NHL 15 Review (XB1/PS4)

[13whitebread]

How can you put a sports game out and not have a season mode that is what teams do every year are they crazy?

[cookjn]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vermin

I'm with Hockeynutt99. The core hockey gameplay experience is what matters most to me. You could give me a game with 100 modes, but if the core isn't any fun, who really cares? I've played about a dozen games so far and every one has had something different that made me sit back and say "Wow, that was fun!"

I wish people would stop defending this game. FIFA 14 and MLB: The Show 14 also provide great gameplay experiences without sacrificing the modes that many of us rely on for replayability.

If those two titles can offer consumers both great gameplay and value, why does NHL 15, a game that only offers great gameplay, deserve a comparable review score?

[PokeyGomez]

I appreciate the challenges of developing for a new platform. Resources are limited and you have to prioritize. That's life. But I'd have personally preferred they include features like OTP and EASHL and patch-in the eye candy (fancy arenas and crowds) later.

[Pezell04x]

Quote: Originally Posted by Simaofan-20

Its quite sad that gameplay isn't the most important thing when reviewing a game. After all, that's the core of a game and the reason why we play them in the first place. No way this game is a 5.5/10, I wouldn't give it a 9 but a 5.5? That's way to low, thats close to the game being broken or it has a ton of glitches. If the main reason why the score is low is because of not enough features, thats incredibly disappointing . I skimmed through most of it, I don't recall anything about the confirmed patch that implements some of the missing features already

5.5 on the OS scale is average. Unlike most review sites - a 5 on a scale of 1-10 is right in the middle instead of a 7 being average and everything under that being terrible.

A broken game with tons of glitches should be a 0-3.

Anyways - features should always be part of a review, especially when the features are limited. You can talk about how fun a game plays, but when play nows get boring (and they will) then what? Be a GM is there but there's no minors, no draft [yet]. Be a Pro is there but you can't sim to your next shift which means you get to watch the AI fuddle around.

Features and gameplay should be reviewed together. If a game has unreal gameplay but limited modes that keep the game from being fresh then that should be a factor just as a game with 100 modes and ****ty gameplay should be a factor.

There was a big anticipation for NHL 15 and it fell flat for a lot of people because of the important modes being left out for what many perceive as fluff (billowing jerseys, a million different fan models, etc).

I think 5.5 is a fine score because this game is average. It does things well and it does things poorly (because of modes being omitted). Again - a 5 is average and that's what NHL 15 is. It is average.

[GisherJohn24]

serious question, does anyone know what EA was thinking when they released this?

[cookjn]

Quote: Originally Posted by Simaofan-20

Its quite sad that gameplay isn't the most important thing when reviewing a game. After all, that's the core of a game and the reason why we play them in the first place. No way this game is a 5.5/10, I wouldn't give it a 9 but a 5.5? That's way to low, thats close to the game being broken or it has a ton of glitches. If the main reason why the score is low is because of not enough features, thats incredibly disappointing . I skimmed through most of it, I don't recall anything about the confirmed patch that implements some of the missing features already

I wonder if Call of Duty fans would feel the same way if the next Call of Duty game only allowed them to play Free for All and a few maps...

[bxphenom7]

Quote: Originally Posted by cookjn

I wish people would stop defending this game. FIFA 14 and MLB: The Show 14 also provide great gameplay experiences without sacrificing the modes that many of us rely on for replayability. If those two titles can offer consumers both great gameplay and value, why does NHL 15, a game that only offers great gameplay, deserve a comparable review score?

You hit the nail right on the head. One can understand, let's say, if NBA Live 15 didn't have some core modes since it's a franchise that's been trying to rebuild itself and needs to get gameplay right. However, there is no reason for NHL 15 to be like this when NBA 2k14 and MLB 14 The Show had modes carry over. The focus was clearly graphics and presentation since the game already plays well, and it would have been understandable if they made very minimal improvements on modes, but not having them is ridiculous. NBA 2k14 had great visuals AND an overhauled career mode. The modes better take leaps next year since they omitted them this year

[Pezell04x]

For anyone who is wondering about the new scoring system, here you go.

Quote:

0 - .5 (Absolutely horrendous) -- These are the worst of the worst. Think about games that just don't work at all and they go here. For a developer to get this, it almost has to be due to gross negligence. Don't just avoid these games, make fun of people for buying such a piece of crap if you see it happening. 1 - 1.5 (Really Bad) -- This is a game that is somewhat functional but still quite bad. These games are the types of games that just don't play well at all; there are no redeeming qualities except that they actually work -- mostly. Avoid these games. 2.0 - 2.5 (Bad) -- These games are just plain bad. There may be one redeeming quality about these games, but there are very serious flaws that cannot be overlooked. You might think about renting these games -- for achievements or something like that -- but avoid buying these titles unless they're for super cheap. 3.0 - 3.5 (Subpar) -- While there is a redeeming quality or feature to these titles, their execution is poor and there is very little that can be helped in the long run. This is a buy if it's the only option, and you are a huge fan of this type of game -- but even then it's probably best to wait for a discounted price. 4.0 - 4.5 (Below Average) -- This game is close to average, as there are some redeeming qualities about the title, but there are serious flaws that still outweigh the good. If you are a fan of the sport, you should consider the game -- but only if there aren't better options on the market. 5.0 - 5.5 (Average) -- This is the quintessential average game. There are good spots, there are bad spots. You might love this game, then you might hate it. In the end, you'll just feel like it could have been so much more. Rent these for sure if you are a fan, and you might even buy the game if you can overlook the many flaws. 6.0 - 6.5 (Above Average) -- These games are definitely above average, but definitely not good yet. There are still some big flaws that need tuning, but overall these games can be quite fun for fans of the sport. 7.0 - 7.5 (Good) -- These games are pretty good, and while having several notable flaws, they generally play well and are quite fun. They definitely are not great yet, but with a few fixes they could get there. These are solid buys, especially if you like the sport. 8.0 - 8.5 (Great) -- These games are really quite good. There are a few notable flaws with the game holding it back from being a classic, but these games are worth the money, and for even casual fans of the sport they are definite purchases. 9.0 - 9.5 (All-Time Classic) -- These games are the type of games we talk about for a long time on OS. They are great in nearly every way, and while they have a minor flaw or two, they are easily overlooked because of the level of greatness present here. These are rare, but they are quite awesome when they come around. A must buy for any sports fan. 10.0 (Genre Defining) -- There are essentially zero flaws with this game. While no game is perfect, this game is great in every regard and could be played for years without it becoming all that stale. These are the titles which everyone should own, even RPG only gamers.