NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

[slickdtc]

A few games in to my Preds franchise. 2-2-1, just came off a 4-0 loss and a 7-2 beat down at the hands of the Isles to rebound and shutout the Sens 3-0.

Just shows how variable this game can be. It's so easy to get frustrated and let that boil over in to lazy, check happy play to teach the CPU a lesson. It take discipline to swallow a tough L and not want to mess with the sliders because last game was egregiously bad on some level. Glad I didn't mess with anything in this recent stretch.

I do feel this game is very unforgiving if you move your player out of position. I don't think teammates cover for you as well as they have in previous iterations. Playing defense can be tedious, and you need to be focused for the whole 60 minutes because the CPU will capitalize on a lapse of judgment. It's a gift and a curse. It's hard to keep so attentive!

Couple things I've noticed: does it auto change your lines occasionally even when you play on manual? Am I crazy? The line change is clunkier then I'm used to in general, but I don't appreciate aid when I have it set to manual. Reminds me of NHL 2K's semi-auto, but it only happens a couple times a game.

Switching players can be a frustrating experience every now and then. I guess it's in relation to puck carrier, but sometimes I want a farther back D-man then a back checking forward who has no shot. This series needs a last man back button. There's always going to be issues, but I think this could help mitigate them. Icon switching I don't think will be as easy & fluid as you may think.

Is there a way to better receive pucks around the boards? I swing it around the boards regularly, but I've noticed my players can't seem to handle it as easily as the CPU does. I did increase pass reception ease a bit recently, but I think it may just be the nature of slightly wonky puck/board interaction.

I dislike that L2 is back skate now instead of just squaring up to the play. I think technically it's still "vision control," but let's be honest. It does produce some beautiful, realistic looking animations a lot of the time but sometimes I want to just get square to the net and not become a figure skater.

Been playing with manual shot aim after being an auto aim guy with my last two NHL games (I was always manual before those). Thinking I may go to auto aim again so I get a varied shot selection. I think we all tend to shoot in the same areas all the time based on comfort and I believe auto aim could produce some shots and goals I wouldn't aim for myself. One thing I do love is the indicators available these days... the bullseye and the "open net" visuals. Not only are they useful, but they look cool! And it shows you when attributes took over or when your player hit his mark. It can be somewhat frustrating to miss the mark and wonder if you really do have any control, so I've appreciated the visual feedback.

[Money99]

Just had another very favourable game with the Canucks vs Nashville.
Lost 3-2 with 3.5s left from a deflected shot. CPU raced down the ice and blasted a desperate slapshot on net. I stuck my stick out to deflect the shot and boy did I ever. Right past Miller.

Great game overall and never felt cheated once. Lots of loose, greasy play out there and I never felt the CPU could do things I couldn't. In fact, it had several bad passes and missed nets with its lesser players.

I can really notice when I have a true sniper. Their shots are way more accurate and on point.
I had a few really nice chances with Vey and Virtanen and neither could hit the stinking net!!

Slick, I'm with you. I'm going to switch to auto to get more shot variety and also help generate more player separation from the good and bad.

[slickdtc]

Quote: Originally Posted by slickdtc

Couple things I've noticed: does it auto change your lines occasionally even when you play on manual? Am I crazy? The line change is clunkier then I'm used to in general, but I don't appreciate aid when I have it set to manual. Reminds me of NHL 2K's semi-auto, but it only happens a couple times a game.

Did a few searches and didn't see this brought up anywhere.

I know for a fact it is switching my lines automatically and I know I have them set to manual. It appears to go to the next best line when the current line hits about 75% energy. It's frustrating because I go to change my lines and get to the wrong one because it's automatically changed it for me.

Has anyone else experienced this? It can't just be me.

EDIT: Okay maybe this is a big nevermind. Apparently my settings magically changed. I was wondering why the target was showing up when it doesn't when shot aim is set to auto. Go in to change that and for some reason my shot aim was changed to manual and line changes changed to auto. My best guess is that playing my backup goalie somehow screwed this up? I've had auto aim on the last few games. Unless I was completely oblivious and it didn't save my preferences and it slipped by. Could very well have happened as I haven't scored as much lately and I typically score a goal or more less a game with manual shot aim on.

[jaiman]

Quote: Originally Posted by slickdtc

Did a few searches and didn't see this brought up anywhere. I know for a fact it is switching my lines automatically and I know I have them set to manual. It appears to go to the next best line when the current line hits about 75% energy. It's frustrating because I go to change my lines and get to the wrong one because it's automatically changed it for me. Has anyone else experienced this? It can't just be me. EDIT: Okay maybe this is a big nevermind. Apparently my settings magically changed. I was wondering why the target was showing up when it doesn't when shot aim is set to auto. Go in to change that and for some reason my shot aim was changed to manual and line changes changed to auto. My best guess is that playing my backup goalie somehow screwed this up? I've had auto aim on the last few games. Unless I was completely oblivious and it didn't save my preferences and it slipped by. Could very well have happened as I haven't scored as much lately and I typically score a goal or more less a game with manual shot aim on.

The manual setting switches to your less fatigued line at every whistle. Still kind of a pain. If I choose 'manual' it's because I want full control. Not hybrid.

[jyoung]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sayheykid01

Hey guys thinking about downloading this game now that's it's dropped on $20 in the PlayStation store. I've been searching everywhere online and can't seem I find a direct answer. Can you play online co-op with a friend (2 different consoles) against the A.I? I just want to play me and a buddy vs the computer without having to play 6v6. I know in the older games you could actually play an online franchise, but it looks like they got rid of that. Thanks

You would have to use the SharePlay feature on PS4. Unless your connections are incredibly fast, the lag will probably be too much to play the game properly.

[slickdtc]

Quote: Originally Posted by jaiman

The manual setting switches to your less fatigued line at every whistle. Still kind of a pain. If I choose 'manual' it's because I want full control. Not hybrid.

Thanks for the answer.

Ugh!! Why?!? Who thought that was a good idea. You specifically name the option manual, then proceed to have it automatically change lines at whistle. That makes no sense whatsoever.

Just a completely puzzling decision. Not the worst thing in the world, but a baffling decision nonetheless.

EDIT: And I found out that bringing in your backup goalie to start a game resets your shot aim and line change settings. Great.

[Money99]

Destroyed a water bottle. I basically jumped out of my chair when I did that.
Frickin. Sweet.

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Destroyed a water bottle. I basically jumped out of my chair when I did that. Frickin. Sweet.

The game can look a little underwhelming from the gameplay view with its LoD scaling, but in replay, it's pretty damn impressive, and some of the animations even have impressive fidelity and subtlety to them. But, yeah, sniping, and blowing up the water bottle looks as good as it ever has in a hockey game.