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 Crowd Models: Still outdated.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 (LAK leads 2-0) 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 Captured Moment: Ability to see past Stanley Cup win team photos in Franchise Mode/BAP 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 we score a goal, their animations are very stiff and they skate into opponent players, stands still, or raise their stick looking like robots. Controls Protect Puck: Bring back the A-button protection option. Clicking sticks by accident isn’t ideal in tight moments Responsive Deking: More control when manually deking with skill stick. It needs to be more responsive for players that have high deking stat. I want to deke like P. Kane in a shootout if you're controlling that guy. This was a thing in past games (NHL 20 and prior) Misc Goalie Pull Variation: CPU should pull the goalie at more random times. Right now they always do this with 45-50 seconds remaining. If they are down 2 goals, maybe they should have a random range of 2 minutes to 50 seconds. Or just make all of the pull goalie events random within 300 to 50 seconds Better CPU: I found NHL 25 too easy with Superstar AI and 6/6 Difficulty adjustment. In Franchise, I can win the cup almost every year. One big factor in this is the CPU defense's inability to learn from mistakes. They can let in the same play repeatedly, no matter what you set the slider "AI learning" to. Same with CPU goalies. I can score the forehand, backhand shortside 7 out of 10 times. I know it's a cheese goal but please make goalies and defense learn how to stop repeated attempts.
NHL 26 Playtest Vague Goalie Feedback
Vague because I know we cant talk about it in detail. But I just wanted to share some positivity for my experience as a goalie. I felt more viable in the playtest than in 25, even on a bad team. I felt like I had the ability to keep the game close at times and it was a nice experience. Once it comes out Ill share more but I just wanted to say that I enjoyed what I saw in the position so far. Thanks.
WoC skip replays / intermission WASTE OF TIME
We don't need to see the same replay 3 times in a row in slow motion for 2 minutes. Then another 30 seconds. Make it a voting system, the majority of people skipping the replays and intermission. I just want to play the game. I don't want to wait because little Jimmy wants to take another bong hit and get cheeto dust on his controller. I think we can all agree seeing one timers, cross creasers, and big hits for the 73727737 time is pointless.
Things to add in nhl 26
I feel like when customizing teams there should be more slots for uniforms I don’t like the standard 3 slots I feel there should be more to show a teams unique style. We should also explore more into customization everything has been the same there’s no new jeresy socks or even pants. It would be cool to have a New Jersey that is different from the stripes maybe something like a flame. And we should be able to add banners to custom arenas to give it a new feeling of a winning team. Also adding more rinks arenas would be nice instead of the ones and world of chel and customs there’s arena in world of chel I wish I could use in customs or something different from the ones I use. Adding now trophies instead of only having the Stanley cup would also be nice like making your own trophy and adding your touches to it. I have a 32 teams custom league I do and I love it. It makes the game feel new and exciting. I enjoy doing this but I wish there’s more things I could do for this cause I do season mode to control every team.Be honest please
If you’re not going to switch up the hunting-for-green gameplay, you guys should be honest about it because the dynamic of the gameplay is just really not enjoyable at high levels. It’s one-tee simulator, the game literally functions as if a team is scrimmaging with the intent of defending/attacking one tees. To be clear, the skill-based factor for timing is a positive, the reward is far too much though. Hopefully this has crossed your minds and if not, I regret to inform you but you’re silverPS Icon Passing Colours, Please!
I upgraded from an Xbox one to a PS5 for the sole reason of being able to play NHL 25 at release. It didn't take long for me to realize that the heads-up passing icons have zero colour on the PS5, whereas on the Xbox versions they have the colours of the buttons, making them much harder to identify out of the corner of your eye. I am fully aware this has been an intentional style choice due to some modern PS5 controllers not having colour to the buttons, but it completely disregards the function of why the icons are even there - to make passing easier and intuitive. I have brought this up several times in this forum before, only to get a pat on the head and told that it wasn't a bug. If you check my playtime and forum involvement over the last 2 years, you'll see my account went from playing a ridiculous amount then down to absolute zero after the 2025 new year. This decision to turn a blind eye to a clear way to improve user experience had a major reason to do with my walking away from the game - that, and the repulsive grind of earning nothing but collectible cards, but that's a whole other post of its own. Please add colour to the PS passing icons, or I will not be back.
