NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

[Matt_350z]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

After two months of trying to get the game to play how I want it to(mostly sim), I think as of right now- I'm done with it.

I don't need, nor do I expect the game to be a 100% replication of the real life game. At times though I really wonder if EA's development team even ever played hockey(I know Littmans background), or even watch the intricies of the game.

The game has so many little things that annoy me- from not having penalties called consistently(if at all), to the mind numbingly dumb teammate and opposing CPU AI, to the puck physics, the random CPU strategy adjustment that every team has on the fly to keep games close. Every game for me feels the same no matter which two teams I use.

It's a host of things. I hope and am happy some of you enjoy it. It's just not my cup of tea. It really saddens me as a huge hockey fan that this is all we have.
More so when you look at how great other sports games are right now with their total packages(MLB: TS, FIFA, and NBA2k specifically). Baseball is the only other sport besides hockey that I truly love, so it looks like it is going to get almost all my free gaming time now.

NHL is just too inconsistent, and two flawed for me to even bother with it.

Pro's-
I like the skating
The controls are great
Online plays relatively smooth
HUT is fun in terms of building a team

Con's
AI is awful all around
Sliders seem to do little to nothing most of the time
Puck physics
Presentation is awful
Player faces are laughable at times
Hate the actual gameplay in HUT
The game is just stale, stale, stale

Summary-
I hope EA realizes they need a major overhaul for next gen systems, though I have my doubts much, in anything I dislike about the game will be addressed.

[bdp514]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Much better than '13. The magical sucking your player into the boards is annoying. As is a defender turning his back and skating away from the rebound. But you get used to it and play accordingly. If anything, it keeps me on my toes a little more. After some experimentation with the sliders I've found a balance that suits the way I play as well as my skill level and yields realistic stats and fun game play. The goals usually feel earned and mistakes are punished (harshly on defense). I also like that unlike previous years occasionally I can dominate the flow of play and still get stymied by a hot net minder and visa versa. I've had wide open shoot outs and grind it out defensive struggles and the occasional blowout. Are there shortcomings, for sure. But for me at least this is much better than '13.

[Dsmonty]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Hello, please help. I haven't played since nhl2012. I only play offline GM,
With the problems I have read on here regarding player progression, would I be better off getting 2013 since I cannot get the updates from xbox live ?
or is there a way to get the 2014 updates without xbox live. Thanks in advance, i am an older guy and only like the gm mode on the games . I do not know which one i should get. Is the 2014 game off the shelf any good as far as GM and prospect progression?

[Matt_350z]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Another thing that drives me crazy is why even bother having offensive and defensive setups, plays, and strategies if the CPU AI can't account for it/them almost all of time?

This literally drives me up a tree. It seems like such a waste to even bother having them in the game if the AI doesn't know what to do.

[DarthRambo]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

After two months of trying to get the game to play how I want it to(mostly sim), I think as of right now- I'm done with it.

I don't need, nor do I expect the game to be a 100% replication of the real life game. At times though I really wonder if EA's development team even ever played hockey(I know Littmans background), or even watch the intricies of the game.

The game has so many little things that annoy me- from not having penalties called consistently(if at all), to the mind numbingly dumb teammate and opposing CPU AI, to the puck physics, the random CPU strategy adjustment that every team has on the fly to keep games close. Every game for me feels the same no matter which two teams I use.

It's a host of things. I hope and am happy some of you enjoy it. It's just not my cup of tea. It really saddens me as a huge hockey fan that this is all we have.
More so when you look at how great other sports games are right now with their total packages(MLB: TS, FIFA, and NBA2k specifically). Baseball is the only other sport besides hockey that I truly love, so it looks like it is going to get almost all my free gaming time now.

NHL is just too inconsistent, and two flawed for me to even bother with it.

Pro's-
I like the skating
The controls are great
Online plays relatively smooth
HUT is fun in terms of building a team

Con's
AI is awful all around
Sliders seem to do little to nothing most of the time
Puck physics
Presentation is awful
Player faces are laughable at times
Hate the actual gameplay in HUT
The game is just stale, stale, stale

Summary-
I hope EA realizes they need a major overhaul for next gen systems, though I have my doubts much, in anything I dislike about the game will be addressed.

Thank you for saving me $65!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[The Amaizen Blue]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Just bought the game on Black Friday. First impression, waaaaaaay too many goals being scored on both sides of the puck. My goaltenders have been worse than the CPU's, but I'm able to score just as many goals as the CPU. In my 2nd BeAGM game, I traded goals twice in 2 minutes. Final score: 7-6

Goaltenders will stop most point blank shots, but point shots are a sure goal every time. Can anyone recommend some good tuner/slider settings? I can't play like this. Goals are fun and all, but I don't even have to try and it's frustrating seeing "NHL" goaltenders let in softies every 2 minutes.

[Sunny Lotus]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Is NHL 14 coming out on Next Gen?

[mbergh22]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Is NHL 14 coming out on Next Gen?

Seriously? No! Next time use google.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

[skudz]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

The only goals scored online against me are those stupid short side dekes where the shot comes from almost behind the net. Gets incredibly boring.

[Money99]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Not sure if this constitutes as impressions, but...

I'm having an absolute blast with the Live The Life. I'm a sniping centre and I'm tearing up the OHL right now as a Spitfire.
My teammates hate me because I never give them props and credit every win to me.

Even though I have my fighting set to 'rarely' I lead the league in PIMs and fights, haha.
I'm a terrible fighter and have won maybe two fights out of the 15+ I've had.

In my last fight, I obliterated an opponent against the boards which sparked a tilt.
We both grabbed on at the same time and delivered a punch simultaneously - which resulted in me being one-punch KO'd.
Even though I was put to sleep, I thought that was very cool.

Anyway, I lead the league in goals and points. But I think my poor 'me' attitude is costing me in draft position. I'm currently slated to go in the 1st round.
I'm lighting up the league so you would think I'd be a sure-fire #1 overall pick. Guess not,haha.

This mode is almost too much fun. I haven't even played a regular game since starting LtL.

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Ok I bought this back today as I only play offline but theres still such a lack or true interaction it saddens me as its actually a fun game if you can make sliders that limit all the tilted ice crud regardless of who it favors .

I have a 4-3 game Im losing and I can honestly say only 1 goal was earned of the 7 as the rest were a programmed opportunity so I guess I need to keep working to make the game more slider based .

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Ok so Im playing good and out of nowhere I cant make 5 ft passes and then comes the magical bouncing puck
Oh wait thats just hockey
If EA has to keep using tilted Ice at least make the fake stuff a tad more realistic looking and feeling but at least you can kinda fix it and balance it without wrecking the game if you work the sliders right unlike MLB The Show .

UPDATE : Ok after two offensive games we both switch goalies in game 3 and its 0-0 late in the 3rd and after I kill off two bogus penalties I then shoot a weak wrister on net with a scrub d man and I score ??? I can only imagine what will happen next ?

[ezio]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

I am enjoying the game but I hate when a puck is dumped in and it bounces around like a rubber ball. It happens to bounce over my stick most the time and always leads to the cpu getting it and usually a goal.

The bouncy puck on dump ins is ridiculous. Come on EA this is a silly tweak. Give the puck its weight back on dump in and work on forechecking AI.

I agree. This drives me crazy.

[FBeaule04]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

I got back to NHL 14 on Christmas break mainly because of the WJHC. Since the games are so intense and players really giving it all for their country, I was in a need of hockey fix.

I had yet to try Live the Life mode. What I saw was again the EA doing again the Ab King Pro type marketing. Make it sounds like it's the new big thing and once you're in it, you realize that you've been cheated again.

The same problems are there. AI around you are playing like they have an hockey IQ of -5, there is again the problem with line changes (been there since the Sim to your next shift is available), there is almost no scoring from other lines then the one you are on, etc, etc, etc.

The funniest thing I've saw is that the mode is now Live the Life. Well, when you're waiting to play a game, you read the same "New in Be a Pro this year..."

I would say it's because there's no competition for EA in hockey, but after what they did with NBA Live, it's not about competition or not. It's about doing things with thinking that we will always buy the product no matter what.

[shogunofharlem3]

Re: NHL 14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions Here

Didn't see a highlights thread so I figured I throw it here. Enjoying 14 much much more than 13 but still lots of things wear me out with the AI. Anyway, great game winner here in OT.

http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/181697332