NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

[Simple Mathematics]

Can you ask this- can you still edit players' attributes?

[ManiacMatt1782]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

Can anyone find out about the penalty situation? That's been a huge problem since NHL12, the lack of penalties called in the game, and most of the time they were called,it was like weak phantom calls.

Penalties drastically impact a hockey game,and for the video games to randomly not have much penalties,even on the max slider setting, ruins it alot.

I never noticed a phantom call in NHL, ever. I agree that there is a sever lack of calls, Charging you get away with 7 times out of 10. You can bury anyone you want in the back, as long as it isn't up against the boards. Someone needs to let the dev team know that hitting from behind, is a penalty in the open ice as well. I am actually okay with tripping calls, and some of the missed tripping calls, because tripping actually gets called pretty consitently, and missed calls should happen from time to time. But penalties are a problem.

[Splitter77]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

i hope they have all boxscores for every game played.
been waiting forever for them to have that.

also, hope you can edit players names like the 2k series.

[TOMillr]

Yep. I have long wondered this myself, it makes way more sense. They should at least give you the option to toggle between the two configurations.

And while we're at it, shouldn't passing the puck be done with the right stick as well?

[bwiggy33]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

Can you ask or even better see with your own two eyes if neutral zone pressure has finally been added to the game, and if offsides finally occur? This is probably the deciding factor on whether I buy the game or not. I can deal with some of the other issues, but I can't deal with having to force myself to dump the puck in or mix up how I forecheck just to make the game feel different. I want to be forced by the CPU into dumping the puck in or skating the puck in the zone.

I like that the net physics have been changed. That has been needed for a very long time.

[spidertour02]

My only problem with this game right now is that it won't be out for three months.

[ianlast]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

And while we're at it, shouldn't passing the puck be done with the right stick as well?

You're really talking my language today.

I've always thought this made sense as well. In any given hockey game you'll have probably 3-4x more passes than you will shots.

I like that the net physics have been changed. That has been needed for a very long time.

Agreed. I'm also hoping they've tuned the amount of shots that go off the post and in.

[SpectralThundr]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

By no means is this a deal breaker for me, but honestly, how is this still an issue? NHL2K3, a 12-year-old game from the PS2, had group hugs!!

Also not that happy to hear that board play is still the same. I was hoping that the 'suction boarding' was gone.

Great stuff MMChrisS! Thanks for posting. Always great to read your impressions.

Last gen people complained the celebrations were cutscenes and that broke their immersion, now we have real time celebrations and people are still complaining because it's likely a bitch to program a five man hug all in real time.

I figured this would be the case from the sizzle trailer, players will hug when appropriate and the players are relatively close enough on the ice to trigger such a thing happening.

Another thing Glenn touches on almost as a problem that I actually find realistic since it happens every time NBC broadcasts an NHL game is the commentary being a bit behind the action, often times Pierre and Edzo are so busy being self congratulatory to each other that Doc has to basically interrupt them when something of substance happens on the ice. If this is represented IN game? I think that's f'in awesome as awesome can be.

Over all, these early impressions have said one thing to me, this game has evolved on the PS4/Xbone far more than I thought it would in it's first iteration on these two systems. And that is a fricken amazing thing.

[Cardot]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

We must remember that this is their first release on next-gen. While we may want every little detail they coudln't deliver on last gen due to hardware constraints in this game, it's impossible to fit them in first try.

You are going to give them a "1st Release" pass even though they skipped out on a chance to develop '14 for the next gen last year?

[SpectralThundr]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

You are going to give them a "1st Release" pass even though they skipped out on a chance to develop '14 for the next gen last year?

Which would you have preferred? Them taking the time to get it right? Or a dirty buggy as hell yet pretty port like NBA2k. Either way EA gets blasted I'm sure.

[dlxsf18]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

Awesome write up Glenn. This is the kind of stuff we want to hear.

Could you clarify the part about the arena flyovers? "as they are in FIFA" means the exterior shots of each arena are rendered by EA, as opposed to having it all be real footage (like NBA 2K), right?

[Money99]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

I never noticed a phantom call in NHL, ever. I agree that there is a sever lack of calls, Charging you get away with 7 times out of 10. You can bury anyone you want in the back, as long as it isn't up against the boards. Someone needs to let the dev team know that hitting from behind, is a penalty in the open ice as well. I am actually okay with tripping calls, and some of the missed tripping calls, because tripping actually gets called pretty consitently, and missed calls should happen from time to time. But penalties are a problem.

I'm going to kick this dead horse one more time.
The problem is that there aren't enough personalities on the ice.
Guys like Carcillo, Torres and Marchand should be taking penalties all the time for hitting from behind or trips.
Guys like St.Louis and Datsyuk should never be in the box.

In NHL14, the CPU is an angel regardless of who's on the ice.

So once again, when EA finally addresses the issue of having a clear distinction between player types and attribute levels, this, and many other issues, should go away.

[WinMINTwins]

How much of the new additions will be on the PS3/360 versions?

[SpectralThundr]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

I'm going to kick this dead horse one more time.
The problem is that there aren't enough personalities on the ice.
Guys like Carcillo, Torres and Marchand should be taking penalties all the time for hitting from behind or trips.
Guys like St.Louis and Datsyuk should never be in the box.

In NHL14, the CPU is an angel regardless of who's on the ice.

So once again, when EA finally addresses the issue of having a clear distinction between player types and attribute levels, this, and many other issues, should go away.

I must be the only person who never had the "not enough calls" issue with 14. On average 3-6 calls a game for both Human and CPU. But I cycle alot and don't shoot on the rush much unless it's a clear break or Odd man.

[Trevelyan]

Re: NHL 15: Hands-On Impressions

I just want the game to be locked in at 60fps, thats all I'm worried about with the console transition. Hopefully they don't have any issues getting there.