Ouch. Need massive Patch

I’ve been playing the NHL series religiously since it first went online, and I’ve never felt this disappointed in a release. NHL 26 feels unplayable right now because of the overpowered truculence and hitting. It rewards players who don’t actually know how to play hockey—just spam body checks and you get the upper hand. That completely ruins the simulation feel and turns the game into an arcade-style experience.

I’ve always dedicated myself to World of Chel, and in past years the game rewarded strategy, skill builds, and real hockey IQ. Right now, none of that matters—big players have speed and shooting with no trade-offs, while skill-based builds get shut down constantly. Defense is unpredictable, the flow of hockey is gone, and everything feels designed for lower-skill players and microtransactions instead of balance.

Honestly, for the first time ever, I regret buying this game. EA needs to seriously rebalance truculence and bring back the hockey simulation