NHL 15: Three Keys to Success

[RaychelSnr]

Presumably, EA has been quietly smithing away on the next version of the NHL series for at least the last year — and possibly longer if you count pre-production and other early research and development. The reality is that the company couldn't release a game for the next-generation console launches, as there just wasn't the install base to provide adequate return on investment. The NHL series, as I've noted before, has been on a very gentle slide in the last couple of years (even though the games have been consistently solid), and this extra year allows the smaller-than-average dev team to figure out what they really want to do with the next evolution in hockey video games.

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[PhilBuff24]

Better ultimate team mode!!

[Cletus]

I don't know why they won't give us options. They think stick on stick collisions will be too hard? Why not put that in Hardcore Simulation mode? It is called hardcore simluation, after all. We've been waiting months to make this game resemble NHL style hockey via rosters, so don't tell us what we don't want in our games.

[Rufio2031]

What Cletus said. I understand scaring people away that aren't into simulation, but they're essentially doing the exact opposite with people wanting simulation. Why don't we have the option to essentially turn Hitting Power down 53 clicks?

[Cardot]

They might want to tap a litlte more into the Winter Classic/Stadium Series that seems to be pretty popular these days. They should have all outdoor venues used since 2008, and perhaps a few generic arenas for cities that haven't yet had an outdoor event.

[Segagendude]

I find it harder and harder to continue my 13 dynasty because it's just so boring. Especially goal celebrations (or lack thereof) and the stale commentary. Plus the up and down skating feeling.
Really needs a total upgrade.

[actionhank]

This is my problem with EA. They're too inclined to cater towards the casual crowd, which is fine, until they then try to just band-aid a "hardcore' mode onto it. It would be one thing if they focused on a more hardcore mode as much as casual, but what they tend to just is just try and bend and shape things from their casual mode to seem more hardcore, which makes it weak at best.
If EA would just focus on both, and then allow users the ability to easily create rosters, better player models, and even import their own textures for sweaters and faces into the game, they could not focus on that as much, as the community would easily take the reigns on that themselves.
I know if EA added a way to upload your own player models for everyone to download, and custom skins for players and jerseys, i would gladly go through and edit the Blues to look their best, while i'm sure others would do what they do now despite EA making it difficult, to get the rosters accurate.
EA sports has been more disappointing recently, and i worry there won't be much reason to be excited for 15.

[gsize19]

Recreating the wheel is not what is needed. EA put a stellar product out finally with NHL14. While I disagree with the reviewer assertions that the skill stick was impressive, to me, it made up to 10 figure skaters on the ice at any given time, and led to a massive amount of glitch goals. Menus, it doesn't affect me one way or another than the menu screen is bland, it gives EA more ability to use that space in the game. Then career mode. Honestly, I like using the teams as they are on the ice with as much of a real-time roster as they can get, that would be the ultimate career mode for me, or a new BeAGM option. I was never drafted to play professional hockey, therefore, I don't play career mode with me often, and from looking at others and hearing from others, neither do they, they use their created player in EASHL games, not BeAPro, which takes space. They need to enhance the BeAGM, that is a selling point for me, they need to add a more updated roster system, similar to 2k basketball for years. Some of us would much rather play offline than online, so that we have a simulation hockey experience, when I am chasing down an xXSuper_SkillzXx (fictious name), that is not hockey. If they do anything with online, I would hope they update their servers mostly, for those few times I do play online, and for others that play there religiously, we have a pretty smoothe game, and not a lagfest, like I have had with Madden25 on the PS4. Lastly, do not get rid of classic controls as being an option. I don't like the skill stick, (just my opinion), and some of us would rather use the classic controls, not the 94 controls, but the X's and O's...