NHL 21 Has Been Released - Share Your Impressions with the Community

[MizzouRah]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Has this series fallen that far?
The game has been out for a nearly 10 hours and the most info we've got is one impression and a bunch for squabbling over rosters.

Sent from my MAR-LX3A using Operation Sports mobile app

I have it preordered, don't have EA Access anymore. I did watch a video and game play looks much better, the D actually pressures entry into their zone, game seems much more sloppy and organic.

Definitely excited to get my hands on it next Friday. I'll mess with BAP for a bit until post FA rosters come out.

[CujoMatty]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Saw a weird glitch,Sitter has a real face this year but when playing the game it not his real face during gameplay,you can tell by the hair.

speaking of hair. something weird is going on with it. Scored a goal and they zoomed in on Bouwmeester and his hair was a texture from N64 days lol it was real bad looking.

[leafsfan67]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Not impressed with be a pro, a few text responses nothing close to NBA 2k or Madden past story modes or Fifas the journey story mode.

[leafsfan67]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

And you can't play full seasons with your be a pro anymore. I'll stick to franchise this year.

[CujoMatty]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

played some more.

This keeps EA consistent. The game looks identical to 20. A real samesy feeling like I had with Fifa and Madden this year. Just like those games it's all about the refined gameplay.

Controls just generally feel tighter.

Goalies were pretty bad in my 2 games. I had 3 goals in 2 games that were the vintage EA bounce around and trickle in. I was on Pro though.

Not enough penalties for my liking but sliders I'm sure will rectify that like every year.

the AI didnt do anything weird but I'll be honest I'm not an expert at the ins and outs of this game.

It sucks that I'm the guy giving you impressions cause honestly I havent put much time into this series in quite a while until just a few months ago when I played 20 quite a bit. I'm not the right guy for this job but those are my early uneducated impressions.

[jtthegreek94]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Just confirmed via YouTube roster reveal that there is no Kirill Kaprizov in game and 2020 draft picks are not on their real teams. The NHL is talking about starting the season in January so we won’t even get a roster update for 3 months.

What’s the point in even buying this game and not sticking with ‘20 of the rosters are going to be the sane????

The weird one is Kaprizov not being in. The have Mikhail Grigorenko in and he has been playing in the KHL for a few years. Him and Kaprizov both signed their contract on the same day this year July 13th

For the non NCAA/USHL and KHL guys that should be updated for the Oct 16 launch but yeah with the NCAA and KHL will have to wait like every year until they have actually made NHL/AHL and played reg season games.

[ShadowGhost25]

I only really play Franchise mode , so far its the same as last years game in my opinion if you're like me I would wait until the season starts or the week after to get this because  the draft classes are messed right and free agent class are as well 

[Therebelyell626]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Has this series fallen that far?
The game has been out for a nearly 10 hours and the most info we've got is one impression and a bunch for squabbling over rosters.

Sent from my MAR-LX3A using Operation Sports mobile app

No one is “squabbling” over rosters. I posed a very simple question. If we are not getting a roster update until January then what’s the point in not sticking with ‘20? If you want gameplay impressions go and play ‘20. Like cujo said it’s basically ‘20 with tighter controls and chips along the boards now

[mdgoalie37]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

I’ve played this game every year since the first one in the Sega Genesis. I’ve pretty much always enjoyed it. I downloaded the trial and jumped into the Stanley Cup Final playing as St. Louis. I started on default All-Star, full-sim with 10 minute periods. I scored quickly to go up 1-0 but then Bruins took over and I couldn’t even get the puck from them. Next thing I knew, I’m down 3-1. I switch to Pro (obviously I know the sample size is ridiculously small, I’m just messing around with it) and score on my next 3 shots to go up 4-3 and I get one, 4-4 after 1.

I lower the passing and puck control sliders to make the game a little more sloppy, it didn’t seem to have much impact, more of the same in the second, I believe it was 8-8 after 2. Seeing the same silly things, my teams d-zone coverage is on par with the defense I get with my beer league team (which is horrific), guys just running around not playing their position. Sticks clipping through legs, bodies and other sticks. The CPU opponent skating directly at the boards and then cutting back towards their goal when you are playing in front if them, my d-men not covering anyone. Defensive zone play felt like a total cluster....I stopped and watched quite a few replays and had no idea what some of the players are doing.
I wound up winning 12-9, and yes it is only one game but it didn’t seem so full sim to me.
I’ll give it another shot and probably mess with the sliders some.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[Soedy]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Yeah but Grigorenko has played in the KHL for the last two seasons. Does the PA always hold your rights even if you leave to play in another league? Also, EA had jack Hughes in last years game and he was considered an amateur playing for the USNDT, and had never played an NHL game. So EA has ways to get around it.

I would argue that Kirill Kaprizov is one of the best international players to come to NHL in years, and is regarded by most experts as a sure fire superstar. He should be made a priority considering we won’t even be having a season until 2021.

If they don’t get some kind of roster update going in the meantime I am just going to stick with ‘20 until January, and buy the game when it’s $20 bucks

I think so. If I am not mistaken, Colorado has his rights, when he comes back, just like with Kovalchuk. Still sucks. Players should be part of the licensing as soon as they sign a contract IMO.

[TomSellecksMustache]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Anyone else have issues with auto scouting in franchise mode?

Simmed through a season last night and zero prospects were scouted despite having auto scout on and all 20 scouts in the amateur leagues.

[iaxy]

I must say I am enjoying the game out of the box with no slider adjustments, except I reduce  Game Speed to 0. 
As always I play on True Broadcast camera and even at speed at 0 - this is a tad too fast, but I can live with it.

I can definitely see an improved positioning by skaters - on both offence and defence. It just feels and looks better, and more importantly, it leads to a more authentic and intuitive experience, with momentum now playing a more prominent role. 
That said, it is very, very similar to 20 and frankly feeling quite stale. The presentation looks exactly the same. I didn't really expect anything else for current gen, but it would have been nice to improve some animations. Which brings me to the "new" chip, bank, etc. Let's face it - this is just EA recycling the same animations, but giving them another name and putting them in a different context. They don't look particularly good and they don't really add up much to your arsenal. 
My biggest grip remains the inability to pull back the True Broadcast camera angle. It has always been too zoomed in.  For arenas like Boston, it is OK as the view angle there is further out, but for other arenas like The United Centre i Chicago it is just too close to the ice making it impossible to see large portions of the ice. 
I just don't understand why EA does not make the True Broadcast camera customizeable with a zoom option. You can clearly see from some cut scenes that they can pull back the zoom - but why not give us that same view for gameplay?

[capnlarge]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

It just occurred to me that since I have game pass, I might be able to play this!

[Lordofthething]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

This really is NHL 20 with a couple new moves. It's subtle, but the AI is a bit better. I'm a diehard hockey freak so I will buy this game for sure. Trade deadline mini game is fun. One thing I didn't like is that I was in the process of negotiating a trade when a trade offer came in from another team, after declining that offer I was hoping it would take me back to the trade I was working on but no such luck. Had to start that trade all over again.

The career stats are cool too...you can look at them from a historical view or just from the start of your franchise.

If you're just a casual fan of hockey and you have 20, then save your money...if you haven't bought it in a few years then I would recommend.

I'm a franchise player but might give be a pro a try later...long weekend here in Canada...whooohoo

[Travolterjohn]

Re: NHL 21 Trial Available For EA Play Subscribers - Post Your Impressions Here

Just confirmed via YouTube roster reveal that there is no Kirill Kaprizov in game and 2020 draft picks are not on their real teams. The NHL is talking about starting the season in January so we won’t even get a roster update for 3 months.

What’s the point in even buying this game and not sticking with ‘20 of the rosters are going to be the sane????

The weird one is Kaprizov not being in. The have Mikhail Grigorenko in and he has been playing in the KHL for a few years. Him and Kaprizov both signed their contract on the same day this year July 13th

That was clear before. No good Roster update before this time. They will made one after the FA are signed and than they will have a rest till the NHL starts. The new signed Rookies will not be in the Game before they play minimum 1 NHL game or till they pass the AHL waiver. So not await a good Roster before end of January. Guys like Zegras, Turcotte, Kaprizov, Romanov and many other signed Prospects from the KHL and College League you will not see into a Roster till that time and than only with a Black Silhouettes without a photo like usual.