Likes/dislikes
Been playing since launch. I play SB, Rivals, Champs, hut moments, hut rush and Chel. This is a review coming from a seasoned nhl player, lifetime semi pro goalie and former EA designer.
LIKES
• AI goaltending improved
• Removal cheat goals | wrap around | cut through slot top shelf
• Added goalie mask designs( Add more please)
• hip checks
• Added real NHL game music ( Add more please )
• Better Power up player selections
• Total control 1 button moves
• Goalie gear changes colour to match team colours
• Broken sticks and bench checks
• Chel store to add options to bag drops
DISLIKES
• AI’s do perfect shots all the time, avoid most hits and turn back to make you chase them
• All-Star and Superstar mode unplayable
• AI’s cross check and poke puck away with no penalties - We get penalties
• AI does constant left|right pivots to avoiding pokes like elite champs players do - should be eliminated looks ridiculous and does not exist in real hockey
• In zone Faceoffs - there is a tie up, My D goes up gets stuck in tied up players and opponent cuts to middle of slot to top shelf it
• In zone Faceoffs - I win the faceoff and the puck passes right past my D…opponents grab it and start cycling
• Running into own players everywhere. Should be an animation where my player automatically avoids him or slips around him
• impossible to lob puck out of my zone or clear it. 4/5 times puck is intercepted. In real hockey when puck is cleared its cleared.
• players take too much time to start skating. Causes loss of possession and difficulty to clear. They should be able to burst right off the get go like in real hockey
• getting a shot off takes too long when getting puck possession. In real hockey players can snap it the minute they pick it up on their blade.2 sec delay atm
•Manual goalie controls are slow and broken. Moving the goalie should be fast small strides, holding L1 and moving should be sharp long movements, square lft glove pad save, x butterfly, circle right blocker pad save and triangle freeze. It should be harder to beat a manual goalie Vs AI goalie to balance play
•after goal celebrations horrible. Keep it simple - player goal celebration selection - players group up to celebrate and skate to the bench for fist bumps from teammates - cut to close up close up on scorer
• spotlights at face off only on initial period opener faceoff and give us 2 seconds without them to take the face off undistracted
•players can face boards to avoid losing puck and cause penalties to pokes. Should be whistle and penalty for delay of game if player does it more than 2 seconds. Poking him should not cause penalties it’s a cheat that champ players use.
• If I go around the back of the net, my other players should immediately cycle to other sode of the net. Right now they get in my way and cause collision, puck loss or they block the shot. Should be able to pass it to them cross slot like in real games.
• if I poke the puck away from a player, they should leave the puck behind them and skate by. Atm I poke they lose it and get it back. It can happen up to 3-4 times in a row…in real hockey the player loses puck, must stop and pivot or turn around to get it back
* Real NHL hockey games are fast, shots are quick, passes are crisp and play is continuous. Players who try to pivot on themselves to keep the puck get rocked hard or they lose puck possession quickly. A hit is hard and shakes the boards, players lose their sticks or players get rocked off their skates..even mid air collisions at times. Goalies make spectacular saves, follow the puck continuously and make fast cross crease movements. Player start-stop skating is incredibly agressive and fast. Puck movement on the stick is continuous and defensemen clear the zone very rapidly. None of that is in the game atm
good luck the flow is off & the game needs a lot of work
