NHL 25: a review from a fan of 20 years

I've never felt the need to post anything regarding the NHL series until now. My first NHL game was 04 so I've seen the ebb and flow of this series, and it's definitely being riding a steady low for many years now. Let me set one thing clear first, I don't play online very much because the HUT system is largely response for the lack of development and care for any single player mode.

I get NHL isn't a very popular series compared to the other sports games in EA arsenal but it still amassed a large enough fan base to dedicate more time and effort into the series. EA is a large successful business so I get that their main objective is to make as much money as possible from mircotransactions through online play, but that still doesn't justify the absolutely disgusting greed many people see in these games (EA Sports games). Every year you release a new title with minimal updates to anything, and when there is a big shift it takes seemingly takes away from other game modes. 99% of this forum is people complaining about the state of the game, every single year. The yearly releases are tiring and offer nothing new except a roster update (which can be downloaded by online rosters and community effort). It's long over due for there to be a change in how these games are released. Instead of yearly releases there needs to be flagship titles that receive constant updates to add content as well as roster updates. For example just "EA NHL" then after a few years "EA NHL 2". This way time can be put into each release that keep players coming back to potentially spend money on online play (use that line in your next meeting to keep the suits happy)

If you remastered NHL 14 it would be the highest rated NHL game in years. At this point we feel we are playing shovelware slop. Some aspects of the game have been untouched for almost a decade. Every release has been 1 step forward 2 steps back.

The poor menu speed, the terrible in game faces (looking at you bret burns) the unfair AI play that outclassed human team AI, the massive amount of glitches that come with every release, the absolutely disrespect towards single player.

HUT features awesome customization and player freedom (unique jerseys, arenas, and design) that are entirely absent in single player. If I want to use unlocks in online in single player I should. I get its to keep you coming back to online play but seriously. The franchise mode is a great step and a blast to play, but again seriously lacking in details, control over AHL affiliates, and restricted to NHL. Finally be a pro.

Wow. That is one of the worst game modes in the series. Every year it's the game slop, there's no sense of accomplishment in getting drafted because you automatically start in the playoffs, and highly favored. The in game "interactions" with cringe dialog are unbearable at times. No human talks like that. A story mode would revolutionize the series, sports stories are rarely good, but that the charm in them. They are meant to be cheesy feel good works. The live the life mode in 14 has yet to be met. 

Here are some improvements that I think are desperately needed

• a complete rework of be a pro
• An introduction of online unlocks into single player 
• An overhaul of the creation hub: face sculpting, specific RGB codes not that wheel and triangle crap, more jerseys, more logos, better arena customization.
• A proper tutorial for beginner players that explain each position and ideal positioning (one of the hardest things I've noticed for new players to grasp) 
• Better facial quality for in game animations, hair, animations, and overall appearance. 
• The announcers need a desperate change especially the female, it seems all she does is complain and hate on the team and sounds like she does not want to be there. It's rather annoying after every save I have to hear about the butterfly or the start of every period she dumps on the losing team.
• A focus on player needs rather than milking money out of them as quick as possible then releasing a new slop fest for them to feed on

I get this is 80% of the higher up causing these issues as the devs are in a constant crunch but these issues need to be addressed. And a proper hockey game with fun single player and online play could make serious bank. Hockey is a great game to play as a video game, that's not the issue for low sales. It's the lack of progress and corporate feeling in every release that people are tired of.