[Al_Tito13]

Comments based on playing the demo on All-Star / Hardcore.

Things I like about the NHL 12 Demo:
- Pretty good game pace on Hardcore. A bit slower than last year which is good to have a more realistic gameplay. Please don't fast it up because of some whiners, in fact it could still be slowed a bit.
- More pressure on the puck carrier.
- Better positioning of the AI skaters.
- More shooting from the CPU.
- Improved skating engine.
- Slower deking, finally.
- Better puck physics.
- More realistic shooting and shot power.
- Loose-puck slap shot.
- Better passing.
- Better hitting in general, even if big hits sometimes look weird.
- Small collisions are better than last year and have more effect on the puck carrier, even if it could still be improved.
- Less skilled players seem to loose the puck sometimes when deking which is good, but wish it would happen much more.
- Goalie interaction.
- Battles in front of the net.
- Better graphics.

Things I think can be improved:
- I was hoping for even more loose pucks, less tape to tape passes and a sloppier gameplay, especially on hardcore, with more difficult puck control and looser puck on stick when moving around with it or deking.
- Have a more defensive-minded game, especially on Hardcore. More realism, more strategy and less up and down, back and forth hockey. It's better, but there's still work to do.
- Interference is not called enough when hitting other players and goalies.
- Hip checks are too effective.
- I saw some weird goals going in where goalies were pretty bad, it also happens in real life, just hope it doesn't happen too often in the game. Hope goalies are improved on covering short-side post and wraps.
- When playing 4 on 4 in overtime, we need to have the center on the ice to take the faceoff, but like in NHL 11 we most often have two wingers on the ice, which is pretty frustrating in those crucial moments.
- I really don't like to have sound on slow motion replays, not a good idea and not true to real broadcast presentation.
- Sticks still pass through things (legs, skates, other sticks, puck).
- Bigger difference between players ratings, fourth line players have 80+ overalls, which should really not be the case.
- Higher effect of the attributes.

General notes about the game / short additional comments:
The game feels a lot better than NHL 11. Like every year, it's a good step in the right direction to a more realistic hockey game. Please EA, don't listen to whiners. There are going to be people crying about the speed as being too slow or anything else to get a more arcade-ish game, but please keep your good work alive and don't change it all with tuners. For every person who whines, there are like 10 people who couldn't be happier and they don't come here to whine because they are actually having fun playing the game. Good job EA, keep it up!