NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

[socalbeast08]

Gameplay = Huge Leap forward? Are we playing the same demo? It is slightly better and that is being generous. I need to play a few more games but I was hardly blown away by the demo.

yeah this is not the best they couldve done. Not buying this year unfortunately.

[Rules]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

Just finished playing two games.


My impressions:


Gameplay is okay. Not really buying the whole A.I. gameplay improvements from NHL 14. To me it seems as if they only made a few tweaks as I just don't like how the game plays defensively.


Graphics are impressive. Definitely looks next gen except for how the jerseys flap in such a windy indoor environment.


Commentary is okay but what really annoyed me is the arena music constantly repeating over and over. Yes it is a demo but I'm afraid without the inclusion of custom music / sounds, there is no way I could stand listening to some of the same songs playing over and over. Is there even an option for organ music?


I really love the presentation but without solid gameplay and missing modes, I just can't justify a purchase especially at $60. Cut that in half and that seems to be the proper price to get my attention. Until then, I will just wait to see what they bring to the table next year.


I also think it is misleading that EA puts how many awards NHL has received as that is not current. Living off their past is getting stale!!!

[Bleak5170]

Just finished playing two games.


My impressions:


Gameplay is okay. Not really buying the whole A.I. gameplay improvements from NHL 14. To me it seems as if they only made a few tweaks as I just don't like how the game plays defensively.


Graphics are impressive. Definitely looks next gen except for how the jerseys flap in such a windy indoor environment.


Commentary is okay but what really annoyed me is the arena music constantly repeating over and over. Yes it is a demo but I'm afraid without the inclusion of custom music / sounds, there is no way I could stand listening to some of the same songs playing over and over. Is there even an option for organ music?


I really love the presentation but without solid gameplay and missing modes, I just can't justify a purchase especially at $60. Cut that in half and that seems to be the proper price to get my attention. Until then, I will just wait to see what they bring to the table next year.


I also think it is misleading that EA puts how many awards NHL has received as that is not current. Living off their past is getting stale!!!

Totally agree with the A.I. comment. It has always been this series' Achilles' hell and it's not different this year. It's still atrocious.

[Mad 69]

I have been saying it for years - the ice surface is too small a d the players too big, this creates too much traffic, we need more open space to play, Fifa gets it right, NHL isn't there.

[El_Poopador]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

Is the buffed visual/audio presentation and the revamped gameplay enough to compensate for the missing and stagnant modes? I don't know. I think a mode or two missing would've been understandable, to a degree, but removing any semblance of career mode and completely gutting the online package is a serious blow. I honestly feel kind of melancholy playing the game, as it's just begging for more ways to be played, and I know the final game won't have them.

Didn't they say Be a Pro will still be there, just not the whole Live the Life portion with the text-based decisions?

[Pezell04x]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

A good demo should leave me with the desire to play more. I've played 1 game so far since Tuesday and I have no desire to even play it. I am so dejected w/ this game man.

[Paradingwolves]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

the Jersey's are terrible! the same fluttering motion whether you're in full gear or sitting on the bench, also the numbers on the Rangers jerseys made me want to puke. Pause the game and take a look at how far the 6 and 1 are away from each other on Nash's jersey.

The announcers were robotic, I took the puck from the corner and cycled out above the goal line, in no way was I in a scoring position only to have the announcer yell "in front of the net!" like I was alone in the slot or something.

Goalies are terrible, one of my goals was because Lundqvist did the old lets cover the puck that's been gone for a good 2 seconds just like they did in like 2009.

I'm a diehard hockey fan and it's killing me that this will be 3 years in a row where the game is just nowhere near good enough to warrant a $70 purchase. I want the days back when I had a countdown to the release of the new NHL game, I bought every year up until 12, haven't bought one since.

[NYRangers31]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

A good demo should leave me with the desire to play more. I've played 1 game so far since Tuesday and I have no desire to even play it. I am so dejected w/ this game man.

That sucks. I've felt the opposite. The 2 minute periods fly by too quick for my taste!!!

[Mgbleu1986]

Seeing how I hadn't bought an NHL game since 2012 I downloaded the demo for PS4 and I was impressed. Only thing that bothered me is the easy scoring (maybe in the actual game you can use sliders to make opposing goalie better?). I came down the wing, teed one up at the blue line and it went top shelf on King Henrik. That would never happen! Since I don't play online modes I'll probably buy this game. I feel like I'm finally do.

[ManiacMatt1782]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

Online has been confirmed as All-Star/Hardcore sim, if that's the setting you're referring to.

Color me surprised. Then why not default that in the Demo?

[Yundtder]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

I will be playing 360, offline, BEAGM.
I have a few questions for those with the demo!

Is the bouncy ball puck gone? Mostly on the dump-ins but also around the boards and they just jump around...

Are ALL penalties called? This may have just been on the High Impact mode, but it pissed me off to great length, tired of my players without the puck being blatantly interfered to the ice, hooked with no calls, no check from behind or charging...

AI Any better?

Do my AI players tip and make deflections as well as the CPU does?

Are poke checks fixed? I am sick of my checks going through the puck, player, stick... That or constant tripping calls even though I timed it right.

Im sure Ill have more!

[Xitsanity]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

That sucks. I've felt the opposite. The 2 minute periods fly by too quick for my taste!!!

i am the same way! i am a little bitter about not being able to play EASHL but whatever

[Södy]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

I will be playing 360, offline, BEAGM.
I have a few questions for those with the demo!

Is the bouncy ball puck gone? Mostly on the dump-ins but also around the boards and they just jump around...

Are ALL penalties called? This may have just been on the High Impact mode, but it pissed me off to great length, tired of my players without the puck being blatantly interfered to the ice, hooked with no calls, no check from behind or charging...

AI Any better?

Do my AI players tip and make deflections as well as the CPU does?

Are poke checks fixed? I am sick of my checks going through the puck, player, stick... That or constant tripping calls even though I timed it right.

Im sure Ill have more!

Talking PS4...

Puck physics are awesome. No more bouncing on dump-ins.

There seem to be a bit more penalties still not enough imo.

Ai is better. Not by much but nticeable.

I scored some deflections. Also I scored a nice goal yesterday where I waited one more second for my AI mate to setup a screen and he did just that. Had a few defelction goals aswell.

I haven't figured out poke checks yet as they are a lot different. Don't know if better or worse yet.

Like I said, everything from the PS4 version.

[Yundtder]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

Talking PS4...

Puck physics are awesome. No more bouncing on dump-ins.

There seem to be a bit more penalties still not enough imo.

Ai is better. Not by much but nticeable.

I scored some deflections. Also I scored a nice goal yesterday where I waited one more second for my AI mate to setup a screen and he did just that. Had a few defelction goals aswell.

I haven't figured out poke checks yet as they are a lot different. Don't know if better or worse yet.

Like I said, everything from the PS4 version.

Seems promising..

Let me clarify the penalties question though... Are they not OCCURRING, or are they not being CALLED. In 14, for me, I see a ton of penalties, but not called, like the interference calls I can make or have against me... This drives me wild when I set an open player up and he gets checked into the 4th row before the puck arrives, sometimes before I even pass it to him.

[meep316]

Re: NHL 15 Demo: Is the Gameplay Enough? (Roundtable)

Online has been confirmed as All-Star/Hardcore sim, if that's the setting you're referring to.

Is there a link that confirms that? Or was it answered by Rammer in one of those Q and As? Honestly that would pretty much guarantee me buying it, even if I wait until Black Friday. I played the Simulation setting and it was unplayable, the passing was HORRIFIC. On hardcore it's much better.

Is it going to be the same for HUT? Did they say anything about that?