NHL 15 News Post

NHL 15 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions (Xbox One, PS4)

09:44 PM - August 25, 2014 by Steve_OS

The NHL 15 demo is available now on Xbox Live for Xbox One users. PlayStation 4 users can expect the demo tomorrow afternoon when the PSN Store updates with new titles.

UPDATE: The NHL 15 demo is now available for PlayStation 4 users. If you can't find it, click this link.

Some have had luck going to "New Demos" all the way over to the right. Games>New>Demos>New Demos (all the way over to the right) and grab the NHL 15 demo. Thanks @TheFlopfish)

The demo weighs in at 2.58 GB. Here are the details.

New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings
Full game with three two-minute periods
Play in Madison Square Garden or Staples Center
Gameplay Camera Angles: Dynamic Low, Dynamic Medium, and Dynamic High
Practice Mode: Master the Superstar Skill Stick with a free skate against a goalie
Difficulty Settings: Rookie, Pro, All-Star

If you can't find it, try searching for it with Bing.

Play a few games and let us know what you think of this year's NHL title on Xbox One!

Game: NHL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 16 - View All

NHL 15 Videos

Member Comments

# 381 bwiggy33 @ 09/01/14 07:12 PM

Well I had this happen last night and I've seen it a couple other times so far as well. I retrieved a puck in the left corner of the offensive zone. My player gets the puck. His entire stick takes the puck through the boards and then stick handles it out of the boards. I proceeded to go and score a few seconds later. How in the world is this stuff still happening this gen? It's bad enough sticks already go through bodies and other sticks (yes I know they don't have it in the game for a "reason"), but the boards to? I figured we would at least see this game more fine tuned in areas like this. Apparently I thought wrong.

# 382 meep316 @ 09/01/14 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwiggy33


	Well I had this happen last night and I've seen it a couple other times so far as well. I retrieved a puck in the left corner of the offensive zone. My player gets the puck. His entire stick takes the puck through the boards and then stick handles it out of the boards. I proceeded to go and score a few seconds later. How in the world is this stuff still happening this gen? It's bad enough sticks already go through bodies and other sticks (yes I know they don't have it in the game for a "reason"), but the boards to? I figured we would at least see this game more fine tuned in areas like this. Apparently I thought wrong.

I see this very often. The skating along the boards is just the wild wild west in terms of what's going to happen with the puck. It's like impossible for the CPU to check me when I'm along the boards.

# 383 Money99 @ 09/01/14 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerg04


	I just wish my teammates actually forechecked and attempted to play loose pucks. Its stomach wrenching when they skate away from the puck that's loose and up for grabs. That alone makes me want to just turn the game off.

I honestly think this is my #1 pet-peeve about NHL14 right now. Even more than my constant griping about having more player and team differential/separation.

I really hope the final product has addressed this, or at the least sliders can be used to alleviate the issue.

# 384 bwiggy33 @ 09/01/14 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerg04


	I just wish my teammates actually forechecked and attempted to play loose pucks. Its stomach wrenching when they skate away from the puck that's loose and up for grabs. That alone makes me want to just turn the game off.

This may not completely alleviate the problem, but have you changed the forechecking strategy for your team? For some dumb reason EA puts basically every teams forechecking strategy on 1-4. Basically this causes the issue you are having. I saw the exact same problem a couple years ago and realized that was it. If you haven't adjusted the strategy slider do it. I'd say either to 2-3 or go with an aggressive one. It will give you a better forecheck.

# 385 hooah212002 @ 09/02/14 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwolf


	I actually think the game is closer to real hockey than it's ever been. You can dump the puck into the zone realistically, and the AI plays a lot smarter. It's harder to score cross crease on the move, but easier to score cross crease to a player whose setup. Cycling the puck feels more important than ever, and the puck doesn't magically sail through skates any longer. Of course the game isn't perfect. The board play leaves a lot to be desired, the goalies are far from perfect, and the AI still makes bone head moves, but the game feels better than it ever has.

I agree. At least here in the demo, when I am skating up ice an dpull up at the slot, the opposing AI is all over me (as they should be) instead of just giving me an open chance at a clean slot or the ability to cut across.

# 386 hooah212002 @ 09/02/14 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gagnon39


	I don't think there's any doubt I'll be turning the commentary completely off. I love Doc and Eddie-O but the play-by-play in the demo is simply horrible.

They gimped both of them. Doc simply isn't Doc. I need a few more "for all you young hockey players out there" from Edzo and some more "SCAAARRS!" from Doc. Doc is way too mellow here and Eddie doesn't say enough.

# 387 iaxy @ 09/02/14 08:19 AM

Finally downloaded the demo on PS4.

Incidentally this was also my first experience on PS4, as I recently upgraded from PS3 (mainly because of FIFA and PES, but also with consideration for NHL).
I played NHL 14 on PS3 extensively - mainly online and had some real fun. I always play on True Broadcast as I believe that is the closest representation of the real sport.

Personally, playing the demo was two novelties in one - firstly it was the first experience with a new game and secondly a new experience with a next gen platform. Consequently, my views are compounded as a combination of these two changes.

From a visual perspective, the game looks impressive. The ice (especially) is like real. The arenas also look fantastic and the crowd has undergone some noticeable improvement in models, variety and behavior. Not the same can be said about the players and the chosen colour palette. There is still a bit of an arcade-ish feel. They are not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I guess I was expecting a little more from a next gen platform. The new camera angles are also a welcome addition, a much overdue refreshment to what has been a really stale offering in the camera department for years.

I am also not impressed with the fluidity of movements. Players skate well and fluidly when in full stride and when skating forward, but backward skating leaves a lot to be desired and sharp changes of directions still feel and look extremely robotic. The game fails to capture the gracefulness of the sport and the explosive momentum and inertia of players burning a flatfooted defender.

Board play is another area where I don't see any improvements. Seeing sticks going through boards is just sloppy. The animation of a player approaching the boards and colliding with the boards is still missing and looks very tired.

Onto gameplay. I have to say I have lukewarm impressions of the game. For most parts if plays and feels very much like NHL 14 and 13 and 12 and 11... It's just very familiar and samey... Which may not be a bad thing if you enjoyed previous installments, but again - I judge this from a next gen perspective and to me there are not enough additions / improvements to make this game feel amazing. My biggest gripe for years with the NHL series has been the lack of excitement, especially when being at the receiving end of a CPU attack. I just don't feel the scare / panic factor. I want to be paying for my mistakes and risky cross crease passes. But the game does not punish you for throwing the puck with your goalie midst a bunch of CPU players, the CPU does not score on clear chances, yet it scores on some low-percentage shots from outside. It just feels arcady.

The same is valid when on attack. Very rarely you get that wow moment of excitement.

Body checks look good, but somehow don't feel the same when delivering them. It just feels a bit meek.

What else? Menus look better, cleaner and slicker. The presentation is for sure beautiful and the commentary is a welcome change from years of the same commentary.

Overall, a decent effort, but in my opinion a game with a very short fun longevity. I can't help but feel that this is what NHL 14 should have been for next gen. For this year I really think they should have upped the game considerably. Sure, people will still buy the game, but that's just a reflection of the absence of competition in this sport.

I should also mention that after downloading the demo of NHL 15 on the PS4 I also downloaded FIFA 14 on the PS4 and even though that is still last year's game, it feels and looks miles ahead of NHL 15. It also looks miles ahead than the PS3 version of FIFA 14. It truly feels and plays like a much improved game and you can feel / see the difference in every department. That is what should have happened with NHL 15 and sadly it has not materialised. But we know FIFA has competition in PES and I think that has helped EA stay on their toes and really push the envelope on the development of the game. I fear that until a developer introduces a competition to EA in the ice hockey platform, EA will continue making half steps instead of the full steps it takes with FIFA.

My 2 cents worth

# 388 Gerg04 @ 09/02/14 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwiggy33


	This may not completely alleviate the problem, but have you changed the forechecking strategy for your team? For some dumb reason EA puts basically every teams forechecking strategy on 1-4. Basically this causes the issue you are having. I saw the exact same problem a couple years ago and realized that was it. If you haven't adjusted the strategy slider do it. I'd say either to 2-3 or go with an aggressive one. It will give you a better forecheck.

Yea and it did help a little with the forecheck down low. However there is zero sense of awareness by my AI teammates on where the puck is. They just skate around as of they couldn't care less about the single most important part of the game. It's kind of silly.

# 389 Earl1963 @ 09/02/14 09:44 AM

This game is not impressive looking at all, why so many think that? This is next gen and to me NHL 15 looks way too washed out.

# 390 lockjaw333 @ 09/02/14 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl1963


	This game is not impressive looking at all, why so many think that? This is next gen and to me NHL 15 looks way too washed out.

Outside of the TV style presentation I don't think this game is impressive visually at all for a next gen title. The first problem is that its obviously low resolution, seems to be 720pish, which frankly is extremely jarring now that most if not all of the other sports games are 1080p. There's also a considerable amount of blur, not sure where that is coming from, possibly a post-process AA solution, but it makes the whole game seem blurry. Also the player models look mostly identical to last gen, unlike a game like Madden where this is a huge step up in player models for '15. I'm not sure why the visuals are so meh, and why the game seemingly is having a difficult time displaying them...

# 391 2kguy @ 09/02/14 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockjaw333


	Outside of the TV style presentation I don't think this game is impressive visually at all for a next gen title. The first problem is that its obviously low resolution, seems to be 720pish, which frankly is extremely jarring now that most if not all of the other sports games are 1080p. There's also a considerable amount of blur, not sure where that is coming from, possibly a post-process AA solution, but it makes the whole game seem blurry. Also the player models look mostly identical to last gen, unlike a game like Madden where this is a huge step up in player models for '15. I'm not sure why the visuals are so meh, and why the game seemingly is having a difficult time displaying them...

I agree completely with this. Resolution-wise it looks far below the standards of all other PS4 games I have played and as you said it looks washed out. I was coming here to see if there was any additional information from the developer on this. Any chances this is just because it is a demo and the final version will be much improved? I will not be purchasing the game if this is how it looks - ruins the experience for me.

# 392 Qb @ 09/02/14 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2kguy


	I agree completely with this. Resolution-wise it looks far below the standards of all other PS4 games I have played and as you said it looks washed out. I was coming here to see if there was any additional information from the developer on this. Any chances this is just because it is a demo and the final version will be much improved? I will not be purchasing the game if this is how it looks - ruins the experience for me.

Yes, there's a chance it's due to demo limitations, but to my knowledge, there's been no comment from EA on the matter. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised either way.

# 393 bwiggy33 @ 09/02/14 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerg04


	Yea and it did help a little with the forecheck down low. However there is zero sense of awareness by my AI teammates on where the puck is. They just skate around as of they couldn't care less about the single most important part of the game. It's kind of silly.

You are most definitely correct. You can change the forechecking slider all you want but the AI still doesn't have puck awareness or any of that. It's sad to see. With all of the modes being stripped from the game you'd think AI would have at least been focused on. They say they did but quite honestly I don't see any change to the AI from last gen to this gen. They still play the same way. I do think the strategy sliders are working better this gen though.

# 394 TerminallyOdd @ 09/02/14 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2kguy


	I agree completely with this. Resolution-wise it looks far below the standards of all other PS4 games I have played and as you said it looks washed out. I was coming here to see if there was any additional information from the developer on this. Any chances this is just because it is a demo and the final version will be much improved? I will not be purchasing the game if this is how it looks - ruins the experience for me.

I suppose it's possible, but at this point it seems unlikely. The fact that the question has been posed to EA via their forums, twitter and Rammer's twitter as well, yet has still not been addressed, doesn't bode well for that possibility.

I'm with you though. I still think the game looks good, but resolution is clearly not up to current standards, which is having me lean towards not buying the game on principle.

# 395 ricky24 @ 09/02/14 04:37 PM

Maybe they shouldn't have wasted so many resources on recording a "live" pregame for ever scenario. Am I the only who thought the actual real life footage came across as corny and forced?

# 396 bigwill33 @ 09/02/14 05:12 PM

EA "worked" on the AI several years ago when they put in all the different formations. It was the year after Tampa went to the conference finals, beating my Pens along the way, playing their 1-3-1 system.

I remember Rammer being so geeked that they had all of these new AI formations in the game and he made all of the videos that showcased them all off.

Well, they haven't touched them since. And the entire AI goes wonky if you pull a man out of position or get beat or caught. Not to mention that they don't know how to adapt or play basic hockey outside of those formations should they be attacked with something that takes advantage of it. So when you play a computer and beat their formation with a tactic, good luck to them recognizing it and fixing the break.

Combine that with all of the other shortcomings of the game's AI and it makes for some ugly hockey at times.

# 397 sweetjones @ 09/02/14 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwill33


	EA "worked" on the AI several years ago when they put in all the different formations. It was the year after Tampa went to the conference finals, beating my Pens along the way, playing their 1-3-1 system. I remember Rammer being so geeked that they had all of these new AI formations in the game and he made all of the videos that showcased them all off. Well, they haven't touched them since. And the entire AI goes wonky if you pull a man out of position or get beat or caught. Not to mention that they don't know how to adapt or play basic hockey outside of those formations should they be attacked with something that takes advantage of it. So when you play a computer and beat their formation with a tactic, good luck to them recognizing it and fixing the break. Combine that with all of the other shortcomings of the game's AI and it makes for some ugly hockey at times.

This goes back to my point I made a couple of days ago. I truly believe they have no idea on how to improve the AI. This should have been a before next gen improvement. Im just starting to take the game for what it is. We will never see a Real Hockey Video game from EA or at least from this current dev team. It's so unfortunate that there's no competition.

# 398 Peter10 @ 09/02/14 07:56 PM

Guys, you are giving me a tough time. I really intended to buy a PS4 and play this game, although i was rather bored quickly with the previous editions.

My main beef during the years has been that it was too easy to detect the way the game wants you to play. Once you have figured that out, it has gotten way too easy even on the hardest level. Even if you play by the "house rules", when the game got somewhat tight i found myself doing what is "expected" to score. It may be that i am just lacking the discipline to contain myself but it always seemed like a catch 22 to me. I know excatly how to beat the AI but i am not allowing myself to do it only to have fun.

If you guys could tell me it was half as close to NHL 2k3/4/5 i would buy it instantly but i am seriously concerned it wont get any close to that.

I am reading comments saying that with slider/team strategy adjustment the game might be able to reflect what i want but i am seriously concerned with the game. I could justify spending the money for the game but in my case i would also have to buy a PS4, so any comment pro or contra would be highly appriciated.

# 399 bigwill33 @ 09/02/14 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter10


	Guys, you are giving me a tough time. I really intended to buy a PS4 and play this game, although i was rather bored quickly with the previous editions. My main beef during the years has been that it was too easy to detect the way the game wants you to play. Once you have figured that out, it has gotten way too easy even on the hardest level. Even if you play by the "house rules", when the game got somewhat tight i found myself doing what is "expected" to score. It may be that i am just lacking the discipline to contain myself but it always seemed like a catch 22 to me. I know excatly how to beat the AI but i am not allowing myself to do it only to have fun. If you guys could tell me it was half as close to NHL 2k3/4/5 i would buy it instantly but i am seriously concerned it wont get any close to that. I am reading comments saying that with slider/team strategy adjustment the game might be able to reflect what i want but i am seriously concerned with the game. I could justify spending the money for the game but in my case i would also have to buy a PS4, so any comment pro or contra would be highly appriciated.

I feel the same way as you, handicapping myself to get a more true experience. As I said before, you wouldn't play a baseball game where every time you bunted the ball it was a base hit and still enjoy it. You wouldn't fire up a football game where a toss right went for a first down every time. Why are we stuck with a hockey game that has so many money plays and refuses to adapt or counter them after half of a decade of the same stuff.

My personal advice to you is this: Wait until the weekend to decide. By Thursday enough of us here, and many other people, will have the Xbox One version. You can watch those people play on streaming sites like Twitch to get an idea of what to expect.

I hope to answer a lot of people's questions about the game play myself. It will be a very busy weekend for me, however. I am heading to Miami on Sat/Sun for the Phins/Pats game so my time will be limited, but I plan on helping out people on the fence in any way I can with honest critiques of what I find in playing.

# 400 Penaltybox4ever @ 09/02/14 08:18 PM

Anyone getting a blur effect on visor in replays or after a goal when scorer skates by the bench for example? Looks really cheap, little things like that really puts me off...

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