NHL 15 News Post

NHL 15 Review (XB1/PS4)

11:39 AM - September 12, 2014 by RaychelSnr

NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4 has presented me with one of the biggest cases of cognitive dissonance I've had in some time. From one perspective, it looks better than it ever has before, and it plays very well. From another point of view, it provides no meaningful ways to enjoy the game, offline or online. Sure, there are a handful of modes to be found in NHL 15, but when you consider the plethora of options that users have had before now, it just leaves a real bad taste.

Bottom line: this game isn't worth full price.

Read More - NHL 15 Review (XB1/PS4)

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

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Member Comments

# 1 boxboy99 @ 09/12/14 11:46 AM

I almost picked this up, glad I passed.

# 2 Hockeynut99 @ 09/12/14 11:52 AM

So much for gameplay being the most important thing now adays. Good review still. I am enjoying the gameplay but I am used to having barebones of games. Growing up with an Atari 2600 I guess I am too easy on video games.

# 3 Vermin @ 09/12/14 11:56 AM

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!"

# 4 Drakar @ 09/12/14 12:15 PM

I think cognitive dissonance is the perfect word to describe NHL15.

# 5 Hockeynut99 @ 09/12/14 12:18 PM

To me the puck physics is what keep me coming back.

# 6 russwg1970 @ 09/12/14 12:23 PM

Hmmm..... Got it from G-Fly, and honestly, I'm kind of enjoying it. It plays smooth, looks great, and is fun to play. For me, it's easily the best game play of the series. However, as stated, it is very bare bones so your mileage may vary. I don' think the game is worth it's full asking price, but if you enjoy solid game play it might be worth it.

# 7 SVCbearcat10 @ 09/12/14 12:39 PM

I can't argue with the score, but I'm having a ton of fun playing this game. It's more based off of what is missing than what's there.

# 8 huntt26 @ 09/12/14 01:38 PM

It's too bad all of the modes are missing because this game is pretty fun on the ice!

# 9 dynastymgrguy @ 09/12/14 01:41 PM

I haven't played an NHL season since 2013 but was anticipating the opportunity to play on PS4 after enjoying the demo. The only mode I favor is Be-a-GM. I have enjoyed playing the new game and to be honest, I throw more emotions into playing an NHL 15 game than I do into Madden � it's just something about hockey that's different. I am greatly disappointed in not being to draft which completely shutters any reason to spend any time scouting. I'm also hesitant to go too far into my season not knowing if I'll have to restart after the implementation of the draft that EA is promising drops in October. So, all-in-all, having fun with it.

# 10 Simaofan-20 @ 09/12/14 01:49 PM

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

# 11 Stormyhog @ 09/12/14 01:50 PM

I love the gameplay & the look of the game but to have so many missing features & modes missing to me the game had to get low scores. I don't play much of the modes myself as I usually just setup matchups in play now. There is supposed be something for everyone & sadly there isn't. To be patching in 3 stars & basic modes reflects the game wasn't done. When you look at what the other sports games are producing NHL 15 is lagging behind badly. To skip last year on next gen is even more disappointing what was put out. To me the series is at a crossroads either they put more resources into the series or we could be seeing the beginning of the end of the series.

# 12 bowld @ 09/12/14 01:55 PM

I am having a blast with it. Puck bounces all over the place which is a welcome change. While it is missing features they are modes I didnt play much anyways so doesnt bother me as much as others

# 13 TIm @ 09/12/14 02:03 PM

Damn I hate most of you

I was going to hold out until the game dropped and that is VERY HARD because I hadn't had a hockey game in a while. I was going to not buy it mainly cause lack of modes.. Funny thing is that I wouldn't use most of them anyways but it's the point that companies can put out half butt stuff and get away with it.. However, I am hearing the game is fun and I'm on the fence! Thanks all

# 14 13whitebread @ 09/12/14 02:06 PM

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

# 15 cookjn @ 09/12/14 02:08 PM

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?

# 16 PokeyGomez @ 09/12/14 02:15 PM

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.

# 17 Pezell04x @ 09/12/14 02:26 PM

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.

# 18 GisherJohn24 @ 09/12/14 02:28 PM

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

# 19 cookjn @ 09/12/14 02:28 PM

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...

# 20 bxphenom7 @ 09/12/14 02:32 PM

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

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