is something that doesn’t make sense and feels very odd when comparing to previous titles. There is an underlying score to the game, but the soundtrack that plays during stoppages of the games is fantastic with plenty of rock, pop and punk songs that have you bopping around. Instead you are left to listen to the pretty boring tones that are offered that don’t really pump you up or distract you from the tedious menu system. Navigating the menus can grow tiring as there are so many layers of things that you have to access before getting to what you want. The other glaring issue is the annoying ratings that players have been given. I am not sure how much hockey the developer of the rating system watches, but there are some absolutely outrageous decisions on the player ratings both too high and too low. In past games this has been a slight issue but a fixable one, as all of the ratings have been able to be updated or edited. Apart from these niggles the game is solid and this all begins with the excellent and well refined gameplay. While not perfect the gameplay is solid for the first time in years.
The NHL name has been synonym with success in the past, won several awards as the best sport series, earned strong critic scores and adored by millions of fans worldwide. To my opinion and many others; the streak was broken this year. I would recommend hardcore fans to stay away from this version. Great graphics is one thing but the unjustifiable amount of missing features takes away from the game’s replayability. EA might promise us content patches to accommodate, but it might be too little too late by then. To me the wait for NHL 16 has already started, hoping yet again that we will get a complete version of our favourite sports title.
