![]() You can expect the same overall experience, with some vital tweaks to stick physics, so it finally matters where you hit a player or the puck with your stick. Overall, the controls and the skill stick to freely dribble the puck are still here, and they work as well as they always did. ![]() Once you get into a match, the gameplay feels somewhat different and mostly in the right ways. I hope that this year's iteration is the foundation for more significant visual improvements in future installments because this simply cannot be it. The switch to the Frostbite Engine feels more like a name-drop than a substantial overhaul of the visuals and physics. The details on textures and models have also increased in the next-gen versions, and if you focus on that, it looks sharper and more detailed across the board but not to a degree that immediately declare that NHL 22 is the superior-looking game. The ice surface shows more detail as players skate across it and reflects more vibrantly and realistically. The rest still wear the same misshapen mugs they always have, which makes them stand out. For the star players of the league, character models and faces are better animated and detailed. Without a direct comparison to last year's version, the difference in visuals is very slim and often inconsistent. While the Frostbite engine brings noticeable improvements to some visual aspects - e.g., body checks, puck physics, and especially stick interactions - the game largely looks the same. It hasn't and doesn't need to change since it handles pretty well, so improvements are marginal. If you've played every title in the past five years, you're likely more than a little burned out by the perpetually repeating selection of modes and gameplay. NHL games have been stuck in a rut for years, offering few gameplay tweaks and the occasional extra mode to tide fans over for yet another year. While it is the best NHL version to play, it amounts to little more than another familiar entry. The biggest talking point this year is the long-overdue swap to the last-gen Frostbite engine, which brings some graphical and technical improvements but lacks the feel of a true generational leap - or even half of one. NHL 22 now faces a similar predicament, except that it didn't cut any modes and instead offers very few additions on all fronts, including its visuals. The last time an NHL title was released on the Xbox One and PS4, it was a major letdown there were noticeable graphical improvements, but most modes were cut and slowly added back in subsequent releases. While there are still some gameplay elements that aren’t quite right that skew the way you play, in general, it provides a strong and entertaining simulation of fast-paced hockey.EA's NHL games don't have the strongest cross-generation record. The biggest condemnation I can offer for NHL 21 is that I could largely have just copied and pasted my closing for last year’s game into this spot and spent a minute making some tweaks to the cons, and it would still work.įor players who haven’t bought a hockey game in recent years, my recommendation is full-throated. Teammate AI is less effective in set-piece offenses when established in the offensive zone, making effective play on breaks overly important.Stickwork on defense still provides significantly more risk than reward, with tripping penalties so common you’re often better off leaning into a body-heavy approach.Lack of change and innovation makes it hard to justify an upgrade for owners of NHL 20.Franchise mode offers a deep array of immersion options, with the ability to turn them off for a less-intensive approach, as well.The various pond hockey modes provide a fun change of pace from traditional games. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |