The NHL Series Has Become Frustrating to Play
December 10, 2016 7:13PM
edited December 2016
Even after getting a win, it doesn't feel like a win. Rather, it feels as if you just came up on the better side of a frustrating 20-30 minutes of fighting the game's mechanics. It feels more frustrating than it does rewarding. That's my best way of describing what this series has become. The following will explain why.
Controls. Perhaps the best way to describe them are consistently inconsistent. This is the biggest culprit and the game engine plus controller input just do not work in unison very smoothly at all. Sometimes, the controller input works, other times it fails miserably. Passing and player switching I feel are where the controller inputs are least recognized correctly. You will aim to pass to your teammate on your left, but something decides the pass is going to the guy diagonal from you. You go to switch to a teammate near the puck, but something decides it is not yet time for you to switch players.
CPU Teammates. Again, consistently inconsistent. Out of nowhere your teammate will break his route, or leave his man wide open, or skate away from a loose puck. Not to mention, out of nowhere they also will take a completely foolish penalty and, make no mistake, a powerplay can and will decide a game. It's as if suddenly they decide to turn against their own team.
Skating. Why at times will guys not hustle when you are hitting the hustle button? Then, other times it works fine. I suppose this also can be filed under 'Controls.' I've had potential breakaways squandered because my guy suddenly doesn't feel like hustling for some reason.
Puck Physics. Picking pucks up are still a problem. Especially after hitting someone, the puck will remain close by the guy who got hit somehow, then on top of that, you can't pick it up until your opponent recovers his balance. Very frustrating to make a solid defensive play, only to have your opponent be handed the time to get back up and regain possession of the puck.
You add all of these elements together and it becomes pure frustration from a gameplay standpoint. What's even worse is that all of these issues aren't anything new to the series. All of these issues were a problem in NHL 16 as well. If this is considered 'simulation hockey' then please I'd much rather have 'Arcade Hockey' then. It was much more fun last-gen when you didn't have to fight your controller and fight the game engine to do something so simple.
I only mention this because I'm sure a lot of other hardcore fans also are in this boat as well. I used to be a day 1 buyer, no questions asked. This game was my go-to game, the game that rarely left my system. Nowadays, I feel like I'm forcing myself to try and like it. My patience with the series is growing very thin. As an example, this year, I waited months (Black Friday) until I bought the game. I'm not bragging about that, I don't want to be skeptical about buying the game but I am truly getting tired of it being in it's current state and direction. Something has got to give very soon with this series, or for all I care, it can go away until someone better decides to come along and make a decent NHL game.
Controls. Perhaps the best way to describe them are consistently inconsistent. This is the biggest culprit and the game engine plus controller input just do not work in unison very smoothly at all. Sometimes, the controller input works, other times it fails miserably. Passing and player switching I feel are where the controller inputs are least recognized correctly. You will aim to pass to your teammate on your left, but something decides the pass is going to the guy diagonal from you. You go to switch to a teammate near the puck, but something decides it is not yet time for you to switch players.
CPU Teammates. Again, consistently inconsistent. Out of nowhere your teammate will break his route, or leave his man wide open, or skate away from a loose puck. Not to mention, out of nowhere they also will take a completely foolish penalty and, make no mistake, a powerplay can and will decide a game. It's as if suddenly they decide to turn against their own team.
Skating. Why at times will guys not hustle when you are hitting the hustle button? Then, other times it works fine. I suppose this also can be filed under 'Controls.' I've had potential breakaways squandered because my guy suddenly doesn't feel like hustling for some reason.
Puck Physics. Picking pucks up are still a problem. Especially after hitting someone, the puck will remain close by the guy who got hit somehow, then on top of that, you can't pick it up until your opponent recovers his balance. Very frustrating to make a solid defensive play, only to have your opponent be handed the time to get back up and regain possession of the puck.
You add all of these elements together and it becomes pure frustration from a gameplay standpoint. What's even worse is that all of these issues aren't anything new to the series. All of these issues were a problem in NHL 16 as well. If this is considered 'simulation hockey' then please I'd much rather have 'Arcade Hockey' then. It was much more fun last-gen when you didn't have to fight your controller and fight the game engine to do something so simple.
I only mention this because I'm sure a lot of other hardcore fans also are in this boat as well. I used to be a day 1 buyer, no questions asked. This game was my go-to game, the game that rarely left my system. Nowadays, I feel like I'm forcing myself to try and like it. My patience with the series is growing very thin. As an example, this year, I waited months (Black Friday) until I bought the game. I'm not bragging about that, I don't want to be skeptical about buying the game but I am truly getting tired of it being in it's current state and direction. Something has got to give very soon with this series, or for all I care, it can go away until someone better decides to come along and make a decent NHL game.
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Replies
Stop with this game engine that makes simple things into frustrating ventures.
This is the first NHL game i've ever played where it really feels like you are fighting the controls at times.