NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

I generally like the gameplay on SS, hardcore simulation once slowed down a bit. It's not a revolution in sports gaming, but it is enough of an improvement for someone like me who had a lot of fun with '13. Teammate AI is definitely still lacking, but I'll give it a pass for this gen, and bring out the heavy criticism if it's not much better next gen.

I think the default shot power is set too high. Some of the laser beam wrist shots and snap shot have enough mustard on them to exit Earth's orbit if nothing stops them.

Only simmed one Be a Gm season so far. Scoring seemed a little low. Stamkos led the league in points with 94, but was the only one in the 90's, and there were only about three or four others in the 80 point range. The top goal scorer was Patrick Hornqvist with 37. But it was a small sample size, and I noticed some stars like Ovechkin and Cosby missed a good chunk of games and were trending over a point per game pace. Not a big deal.

The new little changed to line management are great, and the twitter feed in the news is a welcome small detail.

Interesting detail that only interests me is it seems in Be a Gm they have a grandfather clause for visors on rookies. Many of the CHL prospects, when you go in to edit them, have a reebok helmet, and no visor. However, play them on your AHL or NHL team and they'll be wearing a visor despite not having one assigned in their equipment options.

[Fiddy]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

I just played EASHL games yesterday/last night.

I sent my 5year old son to a football game with his Pap and Nana. Lol.

Quick impressions from my phone.

Skating is 100% better. If you don't think so then I don't know what to tell ya. Skating as a d man backing out of the zone is smooth now. Not herky jerky like last year.

CPU AI IMO is a bit smarter in D zone but not much better than NHL 13. They are much better at passing the puck and not having to call for it. They are really solid on PP positionally.

Per usual, same goals, same shots, etc. IMO 100x easier to score. Why? Bc with the ones I just mentioned the one timers are back and they back big time.

Goalie animations seem improved but more of the same there IMO.

Fighting etc while neat at first, needs toned down. Every hit don't need to result in a fight.

Also. Again like last year the EASHL played great first 5 to 10 games. After that it seemed that the more we leveled up our player, the worst the fan felt. I dunno. Weird.

Face off spam online. Same as last year. Terrible.

[CarryTheWeight]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

I only played one offline game last night so don't take my impressions as gospel (since most of the games I play in the NHL series turn out different each time).

I'm not that impressed. I like it, just not as much as I should be. Maybe the minor tweaks are a bit too minor...even for this longtime, hardcore hockey fan. It's very similar to last year's game, which, in many respects is a good thing. It's just lacking a lot of polish and diversity.

I'm going to agree with everyone about presentation. Next-gen is the perfect opportunity for this team to go all-out in that regard. The gameplay's pretty much there, now add some presentational authenticity and drama to non-playoff games. Get TSN, Hockey Night in Canada and/or NBC Sports Network branded games. I wouldn't mind keeping Gary and Bill as long as there could be another commentary team or network to switch things up and keep things fresh from game to game. We're switching to Blu-ray on both next-gen consoles, so why not add tons more content?

Player faces are absolutely awful. No excuse as to why a game that once had every player authentically represented on last-gen is so inaccurate now. I understand the development team prefers to scan players in instead of using photos, but why a game like NBA can get nearly every player in the league, including backups and long-time free agents to look decent and NHL can't is a bit silly. FIFA has this same issue, but it's understood considering there's nearly 10,000 players. NHL doesn't have to be 100% accurate with every league but at least make every NHL regular look 90-95% like their real-life counterparts.

I've found the new fighting engine relies mostly on stick skills and isn't as fresh, strategic or revolutionary as advertised. I was able to win all of my fights simply by repeatedly flicking my right analog stick and using the dodge/block function minimally, and this was on All-Star using the default Hardcore Simulation sliders. Fortunately, I have seen a few instigator penalties, so that's indeed in there. Only in certain situations, though, like if you hit a player and start a fight with him afterward or if you shoot the puck at the goalie after the whistle. Love the details after fights like bruises and such, but I think they're a bit overdone considering we don't see them after every fight in the real league. Once in a while would be all right.

Interesting thing to note is that after a fight with Steve Ott, Joffrey Lupul ended up being injured for the rest of the game and the commentators mentioned this. I haven't looked at the demo impressions thread very much so I'm not sure if it's a common happening, but it's an interesting and unpredictable addition.

I like the minor additions to BAGM including the fact that goaltenders actually rotate and supposedly get injured once in a while. Good news, especially for people who simulate. All I'm hoping is that this mode gets a once-over on next-gen. Maybe a FIFA-like global scouting system could work so that you can acquire players from world and junior leagues...maybe even licensing individual college teams/conferences and making their rosters editable like in the NCAA series could work as well.

I'm tired of the NHL and AHL seasons happening in a bubble during BAGM. Why don't we have real-time stats from junior, European and International competitions? Why can't we play as a GM in the junior or European leagues in addition to the NHL? This is what makes games like EA's own FIFA and NCAA series a lot of fun. We should have the freedom to do all that. But I'll save that for a wishlist thread.

Finally, I'm not sure if I'm awful at the game or if my rebuilding Sabres team is (probably both considering how they were last season) but I'm struggling to score on good scoring chances while the AI seems to bury every awful shot they take. I know, real life often operates the same way but it's often tough to mount a decent attack. I find this happens in certain FIFA games as well, but in others it's ridiculously easy to score. I don't know. As I said before, the game has a level of unpredictability sometimes.

Anyway, I liked 13 but 14 isn't exactly astounding in terms of improvement. Yes, it has improved in certain areas and remained awfully stagnant in others...but it's still pretty solid. Regardless, EA's Season Ticket is one of the best deals in console gaming today. Yes, they're still getting their money but it's saved me even more the past few years.

[Nomah5]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

Hey guys what is this so called online face off spam you refer too? I play mostly online but never heard that phrase before. Sorry if this isn't an impression...

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

[Cletus]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

Hey guys what is this so called online face off spam you refer too? I play mostly online but never heard that phrase before. Sorry if this isn't an impression...

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

It's where you change grips constantly on the faceoff.

[CupCrazyManiac]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

Sorry guys my very first impression was deleted by a Mod (thanx Millenium ;-)) (dont know why he not copy&paste it like the other Mods but anyway...


After 6 hrs. playing the game in offline modes (single and 7 games with my body) i delete the game! You need to play a lot of Games to judge.

The skating FEELS NOT RIGHT! That alone is a NO GO for me! Its THE core main thing!

If you ever played hockey yourself you will know what i mean, its NOT like skating on the ice. NHL13 was not good at all with skating BUT better (with Tuner v.1.04) like 14.

The passing is 50/50. Better with short passes but as always there will be laser magicly glued puck to stick movements.
i play with Pass Assist: 0/1 and Manual Passing: ON!

The Hitting is WAY OVER THE BOARD!
I mean, they are way to many MONSTER KILLER BIG HITS and they are way to easy to execute!
Hitting Power :0
Hitting Assist:0
Agress.:2

The Hitting Animations are better and nice to see.

btw: EA, where ist the INSTIGATING PENALTY????

my sliders:
Pro and All Star (50%)
Hardcore Simulation
Penalties Max
Manual Passing: ON
Pass Assist : 0 or 1
Hitting Assist: 0
Hitting Power: 0
Puck Control: 0 or 1

iam now official Pi..ed!

Will see if i come back downloading it again...?
Im glad i have the early season ticket subcription, so i can test it and evtl. will NOT buy the game...(Damn i wish 2K is on the Board!)

And pls. NHL15 on Next Gen has to be THE GAME! No excuses anymore!

Skating feels like NHL 13 with the bad Tuner 1.07 and not like the better skating tuner v.1.04

Thanx for hearing me!

[jyoung]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

So Be a Pro goalie is still ridiculously unfair and unfun.

Your AI defenders play some of the worst defense I've ever seen. They will chase the CPU puck carrier around the entire defensive zone trailing behind him, then let him skate into the slot and shoot from point blank range.

Repeat that scenario about 15 times a game and you just have no chance in net.

On offense, you're lucky if your teammates can manage 10 shots a game. Most possessions, they just skate around the perimeter and pass it around until there's a turnover.

Be A Pro goalie really exposes how awful the AI is in this game.

[canucksss]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

So Be a Pro goalie is still ridiculously unfair and unfun.

Your AI defenders play some of the worst defense I've ever seen. They will chase the CPU puck carrier around the entire defensive zone trailing behind him, then let him skate into the slot and shoot from point blank range.

Repeat that scenario about 15 times a game and you just have no chance in net.

On offense, you're lucky if your teammates can manage 10 shots a game. Most possessions, they just skate around the perimeter and pass it around until there's a turnover.

Be A Pro goalie really exposes how awful the AI is in this game.

IF i get this game it is because of this mode, since BaGM is being ignored by EA for so long. May I ask what difficulty are you playing your BAP? Thanks.

[Gagnon39]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

After quite a few more games I can draw a more better conclusion.

As a long-time NHL and NHL video game fan I can say without a doubt that this game is better than NHL 13. And with that being said there's no doubt in my mind, with all things considered that its the best hockey game I've ever played. Now, before you think that I am giving the game the highest praise, let's slow down.

The game could be a lot better. In many, many areas. But the total package (we forget how revolutionary the skill stick was/is) is light years ahead of what we were playing 4-5 years ago.

The things I like are the improved skating. In my opinion it is much more realistic. And the hits, while maybe a little much are so much better than last year's bumper car player we had where hits would not even initiate. Now you actually have to think and tell yourself, if I fly into this player with his back to me, I'm going to get a penalty. If you think the boarding penalties are excessive its because of your gamestyle. You're not playing a realistic game of hockey if you try to crush everyone from behind on the boards.

The CPU passing, while still too accurate seems to be toned down just a hair. Which is good. And the goal variety seems to be good. I haven't finished a full season on an NHL game since NHL 10, but this may be the year that I do it again. So far so good.

[CupCrazyManiac]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

@Gagnon39
Are you playing the Xbox or PS3 Version?

[jyoung]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

IF i get this game it is because of this mode, since BaGM is being ignored by EA for so long. May I ask what difficulty are you playing your BAP? Thanks.

Default rookie settings.

There's no reason to bother with this game if you want to play goalie offline. The AI is just as bad as in previous versions of EA NHL.

EASHL and OTP remain the only way to enjoy playing goalie.

[ComaFaction]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

Default rookie settings.

There's no reason to bother with this game if you want to play goalie offline. The AI is just as bad as in previous versions of EA NHL.

EASHL and OTP remain the only way to enjoy playing goalie.

Try All Star or Superstar and see if that helps.

[adayinthelife]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

Hoping to post full impressions when I have some more time tomorrow, but I just wanted to point out that it feels like the sliders have a bit more impact this year.

I've started messing around with them, and it just feels like I'm getting better results easier than in years past. I could be crazy and it could just be the result of new tweaks they've made, but that's the impression I've had thus far and I'm quite happy about it. Anyone else have comments on their slider experiences so far?

[jyoung]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

Try All Star or Superstar and see if that helps.

I've tried the higher difficulties and it doesn't make any difference for my team. It just makes the other team even better shooters and passers.

[jyoung]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now for Season Ticket Subscribers, Post Your Impressions

OK what the hell, I just got sent down to the minors to start season 2 of my skater career after posting 100+ points, wining the Stanlely Cup, the Conn Smythe, the Rocket Richard, the Art Ross, the Calder, the Hart, and the Lady Byng the previous season.

We finished the preseason undefeated and I had 20 points in those games.

Why on earth would I get sent down? This has to be a prescripted event in Live the Life mode or something. Makes no sense unless it was coded to happen to every skater at the start of year 2.