NHL 25 Feedback – Veteran Player Review

I've played NHL games for over 15 years, and NHL 25 is still the only game I touch on my Xbox. While the presentation in 25 is a step forward, there's still a long way to go in making it feel like real NHL hockey. Here's a breakdown:

Music / Sound

• Goal Songs: Each team should have authentic goal songs like in real NHL arenas
• Audio Bugs: Music cuts off mid-song after whistles — happens 10–15 times per game on Series X. Sounds like a bug, but even if intentional, it kills immersion and feels off
• Arena Music: Occasionally solid, but often lacks energy. You’re in a hockey barn, not a coffee shop

Graphics & Presentation

• Coach Models: Way too bulky. Faces are often off — needs better likeness and scale adjustments
• Jerseys: Look worse when zoomed out — NHL 24 had crisper jersey detail at range
• Playoff Handshakes: In Finals, the post-game handshake is way too short
• UI/Cutscenes Options: Great new additions. Please expand:
  • Minimalist player indicators (bring back the triangle indicator as an option)
  • Option to disable X-Factor sounds/cutscenes for immersion
• Game Intro: Ditch the EDM rave. Show the visiting team coming out to boos, then the home team to a roaring crowd. Talk about what player we should watch out for, present the goalies. You can do so much better here!
• Crowd Models: Still outdated. Improve animations and variety
• Replays: Show more key blocks, scoring chances, and big saves during gameplay pauses. Also, some replays have a lot of unrealistic movement, like, for example, orbiting around the net
• Coach Reactions: Good feature — but give us the option to skip it
• End-of-Game Cutscene: Make it a proper 3-stars presentation with arena commentary at the end of the game. Not only music and replays
• Menu Lag: Feels sluggish. Needs serious optimization — fast UI matters
• Playoffs Series: Show the playoffs series past results (LAK 2-1 PIT) in the scoreboard graphics
• Clipping Environment: Sometimes the camera starts panning from the Jumbotron, and it shows it clipping from the inside for 1-2 seconds. This happens in some arenas, not all of them

Gameplay Physics

• Goal Net: Currently doesn't react naturally when the puck hits it. Needs real movement and flex
• Hitting Physics: Hitting physics is good, but way too exaggerated. Feels like we are playing NHL Arcade
• Puck Dumping: Offline modes don’t allow proper high dumps. And where did delay-of-game penalties go? They’re basically extinct now
• CPU Reactions: When AI scores, they react like robots. No emotion, no celebration — needs serious work

Controls

• Protect Puck: Bring back the A-button protection option. Clicking sticks by accident isn’t ideal in tight moments