NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

[Gosens6]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Played a full game of the beta. So far, to me, This is the exact same game as NHL 16. From my perspective, I literally notice NOTHING different. Definitely saved myself a purchase this year.

I mean I literally can't tell the difference between the two games. Not just graphics wise, but the gameplay literally feels exactly the same for me. What a waste. This series really seemed like it was on it's way to greatness about a decade ago.

[Ruffy]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

I find these threads hilarious every year when it comes to NHL.


The beta is pretty damn good.....best NHL game I have ever played and I have played them all.

It will be interesting at game release when people can access all the sliders the devs have access to as it seems guys on here need to tweak everything in order to get the game to play how they want.

I am enjoying the new look menus and style. The new HUT cards and animations and early use of collections is a great addition. I will likely play HUT exclusively especially for online play where the competition and game shines IMO.

They even have a screen at the end of games where you can check your connection.....now we can finally see who was lagging as if it was you the chart will show it. This little diagnostic should be in every online game..great idea.

Need to play a ton more online HUT but so far I am enjoying the gameplay and haven't really noticed money goals other than on breakaways....which I am fine with.

I fell hitting is really well done. Feels about right...and you get punished if you miss and punished if you are on the end of a huge hit.

Great beta showing off a lot of new stuff......instant purchase for me.

[tinpanalley]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Anyone that says this is the same as 16 is on crack. D is 1000% better to play. Checking is too.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Wow... I'm on crack! So that's what crack feels like. Thanks for the heads up!

[Gosens6]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Wow... I'm on crack! So that's what crack feels like. Thanks for the heads up!

Who knew that having an opinion that's different than his makes us drug addicts? We clearly need help!

[Gangrel]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

You honestly say you can't tell ANY difference between 17 and 16…?

Then yes, you must be on some thing. Or never played D. Or never made a body check last year. Or haven't noticed the slower game speed. Or the improved goalies.

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[shogunofharlem3]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Just played a single player hut match. I am mostly a Be a GM guy but I figured this would be my best check of the AI and single player game play.

I find it smoother than 16 and the goalies definitely move better. Also easier to face my guy to the puck. So lots of good so far.

That being said. Here is my list of items that bothered me that has bothered me from previous builds.

1. Still very hard to change guys and get the guy you want. It seemed better but still a challenge. Still hoping for Icon Switching

2. AI can still catch slap shots that are clearning the zone where as the human players don't even try to reach for them.

3. AI is still able to skate differently, if you watch when a human poke checks, they can move themselves away from it at the exact millisecond by a sort of a turn and then get them self facing back to going full speed.

4. AI still seems to be able to pass without having to charge up the pass speed.

5. Although better than 16, the AI still poke checks or shot blocks the exact moment you press up to shoot. They'll follow you, then shoot, poke, and they never miss.


That is my short list. I do feel the gameplay is better than 16. Even if just a little. Not once did the AI get stuck at center ice doing that east west unable to enter the zone like they do in 16. That helped the flow of the game.

AI still sets up the same always looking for that one timer or shot from the slot. So defending was the same at 16. I do like the goalies animations though.

Very solid beta. Looking forward to seeing what the final build brings.

[Gosens6]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

You honestly say you can't tell ANY difference between 17 and 16…?

Then yes, you must be on some thing. Or never played D. Or never made a body check last year. Or haven't noticed the slower game speed. Or the improved goalies.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I'm seeing the SAME, cheap BS goals this year that Iv'e seen the past few years.

I can play D just fine, My AI teammates still can't.

Board play is still a complete joke.

Passing, still tape to tape.

I can go on and on and on and on. I honestly can barely see the minimal improvements. The game is near identical to 16 for me. I see absolutely no reason to upgrade.

[Gerg04]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

There's a lot to like here. At first look , especially EASHL, the game can seem like the same old same old with little to no change. But after a few games of Online VS, you can really see some significant changes.

- Player Speed / Control -

Speed is toned way down. Much slower skating, slower player movement. Definitely for the better. Along with speed is you have nore control over your player. He actually responds to thumbstick input like you expect. And to me, its the little movements that are most notable, and welcomed!

Passing also seems to be more unpredictable. You really need to be accurate with your passes or they're getting picked off or just miss your target. Positioning and poke check seems to be more accurate too. If you're not in position the magnetic puck doesn't seem as prevalent. No more skating towards your net being just in front of your opponent who has the puck and getting the magic behind-the-back poke check, happy days.

- Crowd / Atmosphere -

Sure there's still work to be done, and maybe the release build will be even better, but I'm pleasantly surprised with the crowd this year. Both how it looks and how it sounds. We finally get some Boo's from the home crowd when you make a big hit on the home players. We finally get the "Ooo's" and "Ahh's" of shots on net.

For the first time (even though its not perfect) I actually feel like I'm at the rink watching a game. I play with commentary off so this is huge, ice and crowd sounds. We'll see if get even more/better crowd reactions based on momentum and specific game/season/playoffs scenarios.

- Offensive Zone / Blue Line Play -

Wow. Just wow. Some serious work has been done to address the nonsensical action's and canned animation's that used to take place at the blue line. Gone are the days of stupid, spinning circle's that take you offsides for no reason, or the extra, bs movement in one direction after you've clearly moved your thimbstick the opposite direction, only to pull you offsides.

This is huge and makes offensive zone play much more enjoyable. Now I hate having to praise something that should've been fixed years ago, but thank god they've fixed it. Small sample size, so I'm not saying its 100% fixed, but it's so much better than years past. You can actually get a very effective, controllable cycle game going, if your passes are accurate.

Looking forward to 17'. Having EA Access I was very much contemplating sticking with 16' this year..that's coming from a player who's been playing EA hockey since NHLPA on SNES. But to be honest I can actually see some improvements and am rally hoping it translates to the finally version and we see even more tweaks for the better.

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[1OOT_Frost]

do you still need one? LEt me know and i'l PM you one.

Hey Man my pms are not working. if you have an extra code just email at [email protected]

[JJMarley]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

EA still hasn't given me my code. If anyone has an x1 could you please pm an extra code if you have one. Thanks

[GetThePuckOut]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

EA still hasn't given me my code. If anyone has an x1 could you please pm an extra code if you have one. Thanks

There IS an extra Thread for Beta Codes!!!

[jasonthenicest]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Okay, so I opened a pack in HUT, added the players to my collection, and I can NOT for the life of me bring them to my active lineup; did they change something this year? There used to be a substitute with collection, or when you went to collection you could 'send to active roster'??

EDIT: Just re-started my game and Aaron Ekblad appeared, we good. If you have this issue its an easy fix.

[mikeq672]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

I'm seeing the SAME, cheap BS goals this year that Iv'e seen the past few years.

I can play D just fine, My AI teammates still can't.

Board play is still a complete joke.

Passing, still tape to tape.

I can go on and on and on and on. I honestly can barely see the minimal improvements. The game is near identical to 16 for me. I see absolutely no reason to upgrade.

I couldnt agree more. Sure there are a few minimal changes. Maybe its a slightly different process, but 2+2 and 2x2 both equal 4. Different process, same results as every other year. Just an ugly cluster**** of a game where the more broken plays there are and the more times you skate into your teammate and lose the puck, the better chance you have to score.

[raiderphantom]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Slightly smarter AI and easier to score. Those are the only differences I really see. I want EASHL to be good but it still seems very unbalanced. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but I always feel at a disadvantage physically vs other users. Probably pass on 17.


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[Walbeb]

Re: NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

Man I'm really disappointed. I used to take a few days off for the yearly NHL release and I haven't done that in a while. Seems I won't be doing it this year either.

I think my biggest complaint is every other sports title has been knocking it out of the park with every new year (Madden,NBA,MLB, granted MLB has seen very little change the last year IMO) but NHL EVEN AFTER taking a year off is still too far behind.

I know about the 'small dev team' but I think this series really needs a new vision. Kind of like when a successful head coach gets canned because he lost the locker room, dev teams need to be changed to prevent series stagnation.

The changes in this Beta are so few and far between it's the first time I've ever used the cliche 'It's the same as last year!'. I played a few games of the Beta and then played 16, it was sad how similar they were.

Hell for the few things they improved (hitting and poke checking really stuck out) goalies somehow become worse by letting in more 'dumb luck' goals then last year. Puck pickups are an embarrassment, my beer league team can pick up the puck better than the guys in this game.

I'm glad some of you guys are enjoying it but IMO if you've been playing other sports titles you'll realize just how little this series has changed since the current gen systems dropped. This game will sell just enough to not get anyone fired and we'll see the same exact thing in 18.