NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

[AdamJones113]

I've just played games so far, on different sliders, but at All Star/Hardcore. So this impression post will be based solely off gameplay.

I don't want to divide myself into "good" and "bad," so let's ramble a bit. This game is the most realistic NHL game to date. The board play is terrible, the passing is wonky, and don't even think about sniping 5-hole, but this game is the best NHL gameplay to date. The offensive CPU is very good, both from an logical standpoint and a skill standpoint. They dump when they should, they cycle when they should, and they aren't afraid to rip the puck on net. The defensive AI, however, is poor. They lack initiative—whether it's not stepping up when possible or more likely, not sensing plays around them or not sensing or even looking for the puck. The CPU defense has no heart, no intensity that characterizes the CPU offense.

The CPU has an easy time breaking it out, even if you are a good forechecker (which I think I am). The passes are so easily made (I don't say completed, that fluctuates according to slider preference) that a split second is all a CPU defenseman needs to make an improbable pass for the breakout. The CPU defense does do a good job getting sticks in the lane. Stick-on-stick collisions are slightly improved, not much; stick-on-skate collisions are an afterthought.

I noticed more separation in hitting and skating, so that's a major plus. The penalty issue was a non-issue for me. What was an issue is the godawful AI goalies. Poor save decisions, slug puck location times (even at a high slider), and animation-dominated movement. I never, ever want to see a pass from a forward go through the crease, behind the goalie, and to a player on the far side. That's ridiculous, but happened to me twice. Don't try to snipe 5-hole. Not gonna happen, even against 6'6 Ben Bishop... when he's moving.

But I digress. This is the best NHL game yet. If you like EASHL, you will love this game. The coach feedback is great, and the On Ice Trainer is very cool. Gameplay is much improved, but it still has a long way to go.

Good job.

[gopher_guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheBuddyHobbs

I'm seeing a very realisitc amount of penalties. I don't know if anyone else is having trouble? If so, I can toss in some of my adjusted sliders that may be helping or not. Both human and CPU.

I am, as well. I've been pleasantly surprised at the level of penalties.

Do you guys play with the penalty time scaling all the way up? (So the clock will go real time on penalties, giving you [and the opponent] an actual 2 minutes of PP time)

[TheBuddyHobbs]

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher_guy

I am, as well. I've been pleasantly surprised at the level of penalties. Do you guys play with the penalty time scaling all the way up? (So the clock will go real time on penalties, giving you [and the opponent] an actual 2 minutes of PP time)

That's exactly what I do.

[gopher_guy]

Is anyone else playing BAP? It may be my imagination, but I feel like there's an issue with icing. I've iced the puck a couple times, and have still been allowed to change.

[TheBuddyHobbs]

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher_guy

Is anyone else playing BAP? It may be my imagination, but I feel like there's an issue with icing. I've iced the puck a couple times, and have still been allowed to change.

I'll give it a go and report back.

[half-fast]

After playing a number of online versus, and several offline vs cpu, I have to say this year is good and bad, but definitely better than any year recently. The one thing driving me nuts is the goalies still look stupid, the cpu goalies hand out the puck way too much in high traffic areas, and save decisions/animations look seriously pathetic.

The cpu does the same move pretty much every time in my zone, no matter how i defend ... no adapting at all.

I will say the arenas and environment are top notch. The play feels a little more loose and organic, even if it does create some weird play skating animations and ai teammate behaviour. One thing that is getting me about offence is guys with quick shots dont seem to have a quick wrist release. Hard to walk in and just twitch shoot like these guys really do.

Hope with some slider tweaks and gameplay updates this game gets even better.

Online versus, finally feels like the losing team doesnt get gift goals, which ive been waiting for since theyve put versus in.

[THESHAMISASHAME]

I actually cant stop playing it EA NHL 16 is everything I hoped and it has so many little things or tweaks that were updated its too long to list but you can see it all on the ice especially the physics .

Penalties have been tweaked to perfection if you play real NHL hockey ! and I also like how Im forced to dump the puck in and corner work is pretty good without slowing down the game too much .

One that stands out is I shot a puck that was deflected and cause a redirection and the animation changed direction and the goalie scrambled to recover and it looked and felt perfect .

Menu navigation is much better and its nice having real goal sounds and horns since we cant really add our our on the ps4 .

Im just hoping they dont do another update like last year where it changes everything just for the sake of online play or at least have a online and offline tuner or update .

I also think the announcers are much improved and only see it getting deeper for years to come and as I mentioned before it seems like they even made an effort when adding progressive playoff beards to at least get non scanned player faces semi accurate which is greatly appreciated

Well gotta get back to the Ice and only small gripe is they need to update new goalie mask designs down the road and real faces for all !

[Fiddy]

I really wish they could get the cpu to not do that start and stop stutter skating along the boards. Like they cant make up their mind to dump it or skate somewhere, or pass. If the could get that fix the game would flow so much better vs the cpu.