NHL 20 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here

[unk]

Quote: Originally Posted by Peter_OS

Multiplayer only? No thanks.

you can play some ones with cpu (3 vs goalie)

[Al_Tito13]

I'm really not a whiner here and have been really positive about NHL in the past. However, like others have said, playing defence in this beta is a bit ridiculous. Everything seems in favor of the offense.

Firstly, game speed is too fast, it was already fast last year, but I think it's even faster this year. That's a major point, because it's almost impossible to get a realistic gameplay with the speed so fast. That being said, there are also other important points I will talk about next.

I understand that poke checks touching opponent's skates result in a tripping penalty, even if it's overdone, I can live with that. However when I hit the puck with my poke, could the puck at least comes loose? There were times where I poked right on the puck 3 times, only to see my opponent continue skating with the puck like nothing happened. Pokes have no consistency and are useless right now.

Same goes from bumps and little contacts. At the beginning, last year's game was great for that, but right now, it's almost simply a big hit or nothing at all. Where are the incidental contacts and little push on the puck carrier to defend and make the puck loose? You can be in a good position, but what tools have you to really defend in this game? The puck carrier will hold onto the puck almost every time and make circles around you without loosing it, his stick may also pass through your body keeping the puck, all that until they find the shooting lane. Only thing you hope is that you are able to block the shot or that your goalie makes the save.

In fact, the better pickups and pass receptions (even if players don't see it coming!) seem to simply come from higher puck control in general, which is pretty bad. It affects the overall gameplay so much, in a bad way. Pucks are literally glued on the stick.

Finally, the commentary is over the top, just like the gameplay. Gameplay is pretty much up and down hockey, based mostly on offense, so I guess it's logic to get that kind of commentary to go with it. But to be clear, since I can turn it down, commentary isn't a big concern for me, gameplay is though.

All in all, there are still some positives about the game, like new shooting and goalies animations for example, but it will need a lot of adjustments offline with sliders to be somewhat balanced between offense and defense. Right now, this is not the kind of game I want to play. I only played 3 versus games last night, winning 2 of them, but I had enough, it wasn't fun and satisfying at all. I'm kind of disapointed with the direction the game is taking right now to be honest.

[desouza7]

It's for testing. *They mentioned it's an old version. *If you are going to complain about it, at least provide feedback (which only a few have done) rather than just rambling saying it sucks and you're not buying it.

I personally am enjoying the improved puck pickups and shot animations, although they def need tweaking. *Goalies are definitely improved in terms of not leaving too many pucks laying in front, but every high shot going out of play might get annoying after awhile.

Negatives are the CPU AI still being unstoppable in EASHL, which means it's probably even worse in offline. *Was hoping they would improve it to make them smarter rather than terrible except in certain situations when they seemingly can't be stopped.

[Gangrel]

I believe the large list of fixes EA posted was stuff changed since the beta was made. Is it possible that lots of people's issues are solved in later builds?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[oilersfan99]

There was some stuff that I was happy with. The skating was a little better and more responsive and the simple dekes worked most of the time. The shot animations are a nice touch to make some players look different in how they let their shot go.

Goalies steering the puck into the corners or even over the glass is massively welcome. Yeah itll get annoying when it happens too much but all these scrubs who used to do that flick rebound goal wont have that option anymore.

Commentary I like just because it is different. It's over the top yes but still better than the dull and bland commentary from the past few seasons.

The progression after games is way better. It skips along fast so you dont have to sit there waiting to see what happens. That's also a nice touch.

They stated that the build for the beta is an older one so a lot of things arent working right and skme things are unfinished but overall, I had fun playing a few games last night. That being said however, it is EA and they mess everything up so the beta will e screwed up the day of the first patch like every other year when people whine that it's too hard to score.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

[Lordofthething]

This game is hard to judge for me right now because I absolutely hate online, it never feels like real hockey, everyone kills penalties like they're playing 5 on 5...if someone would actually ice the puck on the pk I might go into cardiac arrest. I've seen a few too many bad angle goals for my liking

Playing 3 on 3 offline in chel is the closest the to real hockey in the beta and I like it but it's a bit too easy.

I hope with the updates and some slider adjustments the game can be fixed but I'm on the fence about purchasing this year.

Overall my biggest complaint is the modes on the beta...stop trying to sell us on your online crap where you get a bunch of kids to pay $2.99 for the latest pair of gloves!!!

[Fiddy]

Just a bunch of random thoughts here.

The menu's, basically the same, changed a color or two and changed the font. It does look a lot cleaner. But the menu's are too lagy, slow, clunky, and too many of them. This was like that last year, so this isnt a beta issue.

Skating feels a bit better, more weight to players, transitions etc. With that said, same moves work, dekes etc. Loose pucks dekes easier.

Presentation

I don't mind the new play by play guy, mainly because its new right now. I'm sure i will turn this off after a few weeks when the game comes out. Scoreboard, dont like it at bottom and in beta when making it "small" it doesnt work.

EASHL

Only thing changed is the ability to play NHL Arcade 3's with your team. Which is a solid addition IMO because I enjoy this mode because this is where the game is the most fun.

Other than that their is ZERO reason to play EASHL. They give no reason at all to continue to play this mode. Zero!

Why do they lock things? Equipment, jerseys, etc for EASHL? This stuff was FREE on older versions to customize your team. I understand the causal stuff for Ones and OTP to be unlocked but why EASHL team stuff? Dumb!

Passing

Passing is a tad harder, players pick off passes better etc. What i can't stand is players picking off passes facing the wrong way, drives me nuts. It should get through 99.9% of the time unless it hits a skate or the blade of the stick, but they shouldn't suction it up.

Shots

Havent notice much of the shot differences, only 15 in the beta i do believe. Scoring though, same shots, same spots, same goals. Deking the goalie out is easier than usual as well. Don't even have to use special dekes, quick move one way and back another easy goal.

I feel like i will have some fun with my buds in EASHL and EASHL Arcade 3's Elimination and even the Pro Am stuff. I'm just enjoying this from here on out as the Arcade game that it is.

Goalies

Playing shots into the corner and out of play is a nice touch. Saw new animations obviously as well.

[jake19ny]

Ok. After 5 online games here’s my 2 cents.

It’s nice to have the new more realistic shooting and movements in addition to the new skating from last year but like last year it doesn’t translate into a better hockey game. Guys still take too long to cut and turn and at times look like they are still skating in mud.

I don’t get the people saying you can’t play defense I played exactly the same as last year.

The AI is identical to last year. That’s bad

I saw some new goalie animations but I didn’t see that “awareness” EA touted. They still drop down too early and don’t seem to know where they are in the net. Money goals still work.

Zero player separation....still....4th liner or a star....play exactly the same. Ugh

The new commentary is way too arcade like but EA had made it clear they abandoned trying to capture a true NHL game and are leaning heavily on a more arcade experience and gimmick modes.

I also don’t buy the excuse this is an early build and the game is probably different....why release it then if this isn’t where the game is close to being at as feedback would be pointless. Those expecting a much different game at release are in for a big disappointment.

Final thought is this isn’t much more than NHL 19.2 and all of us offline true hockey sim guys need to accept that we will never get a true representation of the sport we love from EA. Definitely not a preorder and unless something magical happens and we also get a roster share I simply don’t see any reason to buy this game.