NHL 19 Open Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here - Extended to August 3

[Qb]

Quote: Originally Posted by KomicJ

Anyone else have that feeling about the passing game ? Or is it really my controller ?

I don't like the feel of passing; too much assist which makes it inconsistent with user input IMO. This also contributes to the puck not feeling independent since passes rarely go into space -- although saucer pass remains useful for area passes, chip & chase, and cycling.

Quote: Originally Posted by iaxy

I am getting used to the extreme poke check sensitivity and actually like it. It’s making you play more disciplined. You are now having to chase back with your forwards and play positionally rather than relying on a poke by a defender all the time... ...Quick players on breakaways should never be caught up so easily (especially by bulky defensemen). It’s unrealistic and frustrating.

I'm with you on pokechecking. In a few versus games I saw people pile up tripping calls while I had a couple from undisciplined or desperation pokes.

You hit on it, the key to better neutral zone & blueline entry play is having pressure from the back checking forwards, which is still not where it needs to be with AI players. I tried the new directional switching (R2+R-stick) to grab the nearest forward, but it was hard to see the icons above the upscreen players on dynamic medium. When I got the guy I wanted, I was able to eliminate the cut-back-to-the-middle option and jam things up in the middle (EASHL center so plenty of practice, haha). AI D-men weren't too bad 1v1 with that support, but defensive settings definitely factor into how they play it.

And I agree on the breakaway catch-up; not sure why exactly it happens, but I had many instances of it in a particular versus matchup. My opponent was aggressively looking for hits, so I'd bait him to step up and take the hit to make the pass. But most times before I could get a good move/shot he'd get someone back in the play. Credit to him I suppose, but it seemed a bit much.

[stevostl]

I played a lot of 3 v 3 eashl over the weekend and I must say I am considering buying this now that I started playing again. it was fun. I stay up until 5 am one night playing with friends which I haven't done that in forever. lol

as someone who played lots of goalie for top clubs in the EASHL since 2009... I will say i am overly impressed with the goalie controls this season. this should make EASHL great this year. it's very fun to play goalie. I like the fact that there is some glitch goals or cheese that comes from before. this is what makes it a need to play with user goalies in clubs online and it makes it better in the end because of it.

I'm also happy that they finally added something to the EASHL and at least made it like fifa level up process in clubs now. something to play for in OTP .. and i I can change my weight and height and yes... I'm so happy about that. it's not to what I loved in the early eashl days where you can edit all your attributes but it's for sure a better middle ground instead of the stupid boring every player is the same builds in the EASHL.

so far i'm impressed and will continue to play this beta clubs online.. and I will maybe buy NHL now.. just to play EASHL online..

in regards to the poke checking.. I am a fan of it but I think they should tweak it some but not much. I personally rather it be this way instead of allowing poke check spamming .. however, with that said .. it's too sensitive and they need tone it down. way too many tripping calls that should never happen for just putting your stick out attempting a poke check. but yes i would prefer they keep it the same though instead of go back to the old way for sure. I'm fine with it as you don't even need to use the poke check button to play d in this game. I don't get the people who continue to do it non stop getting penalties. glad none of these people are playing with me on my club gaming fun.. lol

other improvements I'm sure that have already been mentioned here in terms of gameplay is the puck pickup is greatly improved. this was much needed.. and of course skating everyone has mentioned I'm sure... but those 2 things from a gameplay standpoint have helped a lot and in a strange way I think the poke checking problem of it being so sensitive has helped gameplay as well because it opens the flow of the game more in the EASHL online now. one of the reasons i stopped playing this game was because you could basically poke check from behind even and knock the puck off the guy by spamming it.. this made the EASHL that has gotten stale over the last many years even more boring

one thing I want to know though.. is how in the hell I seen some great players in the EASHL do a saucer pass so accurately over a d man stick right on the tape to the other forward?????? am I missing something here? I use R1 on PS4 and the saucer pass is so manual it's hard as hell to get it accurate.. i still use it though to give pass it off boards or into space but i'm wondering if i'm missing something because I have seen others do it extremely accurate

[jake19ny]

A few minor observations that were unresolved issues last year and need fixing.

The game simply doesn’t getting boarding right. Too many clear hits to the side not from behind are called boarding.

There are still some clunky collision issues with the skater and the net when you have the puck. My opponents player got got up on the net and somehow put the puck in his own net. I’ve almost done it a few times as well. Saw this a lot last year.

[Godzillaboss300]

I like how they let you make custom goal horns for your player.

[raneman85]

This game is full of bugs. Can't even complete a game without someone being disconnected.

[Blzer]

Quote: Originally Posted by raneman85

This game is full of bugs. Can't even complete a game without someone being disconnected.

I'm only getting disconnected because the other player is dropping. Maybe it's bug-related though. I had a great 1-1 tie going into the third period with an opponent and I thought we were nicely matched up, then he dropped. I mean it could be a number of things, but I didn't think that a bug was one of them.

[jake19ny]

After playing 3 EASHL games of 6 on 6 (tried like 30 times and everything is a freeze, failed to retrieve error, or disconnect) I can honestly say this mode gets worse each year. What an absolute bumbling mass of confusion this is on the ice. The street clothes crap just doesn’t work. It’s like a watching chickens run around without heads.
Add that to the A-holes and bad servers and this mode is a train wreck

[Steve_OS]

The NHL 19 open beta has been extended until August 3, as they just implemented a new tuner to try out.