The game is just full of cancerous players. No integrity. Just "well, they're doing it so that must mean I should stoop to their level".
It doesn't set an example for the community and it sure as hell doesn't motivate the developers to make any real changes.
The short side glitch was replaced by far side. The poke check trip was replaced with stick lift slashing penalties. Hits are nearly useless if you're not perfectly positioned. So, again, there is no motivation for players to get creative with their defensive game. It's just use the aim assisted poke check as it nearly never ends up in tripping penalties. Even if you're not in a good position.
If you're going to hand out slashing or hooking penalties when you're not positioned properly. You should hold the same standard for the poke check.
NHL 23 is not a good look on EA Sports. We know their FIFA franchise is their prized child. Madden is looking to get cancelled over multiple years of failure.
I honestly don't see NHL getting any better. The last 3 years especially. The community population has plummeted. When it took seconds to find games before it can take minutes. Players would be on at all hours of the day and night.
Now? There's barely 100 people online. It takes forever to find games in HUT and Online Versus. You end up playing the same 10 players over and over again.
The game as it stands consists of spamming aim assist poke check, behind the net cross crease, far side wrap around, far side high slot, and glitching the player's stick through the boards with a bounce speed boost.
It's really disappointing and I instead of buying the game on impulse every year by preorder. I will be passing and waiting until it hits game pass.
The forums speak for themselves as there are over half of the topics of the game being very poorly thought out. Instead of adding fancy looking graphics or pointless HUT game modes. Polish the actual game mechanics and balance it.
