I'm not going to rehash the issues of 5'7" danglers, checking inconsistencies, AI deficiencies, or skating...What stuck out to me during the trail was the commentary team. Commentary is atrociously bad.
While I'm not attempting to attack James Cybulski personally, I'm sure he is a nice dude, he may be the worst broadcaster EA has ever hired for any of their sports titles. The commentary is bland and boring, James is way overexcited about even the most mundane plays, and the lack of names in commentary is embarrassing. In the second game of my franchise, I counted the amount of names dropped by the broadcast team...less than 20.
The ENTIRE broadcast "commentary" consists of:
"The Sea Dogs, up the wing." "They gather along the side boards." "SHOOTS!." "Oh, what a save by the goalie!"
Generic, bland, boring. The commentary checks the boxes of, "Yup, it's there." Nothing more. EA managed to go from one of the most respected teams in NHL broadcasting to a guy who sounds as though he should be broadcasting a roller hockey tournament in San Diego by the beach. The insight Ferraro could bring is a high ceiling, but with Cybulski's yelling (and the general laziness of EA, see below) he is completely overshadowed.
Now to where it really shows just how little EA and their staff care about the NHL franchise:
Commentary in-franchise:
Played my first game as an expansion team, game number ONE in franchise history...not a single mention from Cybulski. My opponent had a bobblehead giveaway, the cutscene was there but there was no commentary acknowledging it. Silence.
My opponent was also playing a rookie in his first NHL game. Presentation showed the cut to the pregame lap by himself, once again the commentary was nonexistent.
NHL 20 is nothing more than another lazy, poor excuse for a title. I wasn't sure what was going to be the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to EA Sports, but the utter lack of effort put into the "improvements" for offline has finally done it.
Let me tell you my favorite occurrence from the EA Access trial:
Trailing 1-0 with less than 7:00 to play in the first period. Cybulski still half-yelling about a dump-in so I can change my lines, Ferraro sneaks in a line regarding how I need to get my offense going because there's not a lot of time left, "in the third period."
Leading 2-1 with less than 5:00 to play in the second period. Cybulski still Cybulski'ing, Ferraro once again sneaks in the SAME line about being down with little time left "in the THIRD PERIOD."
Leading 2-1 with less than 5:00 to play in the THIRD period. Not a word from Ferraro on how the time is dwindling and they need to score. As a matter of fact, I watched three consecutive face-off breaks in the offensive zone where NEITHER member of the commentary team spoke up. It was silent during each face-off break, in a close one-goal game...The FIRST game of an expansion franchise.
Isn’t it crazy how for one whole year players have been wanting the LT problem to be addressed and it’s still in a new game a year later along with the one hand tucks that seemingly pretty much going in all the time again for the second straight year?
This series has great potential to be phenomenal. It’s quite sad to see it in the state it has been and going towards.
Sad how EA just caters to the twitch streamers and the chel bruh's and that's to bad because 20 can actually have been or still be a really good game
Isn’t it crazy how for one whole year players have been wanting the LT problem to be addressed and it’s still in a new game a year later along with the one hand tucks that seemingly pretty much going in all the time again for the second straight year?
This series has great potential to be phenomenal. It’s quite sad to see it in the state it has been and going towards.
Sad how EA just caters to the twitch streamers and the chel bruh's and that's to bad because 20 can actually have been or still be a really good game
NHL 20 can still be a great game. It just came out. A little tuning here and there and I think it will a great game. The additions to the gameplay have been a great addition, but the current tuner is what I’m not a fan of. It’s reason I haven’t even bothered using EA Access time.
Isn’t it crazy how for one whole year players have been wanting the LT problem to be addressed and it’s still in a new game a year later along with the one hand tucks that seemingly pretty much going in all the time again for the second straight year?
This series has great potential to be phenomenal. It’s quite sad to see it in the state it has been and going towards.
Sad how EA just caters to the twitch streamers and the chel bruh's and that's to bad because 20 can actually have been or still be a really good game
NHL 20 can still be a great game. It just came out. A little tuning here and there and I think it will a great game. The additions to the gameplay have been a great addition, but the current tuner is what I’m not a fan of. It’s reason I haven’t even bothered using EA Access time.
Totally agree this game can actually be a game pleases both the Sim and the arcade type players in my opinion
My issues with NHL 20 (after playing all 10 hours of my early access): 1) Game Speed feels too fast, too frenetic when compared to NHL 19. The pacing feels unrealistic, a little arcadey. 2) Players feel floaty on the ice, like they have no weight / like they aren't skating on ice. 3) Simply put, defense feels neutered. 50/50 pucks are tilted too much towards the offense. Example: you poke check someone, they get it back immediately, you then subsequently stick lift them, and they get it back immediately again, etc. etc... This happens A LOT compared to 19. 4) The one-handed deke, especially from wide angles, is a glitch goal. The goalie is better at poke checks in 20, but seems to be completely mystified by players performing one-handed dekes, even from angles where even a blind goalie should make a save 5) Please give the option for a top left scoreboard that goes transparent or invisible when the puck is nearby. The bottom scoreboard, even on the smallest setting, is way too obstructive. 6) Pass interceptions do not work properly. They have been increased for 20, which is great. But when a player's back is to the play and/or if their eyes are not on the puck, they should not be intercepting the puck like they are sorcerers. I am fine with them deflecting the puck sometimes just by happenstance, but full-fledged interceptions doesn't make sense.
NHL 20 does some good things, but it's definitely 1 step forward 2 steps back. 19 is currently the better game.
My issues with NHL 20 (after playing all 10 hours of my early access): 1) Game Speed feels too fast, too frenetic when compared to NHL 19. The pacing feels unrealistic, a little arcadey. 2) Players feel floaty on the ice, like they have no weight / like they aren't skating on ice. 3) Simply put, defense feels neutered. 50/50 pucks are tilted too much towards the offense. Example: you poke check someone, they get it back immediately, you then subsequently stick lift them, and they get it back immediately again, etc. etc... This happens A LOT compared to 19. 4) The one-handed deke, especially from wide angles, is a glitch goal. The goalie is better at poke checks in 20, but seems to be completely mystified by players performing one-handed dekes, even from angles where even a blind goalie should make a save 5) Please give the option for a top left scoreboard that goes transparent or invisible when the puck is nearby. The bottom scoreboard, even on the smallest setting, is way too obstructive. 6) Pass interceptions do not work properly. They have been increased for 20, which is great. But when a player's back is to the play and/or if their eyes are not on the puck, they should not be intercepting the puck like they are sorcerers. I am fine with them deflecting the puck sometimes just by happenstance, but full-fledged interceptions doesn't make sense.
NHL 20 does some good things, but it's definitely 1 step forward 2 steps back. 19 is currently the better game.
My issues with NHL 20 (after playing all 10 hours of my early access): 1) Game Speed feels too fast, too frenetic when compared to NHL 19. The pacing feels unrealistic, a little arcadey. 2) Players feel floaty on the ice, like they have no weight / like they aren't skating on ice. 3) Simply put, defense feels neutered. 50/50 pucks are tilted too much towards the offense. Example: you poke check someone, they get it back immediately, you then subsequently stick lift them, and they get it back immediately again, etc. etc... This happens A LOT compared to 19. 4) The one-handed deke, especially from wide angles, is a glitch goal. The goalie is better at poke checks in 20, but seems to be completely mystified by players performing one-handed dekes, even from angles where even a blind goalie should make a save 5) Please give the option for a top left scoreboard that goes transparent or invisible when the puck is nearby. The bottom scoreboard, even on the smallest setting, is way too obstructive. 6) Pass interceptions do not work properly. They have been increased for 20, which is great. But when a player's back is to the play and/or if their eyes are not on the puck, they should not be intercepting the puck like they are sorcerers. I am fine with them deflecting the puck sometimes just by happenstance, but full-fledged interceptions doesn't make sense.
NHL 20 does some good things, but it's definitely 1 step forward 2 steps back. 19 is currently the better game.
Isn’t it crazy how for one whole year players have been wanting the LT problem to be addressed and it’s still in a new game a year later along with the one hand tucks that seemingly pretty much going in all the time again for the second straight year?
This series has great potential to be phenomenal. It’s quite sad to see it in the state it has been and going towards.
Sad how EA just caters to the twitch streamers and the chel bruh's and that's to bad because 20 can actually have been or still be a really good game
Worst game ever... goalies aren't even deflecting the puck anymore in the crowd like they used to... they allowing stupid goals... can't poke the puck... puck control is legendary, skating is too fast and weird... backhand is overpowered... snipers are OP... well i could keep this for hours... this game is dumb
BETA was once again, way better... just had to fix the passing and the shooting... what the hell happened to the goalies of the beta? Is that a joke? is this the finished product?
As a 6s goalie.... Please give us the option to have the small classic scoreboard in the top corner.
If it's not one thing to have the scoreboard flashing when your trying to focus on killing a penalty, it's going to be extra awesome when that thing is lit up like a Christmas tree with all the teams using fluorescent pinks, greens, etc...
I was playing some Squad Battles last night and just gave up on poke checking completely and relied solely on incidental contact. Even when you make a good poke the puck barely gets loose and then gets picked up instantly by the CPU. The risk of taking a penalty is not worth the reward.
BETA was once again, way better... just had to fix the passing and the shooting... what the hell happened to the goalies of the beta? Is that a joke? is this the finished product?
Goalies in the beta were sending almost every save over the wall and nearly doubling the length of the game (eashl anyway). I'm fine with them kicking it to the corner but the amount going over was absurd in the beta.
Replies
While I'm not attempting to attack James Cybulski personally, I'm sure he is a nice dude, he may be the worst broadcaster EA has ever hired for any of their sports titles. The commentary is bland and boring, James is way overexcited about even the most mundane plays, and the lack of names in commentary is embarrassing. In the second game of my franchise, I counted the amount of names dropped by the broadcast team...less than 20.
The ENTIRE broadcast "commentary" consists of:
"The Sea Dogs, up the wing." "They gather along the side boards." "SHOOTS!." "Oh, what a save by the goalie!"
Generic, bland, boring. The commentary checks the boxes of, "Yup, it's there." Nothing more. EA managed to go from one of the most respected teams in NHL broadcasting to a guy who sounds as though he should be broadcasting a roller hockey tournament in San Diego by the beach. The insight Ferraro could bring is a high ceiling, but with Cybulski's yelling (and the general laziness of EA, see below) he is completely overshadowed.
Now to where it really shows just how little EA and their staff care about the NHL franchise:
Commentary in-franchise:
Played my first game as an expansion team, game number ONE in franchise history...not a single mention from Cybulski. My opponent had a bobblehead giveaway, the cutscene was there but there was no commentary acknowledging it. Silence.
My opponent was also playing a rookie in his first NHL game. Presentation showed the cut to the pregame lap by himself, once again the commentary was nonexistent.
NHL 20 is nothing more than another lazy, poor excuse for a title. I wasn't sure what was going to be the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to EA Sports, but the utter lack of effort put into the "improvements" for offline has finally done it.
Let me tell you my favorite occurrence from the EA Access trial:
Trailing 1-0 with less than 7:00 to play in the first period. Cybulski still half-yelling about a dump-in so I can change my lines, Ferraro sneaks in a line regarding how I need to get my offense going because there's not a lot of time left, "in the third period."
Leading 2-1 with less than 5:00 to play in the second period. Cybulski still Cybulski'ing, Ferraro once again sneaks in the SAME line about being down with little time left "in the THIRD PERIOD."
Leading 2-1 with less than 5:00 to play in the THIRD period. Not a word from Ferraro on how the time is dwindling and they need to score. As a matter of fact, I watched three consecutive face-off breaks in the offensive zone where NEITHER member of the commentary team spoke up. It was silent during each face-off break, in a close one-goal game...The FIRST game of an expansion franchise.
[Removed call outs]
Sad how EA just caters to the twitch streamers and the chel bruh's and that's to bad because 20 can actually have been or still be a really good game
NHL 20 can still be a great game. It just came out. A little tuning here and there and I think it will a great game. The additions to the gameplay have been a great addition, but the current tuner is what I’m not a fan of. It’s reason I haven’t even bothered using EA Access time.
Totally agree this game can actually be a game pleases both the Sim and the arcade type players in my opinion
1) Game Speed feels too fast, too frenetic when compared to NHL 19. The pacing feels unrealistic, a little arcadey.
2) Players feel floaty on the ice, like they have no weight / like they aren't skating on ice.
3) Simply put, defense feels neutered. 50/50 pucks are tilted too much towards the offense. Example: you poke check someone, they get it back immediately, you then subsequently stick lift them, and they get it back immediately again, etc. etc... This happens A LOT compared to 19.
4) The one-handed deke, especially from wide angles, is a glitch goal. The goalie is better at poke checks in 20, but seems to be completely mystified by players performing one-handed dekes, even from angles where even a blind goalie should make a save
5) Please give the option for a top left scoreboard that goes transparent or invisible when the puck is nearby. The bottom scoreboard, even on the smallest setting, is way too obstructive.
6) Pass interceptions do not work properly. They have been increased for 20, which is great. But when a player's back is to the play and/or if their eyes are not on the puck, they should not be intercepting the puck like they are sorcerers. I am fine with them deflecting the puck sometimes just by happenstance, but full-fledged interceptions doesn't make sense.
NHL 20 does some good things, but it's definitely 1 step forward 2 steps back. 19 is currently the better game.
100% with everything here.
Agree with you 100% also
Same meaning !
If it's not one thing to have the scoreboard flashing when your trying to focus on killing a penalty, it's going to be extra awesome when that thing is lit up like a Christmas tree with all the teams using fluorescent pinks, greens, etc...
Horrible implementation.
Omg this!
I was playing some Squad Battles last night and just gave up on poke checking completely and relied solely on incidental contact. Even when you make a good poke the puck barely gets loose and then gets picked up instantly by the CPU. The risk of taking a penalty is not worth the reward.
Game is fine otherwise. Thanks.
Goalies in the beta were sending almost every save over the wall and nearly doubling the length of the game (eashl anyway). I'm fine with them kicking it to the corner but the amount going over was absurd in the beta.