Why I am not buying NHL 12

[sfontaine]

I've pre-ordered NHL every year for five years now and have not been disappointed. For the most part the improvements had been obvious during development and were obvious the day I bought the games. This years NHL has two things I look forward to: the improvements to the AI and live goalies. That's it. Ordinarily that would be enough to push me over the edge and purchase it but I can't bring myself to given the stupidity and frankly insulting nature of the other features.

Helmets that come off and glass that shatters from hits and shots existed in NHL 06. They're giving us back something that was removed and calling it a feature. It's the same as last year when hats on the ice for a hat-trick was reintroduced. Those aren't features, they're simple things that could be patched into the game mid-year. Not only are they "in the game" they were in the game, years ago, and we're getting them back. Thanks I guess?

Goalie fights? Here is a list of every goalie that has fought in the National Hockey League. It is very hard to find anything recent on there, and even more difficult to find a situation where the goalies stared each other down and skated down the ice to fight at centre ice. It almost never happens. It happened in two games out of 1,230 last year. This is a highly touted feature? Goalie fights happen when passion is up, when there's a scrum, when things get out of control. I mean I barely fight in games as is, and when I do I'm completely distracted by how apparently when a fight breaks out in an NHL game every single player, official and coach escapes the ice immediately and hides in the dressing room. I'd choose players remaining on the ice and bench before I chose goalie fights. Hell, I'd prefer the proper number of refs and linesmen before goalie fights.

Finally, the legends. This feature changes nothing, adds nothing and and gives me nothing new in the game. Last year we had the centennial Habs, which were a legends team in and of themselves, so been there done that. Secondly, the players are ridiculous. Salming had 37 points the year Orr had 101. JR and Cheli were in the game two years ago and are nothing compared to any number of people I won't point out because reasonable people can disagree (I only pointed Orr out because that's an absolute no brainer).

Anyway this has been lengthy, and it will probably be viewed as whiny. I post this not to sway anyone but in the hopes that the NHL developers will see this and realize they've lost a customer and work harder next year to actually improve their product instead of just giving us glitter and old features with few good, substantive changes.

Cheers

[Greenevol]

I'm with you.

They keep adding stuff that doesn't interest me in the least, all the while having the worst franchise mode of any major sports game.

I'll still probably buy it, because I need a hockey fix. But really, for the offline franchise guy, there's not much in the package.

[agentblack]

Yeah i think ill pass this year as well. I mean the demo would have to knock my socks off to change my mind. All I want is for them to fix the broadcast cam. But Im starting to think that there are technical issues with this camera. I mean I watch alot of hockey games and I would like to think the devs. do as well and um yeah not at all correct.
I realize im in the minority (which i dont get tbh) im just getting tired of playing with the same top down view year after year. Other sports games have properly implemented a tv style into their games. Watching MLB/ NBA/NFL games makes me so jealous, and perplexed. Why wouldnt the devs get this? since (and i might be wrong) thats how EVERYONE watches the NHL, on TV. Ugh oh well.

[13whitebread]

I will say I can agree with many of your points. We all have many reasons for buying the game. It is our love of hockey that brings us back. But for myself it all comes down to the game play and fixing the bugs of the past. I think they are trying to improve the elements of game play but are not yet at the top but are getting closer every year since 2007.

[Vikes1]

My son and I have way too much fun with this game for me not to buy it.

We even from time to time have our..."NHL nights". Were I go over to my sons house and play NHL with him and 4 to 5 of his buddies. Great times.

I am a little disappointed that more updating wasn't done to the BEAGM. But I'm sure I'll enjoy the mode as always. Can't wait for 9-13!

[BaylorBearBryant]

Fair enough, but I love OTP and EASHL. I'm hooked.

[Hal Fowler]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vikes1

My son and I have way too much fun with this game for me not to buy it. We even from time to time have our..."NHL nights". Were I go over to my sons house and play NHL with him and 4 to 5 of his buddies. Great times. I am a little disappointed that more updating wasn't done to the BEAGM. But I'm sure I'll enjoy the mode as always. Can't wait for 9-13!

I'm with you. It's easy to find reasons to not be satisfied. But the reality is, I get more bang for my buck from the NHL series than pretty much any other sports series of games. They could have added a fricking Kinect mode and it wouldn't deter me.

If I could have had them add anything, it would be a mode like the 2K games, NHL Today. A living roster with updated lines and the same kind of awesome commentary throughout the season would have been awesome. 2K could have gotten my money had they just came out with this in a new hockey game.

But NHL 12 will still generate 100's of hours of play for me. I like how the devs have improved gamesplay slowly but steadily over the last several releases. The game never feels brand new, but it always feels just a little bit better.

[FBeaule04]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hal Fowler

I'm with you. It's easy to find reasons to not be satisfied. But the reality is, I get more bang for my buck from the NHL series than pretty much any other sports series of games. They could have added a fricking Kinect mode and it wouldn't deter me. If I could have had them add anything, it would be a mode like the 2K games, NHL Today. A living roster with updated lines and the same kind of awesome commentary throughout the season would have been awesome. 2K could have gotten my money had they just came out with this in a new hockey game. But NHL 12 will still generate 100's of hours of play for me. I like how the devs have improved gamesplay slowly but steadily over the last several releases. The game never feels brand new, but it always feels just a little bit better.

In your opinion Hal, the gameplay as improved. That's your opinion. I found that the gameplay this year was the worse I've seen for the last 3 years. I'm unable to play a game offline which I was doing in previous years because the AI is too dumb to my liking.

Did I play that game all year long? Yep, I did. Over a 1000 games online, maybe around 125 offline (previous years was aroun 500) and most nights, especially online, I had fun. It's just that offline, it's not been fun and it's cause the dev. team did a poor job with the AI.

I've bought NHL 2K10 just to see and the EA game is so much better in many areas that there's no comparison to make. Still, I can't understand how the little thing so much evident with the AI wasn't seen and corrected before going on the market.

Will I get NHL 12? You bet I will. I will expect a better gameplay offline and another great game (still with glitches and cheating but still fun) online. It's just like we all know it can be better and that's why it makes me so tough on EA at times.