NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

[spidertour02]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

I think I'm going to try and re-download the demo. Even the trailer in the demo has a choppy framerate right now.

Is it just me or does the commentary sound flat? No excitement in Doc's call at all. Disorienting to say the least

I have to disagree. I thought this would be a problem from watching those gameplay videos EA put out, but in the game I just played, that wasn't the case. As the Rangers, I had a 1-0 lead in the third before the Kings came back to win 2-1. He was pretty animated at the end of the third period when LA was making their charge, and he let out a pretty good "SCOOOORE!" when they put the go-ahead goal in the net. It wasn't to his TV level, but it was pretty solid nonetheless.

[Steven547]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

My initial impression.

Playing on the PS4.

Graphically:
PRO:
Superb. Nice to have a "next gen" system with a "next gen" graphics finally. Arena's look nice and has that "NBC" feel.
CON:
Who was the brilliant mind behind the cosmetic look of the menus? If you enter settings, and try to set position lock, I had white text on a teal background. You could hardly read it.
When starting the game, at the controller select, the controller has a "red glow" to...right below it is RED text! I had to move close to my screen to see what I had selected. Poor choice of colors.
Team Select screen - Again...white lettering on a TEAL background! Can't read the team names. Poor.
This color scheme is like this in all menus. You can't read WHITE on TEAL! Ugh.

AI:
This is hard to say. I never understood the thought of releasing a DEMO with the ability to only take advantage of 10% of it. I'm sure EA is done coding the AI and sliders, so why not let us have the ability to adjust those. You can't make a solid make or break review for the AI without the sliders.
As of now, not much different than NHL 14.

Penalties:
What? Where???

Announcers:
I'll probably turn it down. Doc gets annoying even after only playing 2 min periods. He has no excitement in his voice, and it doesn't get you into the "feel" of the game. Could be with only 2 mins periods, it's hard to make that call.

Presentation:
Again, finally we have a "next gen".

Now the "What happened to..."
If you're position locked, why do we still have to control every player in the shootout?? This was brought up a few times over the past couple years. Again, no change.

The menu system. I don't want to keep pressing (L2) to get to another menu. Just keep it simple.


I'm sure there are enough improvements to buy this game. But I am disappointed at the color schemes of the menus.

Overall, this game is like McDonalds changing the paper wrapping on their burgers and telling you it's a new burger. It's still the same burger, just different wrapping.

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now on Xbox One, Post Your Impressions

TBF your probably used to 720p on the xbox one. Believe me 1080p doesn't look like that.

Spoiler

joke

HAHA.. I really don't care. It looks great to me.. I don't get all riled up between 720p vs 1080p, etc, etc..

In fact I have a $500 Sceptre TV that is 6" bigger than my piece of crap dead Sony TV that cost me $2000 and it looks better to boot.

[toyo301985]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now on Xbox One, Post Your Impressions

no ps3 demo??????????????'

[kerosene31]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

I only played 2 games on Xbox One. Both all-star difficulty, first one sim, last one hardcore (hardcore was much better)

Positives:
-Puck physics - I really like the puck physics. Not everyone likes poke check "spam" but in hockey the puck gets knocked loose all the time.

-Graphics - look nice!

Not sure:
-Skating - It very well could just be me not having played in forever (seems to happen every year), but I was having trouble skating d-men backwards and keeping close to the play.

Negatives:
-AI - I'm not seeing much in the way of changes at all, and many of the same old annoyances are still there. The CPU defense is still way too passive and allows you to dangle all over the zone to the point where it is comical. Maybe this year they get in a lucky poke check but that's about it. A decent skater can just own the CPU defense. Teammate AI *might* be a touch better. It seemed they were a little more "heads up"

Overall:

I can sum up my impressions in 3 words:

Is this it???? I mean, with some sliders and tuners, this could play a very good game of hockey, but the AI issues still are going to make offline play a lot less fun. For people who play the (remaining) online modes, I could see it being appealing, however for me this is the first year since 2005 I may pass on the game, or at least wait some time. I still want to hear impressions from people who get it early with EA Access.

[Bronco Billy]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

After downloading and playing both versions, I'd give a *slight* edge graphically to the PS4 version, but the XONE has better color.

It would be most helpful to know what resolution both versions will run in natively.

Love that my Avs got a little bit of a shout out in the demo with that splash screen.

[Jet Sufferer]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

After playing a while longer, and on both the PS4 and Xbox One, I have found a few other issues that are bothering me.

When trying to adjust the settings for your defense during a play stoppage one of the prompts is the same button that is used to skip over the stoppage and advance to the face-off. Who decided that was a good idea? And how did this get past testing?

But my main issue with the demo so far is this:

The gameplay is boring me already because we have been there and done that. Meaning, to get positive results you do the same things over and over again and these things are the same things that you had to do for the past 5 years with this game.

There is no dynamic movement without the puck on offense. No dynamic lanes that open up in the zone. I know exactly where my players will be and where the defense is positioned and that never changes! I can never set up a PP in the zone and go from the lower left wing boards and pass across the ice to the far point. I can not expect to cross corner a fly in dump and know that my far wing is crashing to get it. I can't pin the puck holder on the boards and hope that my teammate will be the second guy in to support me and win the possession.

These are the types of things that wear on a long time player of this series. That and the same goals going in, over and over and over again. Almost all of my goals given up are because the CPU beats my guy under the goal line, usually because of clunky controls such as a failed board pinning or wonky skating animation, and then they quickly center it to someone that is not being tied up in front for an easy, point blank shot. Why can't my backside d help tie up their stick? Give it a quick lift or clamp it down? Why are they not even positioned correctly?

I see other people commenting about their scores for the demo being like 4-2, 6-0, etc. With shots being around 12-16 for their team. How in the heck are you managing that? I fear I know the answer. Most people just cary the puck into the zone and fire, over and over again. And every so often it works. Heck I know when I am going to score if I am giving a clear shot. I can see when the goalie is leaning wrong. That means there is little incentive to play a realistic game. And that is exactly what is like to play online. Just exploits and the same routines over and over. This is because of the unchanged AI.

I could probably fool myself into playing this game this fall after a purchase. I could mess with the sliders and establish my own house rules and regulations to ensure I am not exploiting too much or cheating for an advantage based off of how the game is designed to play, but after half a decade of the same thing I am tired of it. I am bored by it.

Goaltending has hardly been touched since 2006! Not the game, the year. How long will it take until they fix these issues and what faith should I even have at this point that they will even get it correct when/if they ever do?

That is what is so sad about this demo to me.

When will sports game developers (not all) learn that the appeal of sports and why we watch and what we want is unpredictable, organic gameplay??

I can forgive graphics, presentation, socks, etc etc ad infinitum if I'm just given that, it's all I ask of any sports game.

Alas, I guess if they see nothing but 20 page threads talking about graphics, shoes and announcers we will be forever doomed with generic, dumbed down sports games.

[Smirkin Dirk]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

I think the game is more 'organic'. Im see missed passes, and bobbles and deflections.

It is still too easy to enter the zone along the boards but I am seeing more resistance from the D compared to past NHLs.

Don't forget, we can play on hardcore, but cant change the settings so we can make it play even better.

All I know is that I want to get home and play more.

[Pezell04x]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

Playing on All-star. Lost 2-1 in a shootout to NYR. I finished the game satisfied with playing it but I also left with a real feeling that it is a beautiful version of NHL 14.

There was a good flow to the game. Doc was okay in his commentary but after awhile I just tuned him out. There is no doubt I'd turn the commentary off.

The intro was really good and the graphics look amazing.

I am looking forward to playing with the Rangers to see if there is a difference in how the two teams play.

Side note: Whoever thought it was a good idea to press X to change the type of face off should be slapped. It is impossible to change the type of face off without triggering a cut scene of going to the face off. It is irritating.

[twelveone]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

Playing on All-star. Lost 2-1 in a shootout to NYR. I finished the game satisfied with playing it but I also left with a real feeling that it is a beautiful version of NHL 14.

There was a good flow to the game. Doc was okay in his commentary but after awhile I just tuned him out. There is no doubt I'd turn the commentary off.

The intro was really good and the graphics look amazing.

I am looking forward to playing with the Rangers to see if there is a difference in how the two teams play.

Side note: Whoever thought it was a good idea to press X to change the type of face off should be slapped. It is impossible to change the type of face off without triggering a cut scene of going to the face off. It is irritating.

I played 4 games of the demo, each team twice. I think I noticed a little bit of a difference in how the Kings and Rangers play. The graphics look great and the arenas are on point. Im worried about the commentary though, Doc is totally missing his enthusiasm and Eddie barley says anything. Ray Ferraro seems to be very talkative.

By the end of my 4th game I was convinced that this might be a port of NHL 14 and I never even played NHL 14. To me, that's not essentially a bad thing. Those gameplay videos from gamescom don't do the gameplay any justice. Im loving the way this game feels even if the improvements are marginal.

I can't wait to get a franchise poppin' with my hawks, even though the UC isn't in the game. It's gonna be fun playing a majority of the season schedule and visiting all the arenas. After taking last year off from the NHL series, Im ready to play some hockey.

Maybe, just maybe next year's iteration will focus on the actual gameplay and goalie stuff for once. Beyond that, Im not sure how much lasting appeal this game has once we get bored of the new presentation. Im gonna play the hell out of it when I got the time and we will see how long that lasts.

[Hockeynut99]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

the more I play the more I am trying to figure how people can say this is just like nhl14?! The puck is so much more alive this year! And the skating is awesome in my opinion.

[TDKing]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

Very dissapointed, after the missing modes i was hoping to be blown away by the demo, nope. Hate the player models (boxes), graphics don't look that much better than the 360. Same old gameplay with ice friction turned down. Whoever decided to waste one minute of devolpment time on wiggling jerseys needs to be reassigned. It looks like the players are deforming and having some kind of back spasms. Flipped a pass in front and it was gently tipped in and I hear "what a canon of a shot", really? Oh and where is this 12 man physics? Not seeing it! Someone mention already bored with it and I agree. Will they bring back the 3 stars of the game or is that to complicated, maybe not in the demo. I'll try the early access and give it another chance but I may be done with this series for at least the next 2 or three years. Guess I'll give FIFA a try this year. I'm happy for those who like it have fun I'm just not feeling it at all.

[bigwill33]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

the more I play the more I am trying to figure how people can say this is just like nhl14?! The puck is so much more alive this year! And the skating is awesome in my opinion.

Take note of how you are entering the zone. Board play. What scores and what constitutes a scoring chance. The goalies, any aspect of how they play. The passing. The overpowered dekes and inability to really knock the puck loose when they are being performed.

Start by noting just those things while playing and then you will have a good idea of where those "people" are coming from with their opinions.

[russ99]

Re: NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

Plays pretty well, but looks so muddy, especially just after playing the visually brilliant PS4 Madden and looks previous generation compared to PS4 NBA2K.

Let's hope they fix this before release.

[deejay2]

for me it is the same like last year just with better graphics.