NHL 12 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

[MizzouRah]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

I feel the same way, I was up til 3am this morning just saying over and over one more period, one more period. I love the puck physics and AI improvements, that my CPU team mates now actively get in passing lanes and the contact in the front of the net make point shots deadly. The game feels like hockey to me. Less scripted, any shot can go in and I don't feel as though it's just a rehash by any means. Obviously peoples MMV but if the sim engine works out like they say it will, I'll be very happy with this year's game offline. I actually really also like the hitting as well. if you catch a guy mid shot or pass, he's going to go down more than likely. Or really line him up on the boards and crush him, at times your skater dropping to a knee or stumbling from momentum. There's alot of subtle things that really improve the game for me, the bench reactions to what's going on. Lively puck bounces off the boards that come back out in front. That dump and chase is viable now that the puck has very little magnetism. Maybe I'm easier to please with this series due to that I've enjoyed it every year since 07, but for people to say this is 09.3 or what not, and doesn't play a much better game on the ice, well I'm sorry I just don't agree.

Forgot to mention puck physics.. much more realistic. The game just has that, "anything can happen" feel to it and I love that. I'm even seeing some different goalie animations.

The AI IS much improved and the great thing for me is, this is only the demo. I don't get too excited about any game from the demo, but I can't wait to get my Blues on the ice for a full game.

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

Screw the online stuff... Fix this game for OFFLINE players, and those who absorb their time into BAGM. This is what makes me mad... You can't tweak a game for morons, so fix it for those of us who play user vs. cpu and want to play multiple BAGM. They killed last year's game with those stupid tuning updates - it was like the game would play completely different. I've been reading comments on the hands-on NBA 2K12 game, and it appears this upcoming game will be phenomenal - they listened to the community and are willing to make major changes. I wish the NHL team cared as much for their fans - not the online cheesers. And then I come to this forum and read many here giving EA a free pass, and almost pat them on the back for all the mistakes. Look, the fact that we're STILL listening to the same old stale commentary after all these years is an embarrassment... But the "well, they've only got 10 months...blah, blah, blah stuff" gets under my skin. How hard it is to lock a couple guys in a room with a microphone and come up with NEW stuff??? The appeasement I'm reading in this thread is laughable... This is the SAME game we've been playing for a few years now, with a few tuning and patched tweaks, but according to a lot of what I read here that is totally acceptable... I don't agree with that...

I'm glad you posted this, Mike, as it's been on my mind the past few days but I haven't had the time to get on the boards to post it.

The demo just isn't grabbing me, and with minimal to no changes to Be A GM, I don't see myself playing this game for very long, especially once NBA 2K12 drops. EA, if you want to include Legends into your game, take some notes from 2K on how to do it properly.

I may look to pick this up around the holidays when it goes on sale, but I can't justify spending $60 on a game that I've played over and over again. When EA decides to update the commentary and presentation, not to mention give us a lot more options in Be A GM (mid-game saves, customizable season length, etc.), I will gladly drop $60 for that game.

[tofubrain2]

saw landeskog on his belly last night swiping at the puck! thats awesome gotta say...

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJ

I'm glad you posted this, Mike, as it's been on my mind the past few days but I haven't had the time to get on the boards to post it. The demo just isn't grabbing me, and with minimal to no changes to Be A GM, I don't see myself playing this game for very long, especially once NBA 2K12 drops. EA, if you want to include Legends into your game, take some notes from 2K on how to do it properly. I may look to pick this up around the holidays when it goes on sale, but I can't justify spending $60 on a game that I've played over and over again. When EA decides to update the commentary and presentation, not to mention give us a lot more options in Be A GM (mid-game saves, customizable season length, etc.), I will gladly drop $60 for that game.

This is what I'm worried about as well. I love the new stat tracker.
But the longevity of this game will center around Be A GM and Be A Pro.
If neither has made that many strides, I don't know if I'll make it past Christmas with this game.

The gameplay is certainly improved, but since I'm a big offline gamer, I hope those modes can keep me interested throughout the season.

[MizzouRah]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

This is what I'm worried about as well. I love the new stat tracker. But the longevity of this game will center around Be A GM and Be A Pro. If neither has made that many strides, I don't know if I'll make it past Christmas with this game. The gameplay is certainly improved, but since I'm a big offline gamer, I hope those modes can keep me interested throughout the season.

Be a GM for sure as I'm ready to play every single game for at least a couple of seasons.

[Vikes1]

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher_guy

Some things though, are testing my patience, like presentation. Presentation/commentary needs to be changed next year.

I agree Gopher.

NHL's overall presentation and commentary package is starting to really show it's age. And it sure seems to be hurting the games overall perception.

Personally...I'm glad they've spent the time they have on the gameplay. If that was left mostly unchanged, I'd really be bummed. And so far, I'm digging the changes.

But I am sure hoping that next year, the overall presentation and GM mode see the upgrades they deserve.

[sroz39]

After playing the demo a bunch more yesterday, I have had to stop. It's literally destroying my excitement for the game each time I play it. It kills me to say it too, because this game long ago replaced Madden as the game I take time off work to play when it's released. I've realized that if I'm going to enjoy 12 like I've enjoyed NHL 08-11, it's going to be with the full retail release. This demo is not doing the game justice, as it's far too short to get the ebb and flow of a hockey game in a 5min period going and without anything all that new (many minor enhancements, no one BIG addition) it's going to take playing game after game to really fall in love with NHL 12.

[Tide311]

The demo was ok, but like every EA game i've played....Demo's just don't get the blood pumping for the new game. I will get NHL 12 no question, just less than excited about most of 12's features. No Online franchise, little improvement to BeaGM, and presentation looking mostly the same doesn't bring so much excitement. But EA, you still got my cash for another year. Kudos.