NHL 15: Early Impressions from 360/PS3 Version

Feature Article

Submitted on: 09/06/2014 by Jayson Young

On the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, NHL 15 is essentially NHL 14 with three new announcers plus some tweaks to the puck physics and player collisions.

All of NHL 14's modes and features have returned, except for the EA Sports Arena, where gamers could wager real money in head-to-head online matches.

If you've played the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One demo of NHL 15, you'll immediately miss that version's significantly upgraded skating and stick-handling mechanics, as neither aspect has been improved on the Xbox 360. You'll also notice that NBC Sports' theme music and presentation overlays are oddly absent from the Xbox 360 version, despite the fact that NBC's announcers do replace Gary Thorne and Bill Clement.

After playing several hundred games of NHL 14, only three gameplay differences stand out so far in NHL 15:

1) The puck no longer bounces like a basketball whenever it's dumped into the corner. In all situations, the puck tends to behave more believably.

2) Player collisions are slightly more realistic, though they still look silly at times.

3) Goaltender interference penalties are called more accurately.

Other than that, you could easily turn off the announcers, and convince spectators that you were playing NHL 14.

Be-A-GM/Season Mode

In the one season that I simulated, the only difference I saw from NHL 14 is that the GM menus now appear inside a generic smartphone instead of on a branded BlackBerry. As usual, the CPU teams will make many dumb decisions. In year one, I saw Nashville waive its first line center, Mike Fisher, and waive one of its top prospects, Calle Järnkrok. One CPU owner offered me two third-round draft picks for 35-year-old grinder, Chris Neil. Another CPU team sent me a pair of third-round picks for Chris Phillips, a 36-year-old defenseman.

The AI is even more inept on the ice, as they still display zero defensive aggressiveness, have no clue how to break through the neutral zone, and possess no ability to hold onto the puck or create legitimate scoring chances. They'll still score once or twice a game, but only because your own AI goalie is guaranteed to do something dumb eventually, and let in a laugher of a goal that would make even Marc-André Fleury blush. The slow data processing and frequent pop-up notifications while simulating through a season make it tough to get through 1 year, let alone the full 25.

Be A Pro/Live The Life

I could not find many changes here, either. You still start out playing the Memorial Cup to improve your draft stock, then it's off to the preseason, where you will either make your NHL club's roster, or get sent down to their minor league affiliate. The same female player models from last year's game are selectable, but the new announcing team still uses male pronouns to describe female skaters.

EA Sports Hockey League

You can no longer wear the jersey number 0. Aside from that, I noticed nothing different in the one drop-in game I played.

GM Connected

I did not spot any new options or features in the test league that I created. The loading times between each menu and during every schedule advance remain frustratingly long. It's no wonder that such a small percentage of EA's NHL users play this mode, since full 82-game seasons continue to be the only choice.

NHL Moments Live

Placeholder graphics for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 NHL seasons are shown, but the only challenge currently available for download is the second overtime session of the clinching Stanley Cup Final game between the Kings and Rangers.

Winter Classic

There are no new Winter Classic venues, just the same 2011 (Heinz Field) and 2012 (Citizens Bank Park) stadiums. You can still use any team that you want in these outdoor events. But if you stick with the default matchups, Mike Emrick's new introductions for these two games are fantastic.

Ultimate Team

This mode is not playable during the Season Ticket period. We will have impressions of Ultimate Team when the retail version of NHL 15 releases on Tuesday.

Overall First Impression

After a full day of playing, I can find no compelling reason to spend full price on the Xbox 360 version of NHL 15. NHL 14's online servers probably won't be discontinued any time soon, considering that NHL 12 remains fully functional. Xbox 360 hockey fans should keep playing their old copies of NHL 14, or buy it used for $15 to $20 if they don't own it already. It will take a bit more time to fully discern what NHL 15's value is, but the value proposition in rushing out and getting NHL 15 isn't the highest from our first impressions of the title.

Look for our full review of NHL 15 on the PS3/Xbox 360 soon!

NHL 15 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 JackFr @ 09/06/14 11:58 PM

Any new jerseys? Or just the Stadium Series ones.

# 22 TDNY @ 09/07/14 12:41 AM

is the Stanley Cup celebration exactly the same as 14?

# 23 Solid-Bri @ 09/07/14 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	Band -- Song 1985 -- Time of your Life Bear Hands -- Giants Benny Benassi -- Control feat. Gary Co Close Your Eyes -- Chain Gang Death From Above 1979 -- Trainwreck 1979 Empires -- How Good Does it Feel Every Time I Die -- El Dorado Fall Out Boy -- My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark Franc Wyte -- What I'm Talking Bout Holy Fever -- Find Your Fame Madeon -- The City Max Frost -- White Lies Plague Vendor -- Black Sap Scriptures Pup -- Lionheart Red Sky Noise -- She Don't Know Summer of '69 -- Come and Get It The Graveltones -- Forget About the Trouble The Night Marchers -- The Fanbase The Wyld -- Odyssey Wolf Rider -- From Where You Are Wolfmother -- How Many Times Young the Giant -- My Body

Are you sure "Sea of Voices" isn't in the game? It's the song that was featured in the NHL 15 trailer... So epic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSooYPG-5Rg

# 24 TomiT14 @ 09/07/14 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDNY


	is the Stanley Cup celebration exactly the same as 14?

Well, if they didn't do anything for the next gen version, I highly doubt they would do anything for the current gen.

# 25 jyoung @ 09/07/14 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solid-Bri


	Are you sure "Sea of Voices" isn't in the game? It's the song that was featured in the NHL 15 trailer... So epic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSooYPG-5Rg

It is not listed in the soundtrack on the Xbox 360 Season Ticket version.

# 26 Solid-Bri @ 09/07/14 11:12 AM

I guess it wasn't loud or obnoxious enough for them? If a song doesn't have screeching metal noise and people screaming incomprehensibly, it doesn't make the cut apparently...

# 27 piffbernd @ 09/07/14 11:18 AM

The slow data processing and frequent pop-up notifications while simulating through a season make it tough to get through 1 year, let alone the full 25.

Is this for xbox 360 or ps3 ? I should kept xbox 360, This year isn't a big difference between next gen.

# 28 CanuckJ @ 09/07/14 11:31 AM

My question for NHL 15 on Xbox 360 is have you gone into hockey ultimate team? I really got into that on NHL 14 I was wondering if perhaps all my cards carried over into the next game? Also I know custom music is in the game which is good but can you confirm break in play works right off the bat, last year it was bugged and didn't work until a patch was released which sucked.

I'm going to buy NHL 15 anyways since I'm pretty confident it's EA's last attempt to put a hockey game on a last gen system and I really don't know when if ever I'll be able to buy either a ps4 or Xbox1. Commentary already sounds really robotic in just those videos that were posted but I've always turned commentary off anyway since its been dry and stale for years now.

# 29 jyoung @ 09/07/14 11:37 AM

All the footage and impressions in this thread are from the Xbox 360 Season Ticket version.

Here are some new videos showing all of the uniforms and editing options:

Some National League A footage for our European friends:

# 30 jyoung @ 09/07/14 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanuckJ


	My question for NHL 15 on Xbox 360 is have you gone into hockey ultimate team?

EA won't let us play Ultimate Team in the Season Ticket version. I'll have Ultimate Team impressions once I get the retail version on Tuesday.

Quote:


	I really got into that on NHL 14 I was wondering if perhaps all my cards carried over into the next game?

You don't get to keep your old cards, but you will get a returning user bonus (free gold packs) based on your card collection size, puck balance, and games played in NHL 14 HUT.

Quote:


	Also I know custom music is in the game which is good but can you confirm break in play works right off the bat, last year it was bugged and didn't work until a patch was released which sucked.

I'll check this out later today and get back to you.

Quote:


	is the Stanley Cup celebration exactly the same as 14?

I'm in the playoffs right now with the Senators, so once I win the Cup with them I will record it and upload it.

# 31 jyoung @ 09/07/14 11:56 AM

Good news:

Eddie L�ck's custom pads are in the game.

Bad news:

You can't change the colors, despite the fact that there's an editing screen for it, and the logos won't switch when you put them on a goalie playing for another team.

So maybe more goalie-specific gear will be added over time in this series, but it's not a feature yet in NHL 15.

# 32 dammit100 @ 09/07/14 12:05 PM

The commentary is truly horrid. Everything Doc says (which is about 95% of all commentary) feels like a separate event; there's no flow to it.

# 33 jb1 @ 09/07/14 01:14 PM

Got through 7 games in playoff mode on All Star/Hardcore and whilst the gameplay feels a bit tighter there isn't much difference to NHL 14 here. Dumping the puck feels much better but I only do it because I want to, there is rarely anytime during the game where I feel I can't just walk into the offensive zone at will. Hitting feels a bit better, nice to see you can run into your own player or have two opposing players go flying at the same time, it could look better but still. Other than that it's pretty much as you were.

Penalties are called at the same rate as they were in NHL 14, I have played on 8 min periods and I have had games average 2-3 penalties a game. Not had a game without a penalty called yet and have had as high as 7 in one game, the lowest was 1 call. Not much variation though, mostly checking from behind, a few high sticks, interference and goalie interference calls and very rarely a tripping call. No charging, cross checking or hooking calls. I still think a lot of work needs to be done here but at this point it looks like we are beating a dead horse.

The commentary on one hand is refreshing just to hear different voices but this is miles away from what we had in NHL 14. Personally I liked the old commentary but was still pleased when they announced a change but I see or rather hear a number of problems. Firstly Doc doesn't have any kind of natural flow, it just sounds like a series of individual statements some of which are already getting very repetitive. Eddie barely speaks and when he does it's very short and mostly just saying what a great hit or you have to keep your head up. Ray is easily the best sounding of the trio, he has a great flow and actually sounds like he is watching the game and does a great job.

One big issue I have with commentary though is through playing playoff mode there is barely a reference to the game being a playoff game. No mention pre game or during and just a passing reference at the end of the game, that's very disappointing and takes a lot of the immersion factor away.

Overall, it's still a fun game to play (for me at least) and with the True Broadcast camera I do have some really good games but if I was staying with this generation of consoles I would not pick this game up. Might as well just stick with 14 unless the dumping of the puck issues really bother you. $60 or �40 seems a lot of money to pay just for that fix though.

# 34 CanuckJ @ 09/07/14 01:32 PM

Thanks for the answers really appreciate it

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	EA won't let us play Ultimate Team in the Season Ticket version. I'll have Ultimate Team impressions once I get the retail version on Tuesday. You don't get to keep your old cards, but you will get a returning user bonus (free gold packs) based on your card collection size, puck balance, and games played in NHL 14 HUT. I'll check this out later today and get back to you. I'm in the playoffs right now with the Senators, so once I win the Cup with them I will record it and upload it.

# 35 V419R @ 09/07/14 02:48 PM

I see no indication of Season Mode being in the last generation version (PS3/360) of the game (season mode and be a gm are NOT the same).

http://www.easports.com/nhl/news/201...s-xbox-360-ps3

# 36 jyoung @ 09/07/14 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V419R


	I see no indication of Season Mode being in the last generation version (PS3/360) of the game (season mode and be a gm are NOT the same). http://www.easports.com/nhl/news/201...s-xbox-360-ps3

Season mode is still in the PS3/360 version.

The only missing mode on PS3/360 is the EA Sports Arena.

# 37 V419R @ 09/07/14 03:26 PM

Thank you! Finally some visible proof.

# 38 jyoung @ 09/07/14 10:13 PM

Last video dump for the night, featuring lots of Be A GM footage:

# 39 pezdaddy @ 09/08/14 09:46 AM

jyoung, you have '15 for 360 right?

if so, can you please attach a copy of a roster save from the game to these boards? (someone already posted a ps3 save but I'd like to start making changes to a 360 so I can import it into my game when I get it this week)

thanks

# 40 jyoung @ 09/08/14 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pezdaddy


	jyoung, you have '15 for 360 right? if so, can you please attach a copy of a roster save from the game to these boards? (someone already posted a ps3 save but I'd like to start making changes to a 360 so I can import it into my game when I get it this week) thanks

If I uploaded what I have it wouldn't do you any good with the final game since my saves are tied to my copy of the Season Ticket version.

« Previous 123 4 Next »

More Links