NHL 15

[Digitalgypsy66]

Pre-Internet, the NHL series was the main way I kept up with teams outside the Patrick Division (and Western Conference). I could learn rosters and players pretty well that way.

I bought an NHL game for Sega or PC from 1995-2009. As I don't own a PS or Xbox, I haven't been able to get a newer version than 2009.

[skullman80]

The NHL 15 demo has pretty much convinced me to not buy the game when it comes out for the first time in probably 10+ years. On top of not getting EASHL and connected GM on next gen, the game just doesn't play very good from the demo. Everything just seems clunky. I dunno. I've played 5 or so games of the demo.. and am just really not impressed.

[GSdrums87]

The NHL 15 demo has pretty much convinced me to not buy the game when it comes out for the first time in probably 10+ years. On top of not getting EASHL and connected GM on next gen, the game just doesn't play very good from the demo. Everything just seems clunky. I dunno. I've played 5 or so games of the demo.. and am just really not impressed.

Backhanders and second chances are pretty sick though. Mostly just pissed about EASHL but I'll just get it on 360 for that.

[DocEmrick]

The NHL 15 demo has pretty much convinced me to not buy the game when it comes out for the first time in probably 10+ years. On top of not getting EASHL and connected GM on next gen, the game just doesn't play very good from the demo. Everything just seems clunky. I dunno. I've played 5 or so games of the demo.. and am just really not impressed.

I'll have to dust off my PS4 and download the demo tonight. This sounds disappointing though. The game is due out in what, like 2 weeks?

[skullman80]

The NHL 15 demo has pretty much convinced me to not buy the game when it comes out for the first time in probably 10+ years. On top of not getting EASHL and connected GM on next gen, the game just doesn't play very good from the demo. Everything just seems clunky. I dunno. I've played 5 or so games of the demo.. and am just really not impressed.

I'll have to dust off my PS4 and download the demo tonight. This sounds disappointing though. The game is due out in what, like 2 weeks?

Yeah Sept 9th. Maybe I'll warm up to it more, but first impression was a big meh. It just doesn't feel right the way it plays. It's hard to explain. Plus another thing that chaps my ass, and this is minor, is that they still can't get celebrations right. Someone scores a goal, they should have a 5 man celebration, or at least mimick what you see in the NHL most nights. Last few years all they had when someone scored was a quick cut to them going down the bench tapping gloves. This year, at least on the demo, they make it so when you score the closest teammate kind of gets sucked into you for a weird jerky animation bro hug type thing and it just looks dumb. It amazes me that they still can't get that right, it just kills the immersion for me.

Also for as much as its nice to have different commentary this year, it still gets old real quick, and Doc's reaction to a goal is the same if you score with 10 minutes to go, or 10 seconds to go. It's the little things...

[mikey287]

Yeah, that's always been my thing...it appears that there is no one that has ever been in, involved with or even near hockey that has any say...it's all very "outsider"

And the game play (at an above comment) looked (I did not and have not played it) just as clunky as it has for the past several years on the video...and the defense still makes the same dumb reads...no competition, no reason to improve...

Look at a game like Madden 13, it's one of the worst football games I've seen in a while...they actually removed features it seemed...

[André]

My demo impressions after about 90 minutes:

My very first glimpse was from the free skate just to get a feel of things. Spontanously it didn't feel that different, but after a few minutes I liked the flow of the skating, saw the animations and puck physics.

Deking feels like it's delayed 2/10s of a second. Weird at first. I was on forehand when I took the shot altough I tried backhand. After getting used to it and considering that slight delay I'm not bothered though. Successfull dekes feel great. Now the stick dekes combine more with how you steer with the LS, you can turn and deke at the same time. Perhaps the percentage on breakaways is too high once I got the hang of it, but that's something they've always tweaked.

Impressions from playing games (all star (no superstar in demo), hardcore):

- Looks great. Love the new camera. Altough the overhead angle doesn't really show of the new graphics as well as a lower camera would.
- I like the feel of the skating. More fast paced. Gliding doesn't make a player lose speed as quickly. Speed matters more again and I like it.
- Better physics for puck and players, as promised
- Most signifcantly I like the AI. The AI is more tricky to beat. Not because of cheating as in doing things you can't do with the player you control, but due to great plays and positioning offensively and defensively.
- Passing lanes are required to get the puck through. There won't be much "throw it through a throng for the one timer goal even if the receiver was covered".

Overall I think it feels very promising. Then again I'm a fan boy, haha.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

speaking of clunky EA sports games, Madden came out yesterday and it feels like all the players have 100 pound weights or something. The game itself is just so slow, no idea why. Granted, I only played one game.

[skullman80]

See now I think Madden actually plays pretty good this year. Next Gen at least, and they didn't gimp any features. It's not perfect, but it plays fairly good out of the box this year for once. Just need to get some good sliders.

[tfrizz]

Yeah, that's always been my thing...it appears that there is no one that has ever been in, involved with or even near hockey that has any say...it's all very "outsider"

And the game play (at an above comment) looked (I did not and have not played it) just as clunky as it has for the past several years on the video...and the defense still makes the same dumb reads...no competition, no reason to improve...

Look at a game like Madden 13, it's one of the worst football games I've seen in a while...they actually removed features it seemed...

I found the gameplay to be much smoother than NHL14, at least as far as comparing the PS4 demo to PS3 NHL14 goes. Though it's always super smooth in the demo.

It looks like the put the majority of their focus into the new presentation engine, though. And while it is nice, it has no effect on the playability of the game.

[canaan]

I echo the sentiments that the demo sealed the deal on passing. There hasn't been one thing that has enticed me into purchasing.
Maybe next year.

[shafnutz05]

I echo the sentiments that the demo sealed the deal on passing. There hasn't been one thing that has enticed me into purchasing.
Maybe next year.

You couldn't pass without giving up an odd man rush in NHL 12.

[canaan]

You couldn't score without juice feeding all game so what's your point?

[Chefpatrick871]

I'm glad you guys got me to play OTP, I've become quite good at it.

[DocEmrick]

Yeah Sept 9th. Maybe I'll warm up to it more, but first impression was a big meh. It just doesn't feel right the way it plays. It's hard to explain. Plus another thing that chaps my ass, and this is minor, is that they still can't get celebrations right. Someone scores a goal, they should have a 5 man celebration, or at least mimick what you see in the NHL most nights. Last few years all they had when someone scored was a quick cut to them going down the bench tapping gloves. This year, at least on the demo, they make it so when you score the closest teammate kind of gets sucked into you for a weird jerky animation bro hug type thing and it just looks dumb. It amazes me that they still can't get that right, it just kills the immersion for me.

Also for as much as its nice to have different commentary this year, it still gets old real quick, and Doc's reaction to a goal is the same if you score with 10 minutes to go, or 10 seconds to go. It's the little things...

These are two valid complaints. The first point is that the celebrations, player reactions, etc have all been mundane and the same boilerplate year after year. They had the exact same hat-trick animation for like 6 years in a row. I'm sure it's in there this year as well.

The commentary has always been a complete blunder on EA's part, but I think it's likely due to the money they are paying out. They want good commentators (Clemente/Thorne, Hughson, and now Doc/Edzo), but they don't want to pay them a fortune for 10+ variations per action. Plus on top of that, they have to pay DE to name every possible player in the NHL and the additional leagues they throw in. Still, I'd expect at least some sort of difference between, if anything, the playoffs game 7's and the regular season games.

[DocEmrick]

Game is all right. Not worth $80. Commentary is good, I like the after-the-period last play assessment by Edzo. New commentary is always refreshing though considering commentary never changes until new announcers are introduced.

Presentation is meh. Real Edzo and Doc look weird against a 3-D rendered building. NHL on NBC is cool, and the panorama intro of the city is cool, but that's just filler in my opinion.

Gameplay is slow and clunky. I was expecting that from EA though. Physics engine my ass, it plays just like every single NHL game since NHL 11

[count2infinity]

I've never bought a FIFA game, and have bought every NHL 1X game since 10, I will likely go the way of FIFA this year and pass on NHL.

[André]

Physics engine my ass, it plays just like every single NHL game since NHL 11

Now I'm the nag stepping in again, but I just don't get it. This quote is just not true.

[mikey287]

I can't speak for this '15 version...but 11 - 14 all felt very, very similar in that regard...and '15 looked the same, but again, I haven't played it...and likely won't for some time...

[dodint]

Physics engine my ass, it plays just like every single NHL game since NHL 11

...but I just don't get it.

We know.

[MRandall25]

I played 11 immediately after playing 14. There's a pretty substantial difference.

[count2infinity]

there's definitely a change in the 12 to 13 to 14 as far as skating is concerned. Mistakes are much more harmful in 14 than they are in 12 as far as which way you move and when.

[André]

Physics engine my ass, it plays just like every single NHL game since NHL 11

...but I just don't get it.

We know.

Alright. So the physics in the new next gen version of 15 is the same as in every NHL since 2011. No, that's factually not true, and it's weird how you can't admit that and somehow I'm the one who's wrong.

This is like one of those scenes with Lisa Simpson in class, with the rest of the kids mocking her even though they're all wrong.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

who's more likely to be crazy: the guy who's calling everyone else crazy or everyone who's calling one guy crazy?

[count2infinity]

Who's more right, a guy that's right or a guy that's wrong?