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

[meep316]

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

Yea it's actually a huge breath of fresh air. You can no longer just toe drag back and forth over and over. Instead the toe drag is actually that animation from the videos where the player makes that quick toe drag move. Since it's locked into an animation you can't make any other stick handling movements until the animation plays out. Seriously, it may be the best thing they've done to this game in quite some time in my eyes. The thing is it helps prevent stick handling spam and poke checking spam. It may be very beneficial for online players. I just have a feeling the masses will come out and complain because they are so used to stick handling at will back and forth with full extension, without losing the puck. Now even if you don't lose the puck while stick handling really fast back and forth, the defender can at least poke check the puck off your stick easier because the extension isn't as far. That's at least how I'm seeing it now. I could see it differently as I continue to play more games though.

Cool, I'm really looking forward to trying it myself. The problem with watching so many videos of other people playing, is that most people just play the most basic ways. They never utilize all of the tools given to you, which is just crazy to me.

[Smirkin Dirk]

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

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[JezFranco]

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

Lol i missed this!

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/ryan-reaves-does-not-appreciate-your--skin--tone--ea-sports-011646287.html

[onac22]

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

Played it on classic camera it is the same game. EA is striking out UFC strike one, Madden Strike two(presentation changed but same turd), NHL demo is strike three good bye EA. None of the games will change unless you are into tv presentation. Actual gameplay and strategy still lacking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Splitter77]

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

Lol i missed this!

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...011646287.html

he should be happy with the overblown overall rating he has.
should be more in the 0-20 range for overall rating.

[Splitter77]

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.

yup.
that settles it for me.
the repitition of the gameplay just kills this game for me. I was hoping the next gen version would be better, but it looks like its still in there.

still to this day nhl 2k3 on the ps2 has been the only hockey game where i didnt have to make house rules, or actually saw something different happen each game i played. no repetitive ****.

i was gonna pick nhl 15 up if they improved the gm mode. but looks like its the same.
nice review.

[ThaLiveKing]

Anyone else hate the factthat the cpu doesn't dump the puck in, but rather skate with the puck along the blue line before entering the zone, this was a problem in NHL 14 also

[Money99]

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

I've been playing on all star hardcore and haven't noticed any glaring A.I issues at all. I don't feel cheated like I did in the past when they would just magically get the puck off your stick, tap you in the back and you'd lose the puck, etc.

I love how they've improved the skating and players feel like they have weight to them. Same for the A.I. In the past I found that they could make pivots and turns that we human players couldnt do.

Overall I'm really loving this demo. Presentation is awesome and the new commentators are a breath of fresh air. I've rarely watched NBC games so Doc and Eddie are brand new to me.

Music to my ears! Thanks for posting this!

[bwiggy33]

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

Anyone else hate the factthat the cpu doesn't dump the puck in, but rather skate with the puck along the blue line before entering the zone, this was a problem in NHL 14 also

Have you ever adjusted the strategies for the teams? There is a slider for Dump and Carry that will no doubt fix your problem. All you have to do is adjust it to your liking and you can also do it by line. Obviously the more skilled lines don't dump and chase that much but 3rd and 4th lines do. You can adjust quite a few sliders in the strategies area and it makes this game way better than it is out of the box. The only way I get any enjoyment out of this game is if these strategies are adjusted.

[indcolts18288]

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

I'm downloading now for PS4 but not liking what I'm reading so far. I guess we can just hope the finished product will be a lot better but knowing EA it won't. They can make a beautiful title like UFC and fail on NHL? Looks like Madden was their main focus this year.

[Shortyman96]

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

From what I've noticed they removed the top of crease battles. Attempting to get the best of your opposition position wise in order to get a rebound and the like. There is still some pushing and such, but from what I can tell the AI doesn't tend to stick around the crease very long. This is a little concerning for me. Looks like they are attempting to encourage the "pretty" goals instead of the "greasy" ones. To me the hard earned goals in the crease feel much more rewarding, I hope with tuners it makes it feel less like an arcade game. All of this leads me to believe they couldn't fix the "glue" aspect when players had to peel off the battle to get a puck and just removed it all together. We'll see in 2 weeks.

[Cletus]

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

Played quite a few games, it looks like the best way to get a balanced game is to play on simulation settings. Whatever advantages they strip away from you on hardcore brings back the old magic puck and agility cheats for the cpu. Outside of that, this is a pretty solid game considering what it's been and what we get (not many game modes).


The AI still doesn't trap you at the blueline, but good look trying to skate past Slava Voynov in the slot on the rush. That's at least something. I haven't even been able to get into the slot to try a glitch shot that people love to do. The AI uses their sticks more, but not as much as a real NHL player, but it's still better than PS3. Goalies are eh, but looking at the sliders they are turned down a little bit. I figure it's because of the 2 minute periods. Breakouts are still hit or miss, but mostly because the cpu is trying to guess where you are going.

Here's my favorite part, on defense everything works. Poke checks work, although they're not strong enough but can be fixed by sliders. My AI doesn't seem to stand around much, although there are times when my opposite side DMan looked lost and let in a cross crease. I have only noticed that when I was playing as the NYR so it made be an attribute formula at play.

Overall I don't mind spending 60 bucks on this game. I was going to anyway, but before the demo I didn't know if I was going to be happy about it. I am, I know there are going to be some frustrations, but the EA team actually did a half decent job with the AI. Now if only there was a way to direct them, hmmm.

[indcolts18288]

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

In the middle of playing and call me a fan boy but it's not as bad as it's made out to be. Graphically it's decent but with the actual game it will improve. Controls are smooth as silk. I'm sure I'll find negatives soon, I've only played one period.

[Jattbreed]

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

What the **** is wrong with the jerseys? The numbers look distorted like hell and it looks like the numbers were stitched on the jerseys by a drunk lady. The 61 on Nash's jersey just looks horrible! It's as if the numbers are narrow up top and get fatter near the bottom, I didn't know numbers were meshed and not stitched in real life. Just don't understand this is the PS4, there really is no excuse for this, played at a friend's house and still wasn't fun at all, no buy for me.

The goalies are the exact same, for more than half a decade in a game that is in the technology generation has remained the exact friggin same, I had such anticipation for them waiting a year and this comes out...very VERY disappointed.

[gator3guy]

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

My very initial impressions...

+ Shot power feels good. Slappers feel powerful. I actually scored on a backhander in the slot and it felt great. I feel like I said this in previous years and it didn't seem to translate to the retail after tuners and such. We will see.
+ Like the "free style" aspect of the skill stick. Pulled off some smooth moves. Little hurky jerky at times. Need more time but has potential.
+ Saw AI defensemen step up at the blue line. Not always with success or a good angle, but nice to see for once.
+ AI seems to make some moves when attacking. Even saw a spin-o-rama on a breakaway.
+ My AI teammates haven't beaten me offsides..yet
+ Like how my defensemen hold the line in the offensive zone. This has been a big gripe of man for years.

- Passes are way too fast. I turned the puck shadow off and it looks like a game of pong on speed. Especially back hand passes.
- Poke check where are you?
- CPU goes offsides too often still
- No 4v4 OT in the demo? C'mon!!!
- Ice looks bad. There's no "POP" to it

Edit line screen looks good in theory, but not sure it's going to be feasible to edit lines for versus play in a timely fashion.

Finally get a PP at the end of the thrid but can't get to see it as there is no OT.

Also should note I can count on one hand how many times I played head to head against the CPU last year so these opinions are based off of what I saw in previous versions of AI teammates in EASHL/ OTP/ Versus.