The consensus of opinion is just the opposite, if you'd like to read the discussion over on Reddit where it was posted.
Guess it's mass hysteria, right?
Not that we have seen it revert to a nearly identical rendition of NHL 21, right?
It's just unfortunate everyone over there won't post here, due to past experiences I am forbidden from saying.
When you run your most loyal player base off your forums to engage in discussion elsewhere, that's saying a lot.
Sadly, most who stick around here are the EA apologists who will back whatever nonsense is thrown around here.
No one as yet has provided video of what happens in the video game happening in a REAL NHL game.
Same goal same way 6 times in a row on 6 shots.
Same skate along boards back and forth for 20, 30, 40 seconds until the cross crease exploit is available, all the while doing puck protect as defensive players bounce off the bubble of protection.
It was NOT like that upon release. Period. Defense, positioning, and IQ were rewarded. Cheese and exploits were at a minimum. Now, the exploits and cheese are back with the low IQ, low skill players spamming the same things I mentioned. Over and over and over.
But, hey... all the rest of us who play the game are clearly in denial. Not the EA apologists.
I make my points. All I ever hear in return is "No, it's not!", "It's the same!", "Just git gud, bruh!", and so on.
And for those who say to post videos, many people have. And all we get is a response that "You're playing wrong.", "It's not the game, it's you.", "Try doing such and such instead.", etc.
Why not just put the gameplay tuner back to the best hockey game we had in AGES?
Not make excuses for why WE, the players, are wrong for trying to play HOCKEY like it's... oh, I don't know... HOCKEY, instead of an exploit cheese fest again.
Because the game through the beta, trial, release, and first couple weeks WAS as good a hockey game as we have ever had. I'll stand by that and die on that hill. EA CAN make a great hockey game. They showed it to us. Then changed it AFTER the fact when we had been sold on it and paid for the game we enjoyed. That's the frustrating part. We, the true hockey fans, HAD the hockey game we wanted and anticipated. We got to play it, enjoy it, and revel in what we thought was the next major step in the evolution of hockey gaming.
Only to have it yanked out from under us, then told (or potentially lied to) that nothing had changed. There's nothing to see here. Don't bother looking behind the curtain. No, really. We released a gameplay tuner that clearly changed NOTHING about the game you all adored, but suddenly loathe as soon as that tuner hit. Just a complete coincidence. No, really. It is. We promise. Cross our hearts.
So, go ahead. Call me names. Insult me. Do whatever. I back up my points and, again, challenge you to read through the Reddit post and comments. Or just bury your head in the sand that EA provides as cover here while they disenfranchise, disregard, and ignore the true hockey fans who have any fair critique of the game that EA CHOSE to ruin.
I'm not simply here saying the game sucks, is trash, is a dumpster fire, or any of that with nothing worthwile to back it up or add. I give my perspective along with reasons why. Heck, I even offer possible solutions so the cheesers, exploiters, and casuals can have their game and the real hockey fans can have ours. It doesn't have to be "either/or". It CAN be both. We CAN have both.
Again, unfortunately, it seems EA is alienating it's hardcore hockey fanbase. Which is sad. Because the chances that casual players will spend money on what's already considered a niche sport is slim. And when the hardcores stop supporting it and buying it, too, because they feel dismissed... it's not a good marketing or business strategy.
Thanks for reading!
