NHL 25 Review – Staying Within the Crease

As a long-time fan of the NHL series and someone who has played every entry since its inception, I must say that NHL 25 feels like a familiar friend rather than a fresh newcomer. While the streamlined menus in Franchise Mode are appreciated, it’s disappointing to see that the content within remains largely unchanged from previous years. The option to negotiate with players about their playstyle is an interesting addition, but I found most of them to be as stubborn as a mule on a hot day.

You might not find significant changes in EA’s latest NHL game, as the Franchise and Be A Pro modes are remarkably similar to their versions in NHL 24, with minor enhancements to HUT and World of Chel being the main differences. The most noticeable distinctions between NHL 25 and its predecessors lie in the gameplay and presentation.

In the new NHL 25, they’ve moved away from the previous generation of gaming consoles to emphasize high-definition graphics. They’ve also enhanced player resemblances throughout the game by utilizing advanced Sapien facial technology. [Custom Quote: NHL 25 bids farewell to last gen’s consoles and concentrates on delivering top-notch graphical quality. Player likenesses are refined across the board with the help of Sapien facial technology.]

Beginning with the visual enhancements as they stand out most in this year’s NHL game, it could be said that instead of an improvement, we are witnessing a fresh start since NHL 25 is the first title developed specifically for next-gen consoles. This implies that players using PS4s and Xbox Ones to enjoy the latest sports games have reached their console’s lifespan limit. The new Sapien Technology graphics overhaul in NHL 25 leverages its exclusivity on next-gen platforms, resulting in character models that bear a closer resemblance to their real-life counterparts compared to previous versions. However, the graphics didn’t leave me completely amazed; there are still some facial animations that seem unnatural and low-resolution crowd members, elements that gamers have grown accustomed to over time.

In other words, animation in NHL 25 has been enhanced beyond just visual aspects. Introduced are reactive animations, which make skaters react realistically to situations like bracing for impact or squeezing through small openings. This leads to smoother gameplay, with more agile hit boxes and movements that mimic real-life action more closely. This enhancement is due to improved AI systems in NHL 25. EA claims that this year’s AI is a significant revamp of how Non-Player Characters (NPCs) behave, though it may not be a complete overhaul. The NPC skaters respond swiftly to sudden movements and adjust their positions based on the context. However, it’s best not to rely solely on them without using the in-zone strategy hot keys for controlling player positioning, as they might have a different strategy in mind compared to ours.

Nowadays, one-timers rely on a player’s skill for precise timing between the pass and the shot, giving them greater control over the play.

In NHL 25, skill-based one-timers are a fresh addition, but they essentially work in the same way as previous versions. To make a skillful one-timer, you need to precisely time both the pass and the shot. Previous games would execute one-timers automatically, so it’s refreshing to have more control over them this time around. One of the exciting new features is what EA calls ‘next-gen vision control’. When defending, you can align with the puck by tapping the shoulder button. While attacking, holding the vision control shoulder button lets you aim at the opposing net. This improves player’s ability to manage the rink, providing more chances to intercept passes and apply pressure near the goal.

The player has numerous choices, ensuring they can tailor their gameplay to suit either a realistic simulation style or an arcade-like experience.

If you’re a beginner or prefer a more traditional and less realistic hockey gameplay, there are numerous adjustable settings to cater to that. Disable ‘full control’ in the options menu, assign trick shots to face buttons, and you’ll get a game experience that’s closer to traditional hockey. You can also opt to fully automate last year’s Vision Passing system, taking you back to EA’s arcade-style gameplay. Additionally, you can customize various aspects such as NPC pass speed, shot accuracy, penalty rate, and even control the AI learning level from 0 to 6. Many of these features were available in previous games, but their presence alongside NHL 25‘s enhanced AI is still appreciated.

Regrettably, I’ve exhausted all the significant gameplay alterations in NHL 25. Indeed, they haven’t addressed the inconsistency and unreliability of wrist shots yet. Despite getting accustomed to the ‘hit stick’ controls, I’ve never mastered a consistent wrist shot due to its finicky thumbstick input. Although I appreciate the versatility offered by stick combination inputs, wrist shots ask for too many movements given their frequent use in hockey. To execute one, you need to swipe sideways and move down and all the way up quickly; this maneuver is successful roughly as often as waving a Wii-mote in front of a motion sensor. When tutorials on YouTube advise moving away from the net for a wrist shot, it highlights an underlying issue that needs resolution. At least consider making wrist shots rebindable to a face button or something similar.

This upcoming season’s pressure system reappears, as the opponents tire out while we spend extended periods near their goal.

Moving on from my discussion about wrist shots, let me tell you that last year’s Sustained Pressure and Fatigue system is back in action without any changes. By camping out near the opponent’s net for extended periods, players can increase the pressure meter, boosting their own performance while exhausting the AI opponents. EA Sports has cleverly calibrated this system to ensure that the AI recognizes when a player is merely holding onto the puck to inflate the pressure meter and reacts by attempting to dislodge the puck or intercept it smartly. By the way, poke checks continue to be the most effective method for intercepting the puck, as they have been in previous versions of the game.

In the fresh update of HUT, there’s an innovative feature called Wildcard, which offers a smooth experience earning XP. For every competitive cycle, there are exclusive rule sets particular to this mode.

Regrettably, NHL 25 doesn’t bring much freshness to its longstanding lineup of game modes. The most significant updates are found in Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) and World of Chel. In the case of HUT, there’s a new Wildcard mode this time around, which enables players to advance their HUT characters offline by accumulating XP via a single progression path for the first time. Interestingly, every aspect of HUT now follows a unified XP progression path, making it simpler and less confusing compared to previous versions with multiple separate paths. The Wildcard mode is consistently updated with new challenges and rewards, as one would anticipate from any HUT mode. All other HUT modes remain untouched in this release.

The World of Chel serves as the hub for special events in NHL 25, with the upcoming NHL 94 Flashback event being particularly intriguing due to its nostalgic pixelated design. Much like previous games, these time-limited events change according to the seasons, leveraging FOMO through live service elements. In World of Chel, you’ll find minor adjustments and improvements scattered throughout, but they primarily equate to updates and patches on the existing framework. These subtle changes lead me to discuss the game’s Franchise and Be A Pro Mode, which seem more static than ever before.

“Franchise Mode streamlines menus to allow for better at-a-glance info”

It’s clear as day: The Franchise hasn’t seen much transformation compared to past years. While menus have been reorganized with a tab system and Franchise HUB, the core content remains remarkably similar. One minor change I appreciate is the ability to prompt players to alter their playstyle – encouraging them to prioritize defense over offense or vice versa. This can broaden your tactical possibilities, but I’ve found most players are resistant to change, which eventually results in low team morale. On the other hand, setting player objectives often yields better results, granting you new skills and enhanced statistics if they achieve these targets during games.

Be A Pro has been my personal favorite mode within EA’s NHL games thanks to fun quirky features like purchasing cars and homes through Salary Perks, but this year’s iteration is even more stagnant than Franchise. The only improvements here are on the presentation front, which aren’t exclusive to ‘Be A Pro’, mind you. I love the new camera angles on the ice, and especially enjoy watching my team play from my star player’s perspective on the sidelines. Intro and outro cutscenes are the same as last year, showing a 5 second clip of audience members waving light sticks and team mascots dancing around. My biggest gripe with all the modes are the loading times when browsing rosters or switching between tabs and menus. There’s a slight lag between every input that really adds up to create a somewhat sluggish menu experience. Menus have felt like this the past couple entries as well, so it’s not something exclusive to this title, but I wish they could have fixed the slowdown in menus out a bit more.

With the introduction of EA’s ‘Infinite Replay’ engine, gamers can now choose from more diverse camera angles when creating and rewatching game highlights.

The ‘Grudge Match’ feature brings extra excitement to competition games, showcasing previous encounters between teams and relevant broadcast information from their past contests. This short presentation not only spices up matches but also enhances player engagement by delving into the rich history of ice hockey in the NHL. Meanwhile, improvements have been made to the replay and highlight cameras, allowing for a wider range of angles through EA’s ‘infinite camera system’. These changes result in more engaging in-game highlights. However, I’m eagerly anticipating future updates that introduce innovative features to Franchise and Be A Pro modes, as they seem to be growing somewhat repetitive. Perhaps the inclusion of off-field activities or customizable homes akin to older 2K sports games could breathe new life into these modes.

In summary, NHL 25 doesn’t vary much from its predecessor, particularly in terms of modes. The most significant differences are seen in the AI and animations. However, these changes feel minor at best. A new Wildcard mode and a refined XP progression system are introduced for HUT, but beyond that, there aren’t many exciting novelties. Despite being an accumulation of iterative improvements, the game appears more polished and presentable compared to last year. The gameplay also caters more to a simulation-style play if desired. NHL 25 is an excellent standalone hockey game, one I strongly suggest for those who missed the past 5 games in the series. However, for returning players, it seems like just an update on an ongoing game.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

2024-10-01 14:12

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