NHL 14: The Internet Weighs In - Wiggy's Blog

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NHL 14: The Internet Weighs In Stuck

Posted on September 13, 2013 at 07:22 PM.

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After playing some more NHL 14 this week, I'm still having a fun time with the new elements, including the improved skating and defense as well as the dramatically better hitting and fighting. It's been fun to have the "seasons" feature for EASHL and HUT, and even OTP is working a bit better now thanks to the improved check-in process before games.

At the same time, there's been lots of feedback from around the web about the merits and demerits of this year's hockey product, with some people quite enjoying the gameplay and others just frustrated with the series in general. Below is just a small sample that I took of some of the comments from OS, the EA Forums as well as Neogaf (a popular gaming message board).

OS Comments/Forums

Quote:


	DJ NEO @ 09/09/13 06:22 PM I cant see much new in NHL 14 I cant do in NHL 13 with sliders. That said NHL 14 is a solid game (on hardcore settings), but I feel like I already paid for this game last year.

I think it's certainly fair to point out that a lot of the changes to gameplay were likely achieved with slider tweaks and some subtle animation changes (plus the knock-on effect of making alterations to other parts of the game), but I still think that is only one piece of the puzzle. A lot of the changes to the gameplay did require more than just a slider tweak, as the hitting physics alone complicate the entire gameplay scenario (incidental contact being a perfect example).

Quote:


	Bearded1nfidel @ 09/11/13 05:23 PM So I picked up the game for 360 based on recommendations, here's my 2 cents. I've got about 4-5 hours in so far (I couldn't put it down last night) and would have plenty more if it weren't for my kids. Hands down, most fun I have ever had with a sports game. Ever. Tutorial was decent enough to at least familiarize me with controls and prevent a slaughter. Game modes and menus are explained well enough to get you pointed in the right direction. Controls are going to take some learning, ie. deke, advanced deke. That aside, honestly feel as if I'm learning more about hockey along the way, so much that I'll watch it more often this upcoming season. I've done the EAHL (or whatever it's called), ultimate team, and a couple games vs computer. I'm addicted. Appreciate the recommendations from forum members, definitely was steered in the right direction.

Here's a newer player coming into a longstanding franchise, which is always an interesting perspective. It's definitely curious to see how someone who hasn't been annually bothered by little issues with the game is able to just look at the product as a whole, and on those merits they are able to have a good time.

I'm kind of shocked that that they liked the menus and such, though, as those have always been pretty scattered and crazy in my view. I think EA cleaned up the menu presentation a bit this year, especially on the main screen and for the seasons hub, but that's about it.

Quote:


	Dolphins88 @ 09/09/13 11:14 PM Ya the game needs more realism.. Not enough separation between players skills and each team should play differently... Hopefully 2k make a realistic hockey game on next gen if EA won't ... I'm cancelling my preorder and wait for a price drop.

This is probably the most requested feature in all of sports games, but it's also the most elusive. Players have clamoured for FIFA to have distinct player and team styles for years, as have they demanded the same from NHL. I think it's an awesome goal for the developers to strive for (big players that are hard to hit, danglers that are the best dekers, teams that play a cohesive and distinct style), but we probably won't start seeing that until there is more horsepower for AI and the like.

Quote:


	ericromain @ 09/10/13 04:28 AM The demo felt good, and I am glad they've focused on game play while they tool up the overhaul for next gen. I'm sorry to say though, this is the first time since NHL 2005 that I didn't pick up the game on the day/night it came out. GTA V is coming out next week, which will consume at least a month of my gaming time. They really needed to offer this one at a reduced price. When you combine that with EA's history of release week server issues, no roster updates until Mid-late october, no jersey code until November, I'm going to chill on getting this one for a bit.

This was definitely something I broached with EA, as the upcoming next-gen consoles are creating an ominous shadow for the current-gen games that are now hitting store shelves -- not to mention GTA V. One has to wonder if EA could have really done anything else to sell a current-gen game to people who are about to head into the next-gen, especially when this year's game excels more at subtle gameplay alterations than it does new features.

Quote:


	kerosene 31 @ 09-11-2013, 02:40 PM One huge thing I noticed is that the poke check slider was way down, making it nearly impossible to poke the puck away. I think I hit 1 poke check in a full game. I didn't have much time to test, but I reduced puck control and bumped the poke check slider way up and it seemed to have a huge impact. Every forward on the other team was just skating the puck into my feet and firing it on net without slider tweaks. With the settings "out of the box" I simply could not play D. I hate to go tweaking sliders right away, but I think we have to. Once I did, things improved significantly.

The issues of the poke check seems quite divisive in the community this year, with some users believing that gliding and positioning really affects the usefulness and others just feeling that it doesn't work well enough at all.

For myself, I've seen plenty of human users online who are quite skilled at poke-checking this year. I think there is still a timing to the feature that eludes some people. I also noticed the CPU getting plenty of puck knockdowns and poke checks at about the same frequency as previous years.

EA NHL Forums

Quote:


	BLicK12 @ 09/12/2013 21:09:45 After playing a handful of games tonight I've realized this game isn't worth the frustration. I'm 12-6 this year and every single game I've lost I've out shot and out attacked my opponent, every single game usually by a solid margin. Including one game where I finished with 28 shots to 7 and lost 5-2. I've barely squeaked out victories over people that just go for hits all game, spam faceoffs, circle around and figure skate, etc. these are all viable options rather than trying to play any semblance of actual hockey.

I can certainly empathize with this user's frustration, as I still feel this way sometimes. It's incredibly agitating to outplay and outclass an opponent (time of attack, shots, hits, chances) to then have them beat you 4-2. At the same time, there are games like that in real life where a goalie stands on his head and wins his team a game. I do feel it happens a bit too often in EA NHL games sometimes, but I also think that's because pressure doesn't always equal goals. It's a bit better this year in that regard, but I think the grievance does hold some weight.

Quote:


	GoldustLovesYou @ 09/12/2013 11:57:45 Just purchased the game for PS3 and played for a few hours of Live the Life last night - totally blown away so far. I've bought them all since NHL 1996 and none have made my jaw drop like this one. Great job with the hitting and fighting. Super impressed!

Here's an enthusiastic user who seems to be enjoying the game quite a bit. I don't know how anyone can be "blown away" by the Live the Life mode, but I guess some users out there are more into the text-based nature of that mode than me. I think it's a cool concept, to be sure, but I need a little more steak AND sizzle for that mode, please.

Quote:


	SEVENseasBLUES @ 09/13/2013 07:46:16 After playing last night with a 85 OVR D-man I can say that I'm much more comfortable with the poke checking now. However pass interceptions does need to be tweaked badly. So sick of being in the perfect spot to break up a play or a 1-timer in front of the net and not being able to do anything about it.

Here's another valid complaint, I think. To be fair, there is obviously a lot going into a pass interception. The game is clearly factoring in multiple categories of stats (hand-eye, defensive awareness, stick checking, speed, agility, etc.), and it's also looking at whether it was a saucer pass, how hard the pass was, where the defender was facing, and a lot more.

I can say for certaint that I've had many situations like this where I correctly guess where a user or CPU will pass the puck and it still squeaks by me, but I also realize that my guy doesn't have all of those categories maxed out. It's a tough balancing act for EA, as stonewalling every pass would get frustrating, but you'd think a beefed-up defender would be able to get to more of these passes than they seem to.

Neogaf

Quote:


	I played the demo and literally thought I was playing the demo from 13.

I don't think comments like this are giving the game much of a chance, and it also demonstrates the inherent problems with demos. A developer can only really show so much in a demo, and said demo also has to be balanced in such a way to provide the broadest and most accessible experience right away. They know that many users will only try it for a few minutes, so they have to rope them in with some exaggerated stuff, like the fighting and NHL 94 mode. Since most of the changes this year are in gameplay flow and on the "hardcore simulation setting," it's going to be hard for a demo to capture them succinctly -- like the changes to the online modes, for instance.

Quote:


	They fixed a lot of small, annoying things which were present in the last 3-4 years, and now the game just plays totally fluid. Hopefully they don't mess around with slider updates again. Glitch goals are still present, especially short corner. But also some others we've seen in the past. They don't work that often anymore, though.

I certainly agree with a lot of the sentiment here. A lot of major and small gameplay items have been altered, including the defensive skating, hitting, poke check, goalies and overall game flow. I have noticed -- both online and offline -- that some of the so-called glitch goals of the past do crop up the odd time, but not with the regularity of the past. It seems that most EASHL games I've played online with my team have been relatively dynamic, with less of the predictable short-side goals and fake-out one-timers. I think a good deal of this has to do with the improved hitting and skating, since certain possession and zone entry scenarios just won't happen as often now.

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Comments

# 1 DirtyJerz32 @ Sep 14

Nice write up. Just feels like NHL 13 IMO. Which is not a bad thing, but I'd just keep playing 13 if I want to play nhl.

# 2 ericromain @ Sep 14

Playing the demo it didn't feel too different, but with the online settings, the timing/flow/physicality feels much better. Even the glancing hits. The variety of goals i'm seeing is much better than 13 too.

# 3 onac22 @ Sep 14

I feel like the hitting is back to last year's thanks to sliders. Most of the EASHL has returned to last years run and gun.

# 4 onac22 @ Sep 14

Oh and still waiting on those penalties for things like charging.

# 5 onac22 @ Sep 14

First off I was within the first ten minutes of waking up today, see above complaints, should really quit voicing opinions that early. Love the game itself as it said above somewhere it is just smoother. That said EA is playing with the tuners and some are better than others, as soon as this is all worked out this is a good game. Oh and saw a charge online EASHL right after griping.

# 6 13whitebread @ Sep 16

All I need from this game is as many offline power plays that other computer controlled teams get. No matter what sliders I used last year I was always at the bottom by a large number for power play chances if they could fix this I will be quite happier to ride NHL 14 off I to next gen sunset.