Reminder: If you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on console, you also have EA Play

EA Play has become my preferred way of checking out EA-published games in most cases. Rather than paying to buy a digital copy of a game I don't need to own – or subscribing for a full year of EA Play – I spend the five bucks needed for one month of access, and make extra sure auto-renew?a??l is turned off.

The service has three more games on the horizon: Madden NFL 21 (March 2), Star Wars: Squadrons (March 18), and NHL 21 (April). If you're subscribed to EA Play, you'll be able to play ??the full versions.

Worth noting: EA Play is baked directly into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, so if you already have that big-boy membership, you're covered here. (What about PC players? EA reiterated today that EA Play will be rolled into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on PC "later this year.")

Did any of you rack up multiple years' worth of Game Pass Ultimate in a conversion deal? Jealous.

Also worth noting if it's been a while: EA Play used to be called "EA Access" on consoles and "Ori?gin Access" on PC, and these three games are joining T?he Play List, which used to go by the "Vault."

I'm probably going to pass on these titles, but if you need your Madden or NHL fix (particularly the latter) or you wouldn't mind dipping into Star Wars: Squadrons' single-player campaign, there you go.

I'm more focused on It Takes Two, a co-op adventure from the makers of the bonkers A Way Out. I'm weighing whether to buy the game outright (it'll be $40), or spend $15 for a month of EA Play Pro. I know this every-so-often "rental"-style strategy isn't for everyone, but for EA games, I'm fine with it.

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Better hockey scene: Swingers or Mallrats?

One of the greatest sports video games of all-time is getting a?? roster update in about a month. Current NHL players are being dragged all the way back to the mid-'90s.

EA Sports has revealed NHL 94 Rewind, which doesn't involve Mario Lemieux and his 100 rating looking absolutely invincible. Instead, as EA Sports describes it, "it's today's teams and today's rosters with controls and graphics from 1994." Some of them, like Joe Thornton and Ilya Kovalchuk, might've been on the original NHL 94 rosters! There's no way to know.

NHL 94 Rewind isn't something you can just pick up for cheap and have a little nostalgic fun with, though. EA Sports is using this throwback as the primary motivator to drive pre-orders for NHL 21. It'll cost you $60 to get your hands on the roster update for the belove?d Genesis classic.

NHL 21 launches on October 16, and NHL 94 Rewind follows a couple weeks later on October 30.

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He's also a very talented hockey player

The drought is over! After a grueling one-year absence from the cover of EA's hockey video game, a young Canadian man is once again the athlete on the front of NHL. (Not to be confused with a Canadien man.)

At tonight's NHL Awards, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid was named the cover star of NHL 18. McDavid is coming off a 100 point season in which he won the Art Ross trophy for being the league's leading scorer. Although he's only two years into his career, McDavid is already considered a generational talent by many -- the kind of superstar that comes around maybe once a decade. He was probably bound to end up on NHL's cover sooner or later.

As for Canada's return to cover athlete prominence, NHL 17 featured Russian-born Vladimir Tarasenko. Before that, NHL 10's Patrick Kane was the last time a non-Canuck? (not the team) graced the cover. Between 2011 and 2016 ?the athletes were, in order: Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, Martin Brodeur, Patrice Bergeron, and Jonathan Toews again.

Canada has good luck getting on the cover of NHL games; to?o bad it doesn't have the same luck winning the Stanley Cup.

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Back to full strength

I got out to a blazing start in the first game in Franchise Mode with my beloved Color??ado Avalanche. Somewhere toward the end of the first, centerman Carl Soderberg netted the team's third goal of the period. Things c?ouldn't have been going better.

B?ut, the referee immediately waved it off. "Looks like he kicked it in!" commentator Mik??e Emrick called out. So, we went to an automatic review. After watching 10 seconds' worth of replays, the ref came back out and pointed his whole hand at the net indicating a good goal. The crowd erupted.

So, NHL 17 called off a goal that it knew was good, only to build the tension before revealing that it, in fact, counted. Anyone who watches the NHL will tell you that a goal reversal in favor of your team is an ecstatically happy moment. This anecdote is indicative of how NHL 17 pays attention to the details. 

NHL 17 (PS4, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Released: September 13, 2016
MSRP: $59.99

Actually, that first game was plenty indicative of how NHL 17 also doesn't pay attention to the details. Minutes after it was announced that Jamie Benn was out for the rest of the game, he was back?? out leading the charge up-ice. Then, the Stars scored on ?a slow-trickling shot from mid-ice where I didn't take control of the goalie. Technically that could happen in real-life hockey, but come on.

That is NHL's constant struggle. It's trying to inch ever-closer to realism, but is limited by the near-infinite oddities of creating a simulation with this many variables. Something will always happen that's extremely un-hockey-like, even i?f hockey is a sport that's full of unpredictable bounces.

But, when it's not being weird, NHL 17 is very good. That shouldn't surprise, as NHL's on-ice play has been quite excellent for a number of years now. This game carries that torch competently. It feels like hockey, and that's the most glowing commendation you could give this ??game. Stylish goals and big hits are as exciting to execute in a game as they are to watch in the NHL.

Gameplay has been refined to some mostly-incremental degree over NHL 16. The biggest changes are that goaltenders act with more nuance and that players do a better job of battling in front of the net. Sure, those things make it look like a better hockey game, but they d?on't actually make it a significantly better hockey game. It's mostly just flair and a bullet point for that ever-closer inching.

One more notable change pertains to the visual trainer. This was probably the biggest addition to NHL 16, as it taught the player how hockey and how NHL should be played. This time, it's much more muted. It will still indicate what to do and when, but it doesn't dominate the ice. That was the ??most oft-complained-about feature last year.

Also, the trainer gives more in-depth feedback now. Coach suggestions are more tailored to your play-style and to the situation??s taking place. I'm not convinced it'??s better, though. After scoring six goals through two periods, I was told that my offense was at a "B-minus." Maybe 16 goals would've made the coaches happy.

Where NHL 17 truly breaks away from its predecessors is in the sheer number of off-ice options. Of the main modes, there are: Season, Franchise, Be? a Pro, World Cup of Hockey, Draft Champions ??(a fantasy draft built around a chosen theme), Hockey Ultimate Team, EA Sports Hockey League, and general online play.

Everyone's mileage will vary for all the different modes. But, there's enough that almost everyone should get fair mileage out of something. Those additions are important because it was only two years ago that NHL shipped bare bones. It wasn't the game fans deserved from a usually-excellent franchise. Now, NHL feels like it's where it shoul?d have been all along, at least with regard to choices.

When compared to NHL 15, NHL 17 is miles ahead; when compared to NHL 16, it's incrementally better. That's the EA Sports way. There are some new features and improvements, but nothing mind-blowingly innovative. That's perfectly fine. There's a good hockey game at the core, and a lot of options on the periphery. That's al??l we ever wanted.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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How does your team stack up?

The hockey season is still a few months away, but EA Sports has its opinions on how each team is shaping up. With the NHL 17 beta officially out tomorrow, we got our ??hands on it a bit early and took a look a??t each team's ratings.

While our poor multiplayer opponent patiently waited, we flipped through every single team to see their stats for offen??se, defense, and goaltending. The Tampa Bay Lightning lead the offensive category with a 93. The San Jose Sharks blue liners are the best defensive group with a 94. And, the pairing of Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta for the New York Range??rs make up the league's best goaltending duo with a rating of 95.

Interestingly enough, only one team has a category that dips into the?? yellow color that denotes a score of less than 80. It's not a bad team, either. It's the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens' goalies are ranked 79, probably because Marc-Andre Fleury is coming off of a concussion and his backup is mostly unproven (even though he just won a ring). No respect for the champs!

We also had a chance to go hands-on with NHL 17 back at E3. Here's our preview detailing what this game is doing different.

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Didn't NHL 3 on 3 Arcade already have big goalies?

NHL 17, like all annualized sports games, is committed to a steady stream of gameplay improvements each and every year. I had a chance to see that first-hand at E3 last month, where I wrote about some of the more important changes; this ?new trailer condenses a lot of what I had to say into a snazzy two-minute long sizz?le reel.

Out of all the tweaks EA Vancouver is making to NHL 17, the most significant ones are probably coming on the defensive end. New to this game are battles in front of the net -- defensemen and forwards jostling for positio??n right in front of the goaltender. As can be expected, these net battles impact things like the goalie's line of sight and the potential for deflections.

Another big change is that goalies are going to act more like goalies in NHL 17. They'll react to the type of shot in that situation. Specifically, they'll stand tall more often and block mostly harmless shots with their bodies instead of uselessly dropping into the butterfly when that doesn't really make any sense. Als?o, dramatic sweeping glove saves ??for lazy shots on net are a thing of the past.

That's just some of the more important stuff that was outlined today. The more granular things are all listed on the EA Sports site. There's an beta later this month from July 28 through August 4, so anyone who wants to see the changes in action should head here to sign up.

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Destructoid's live at E3, thumbing EA

Maybe you missed it, but yesterday Electronic Arts held an event where a famous (?) soccer manager came on stage to talk about FIFA. There were other games, too, and by EA's unfortunate standards the press conference was better than the last couple years, but all it really did was show some stuff on games we already know about and like 4 seconds of the new Mass Effect and Visceral's (Dead Space) Star Wars game.

You can watch our impressions v?ideo for the final verdict, then tell us if ?we're spot-on critical mavens or out of touch, hopeless hacks!

The post Grading EA’s E3 2016 press conference appeared first on Destructoid.

The franchise has been shorthanded in previous years

Two years ago, EA Sports shipped NHL 15 -- the first "next-gen" installment in the perennially fantastic NHL franchise -- in bare bones condition. It was a glaring misstep, and the developer has spent years trying to right the ship. NHL 16 got the series to where it felt like it should've been the year prior; NHL 17 feels like it might be caught up.

At EA's Sunday-before-E3 event, we had a chance to go hands-on with NHL 17 and to have a lengthy talk with lead producer Sean Ramjagsingh. Both parts were equally important. The conversation with Ramjagsingh confirmed that there sure is a wealth of new stuff coming to the game this year. The hands-on proved that it should a??ll work.

Before sitting down with Ramjagsingh, I hopped on a station to kill some time. The game was set up as Sharks versus Kings. I picked the Kings despite disliking both teams; they felt like the lesser of two evils. A few minutes in, the ever-pesky Logan Couture bounced a fluky goal through Jonathan Quick's legs. Hmm. Was this NHL 17 acting closer to arcade than si??mula?tion, or was this just one of Those Hockey Plays?

I carried this into my talk with Ramjagsingh. One of the slides in his presentation covered how the goaltenders had been revamped this year. No longer are goalies going to ?make big dramatic sweeping glove saves on lazy shots on net. Instead, they'll play the puck reasonably. Sometimes they'll get big to bl??ock the net, knowing that they're basically conceding a rebound. Other times, they'll stick to their style. It all depends on what the situation calls for.

The problem with this is that Quick tends to give up most of his goals to his gloveside, usually up high. That's not where Couture's goal skipped in. In fact, Quick's athletic butterfly style means that he's generally good at keeping low puck?s out of the net. Maybe he was out of position or something. Guess we'll chalk it up to it being one of Those Hockey Plays.

Goalies are hardly all Ramjagsingh had to discuss. It almost seemed like everything about and around hockey was fair play. Generally, the theme was that NHL 17 o??ffers unprecedented freedom. For instance, the franchise mode has a bunch of interesting decisions to make, including whether or not you want to relocate the club. Ramjagsingh says that there are approximately 20 cities to move to (including Vegas, of course), and you have to come to terms with the government of the destination city. That might include negotiating a way to get the c??ity's taxpayers to fund the new stadium -- an issue that's something of a hotbutton topic in sports right now.

Other changes come in the form of improvements to additions to NHL 16. Last year's game featured the visual on-ice trainer, ??a tool that taught players how to play hockey as it was happening. Ramjagsingh said the feedback they got was mostly positive but a lot of players also felt like it was too limited. As a result, more in-depth coaching was high on the list of priorities this time 'round. In the same vein, EA is fleshing out the EASHL so that it has more options that includes the likes of rink and goal song customization.

And, EA's even drawing from its other popular sports franchises. NHL 17 cribs Madden 16's Draft Champions mode -- a setting where you can draft entirely new teams quickly and play out a tournament with the cobbled-together unit. Apparently Madden's implem??entation was popular enough to warrant branching out to other EA Sports titles.

That's most of what Ramjagsingh wanted to touch on. Then it was time to take a second crack at NHL 17. Set up with my beloved Colorado Avalanche, I squared off against the loathesome Minnesota Wild. I only had time to get two periods in before I had to take off. Matt Duchene opened the scoring with a beautiful short-side goal. Nath?an MacKinnon followed that up with two tallies on semi-breakaways. 3-0 after 40 minutes.

Yep, seems like NHL 17 is working just fine.

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Russian Machine broke

The Washington Capitals just flamed out of the NHL playoffs in the second round, and with the loss goes EA Sports' prediction that they'd win the Stanley Cup this year. Pittsburgh centerman Nick Bonino dashed that forecast with a game six overtime winner to move the Penguins in??to the conference finals against the red hot Tampa Bay Lightning.

EA's prediction wasn't without merit as the Capitals finished with the best regular sea??son in the NHL, winning the? President's Trophy for having accumulated the most points. Still, this is a club that is known for losing come playoff time. The Capitals have not made it out of the second round of the playoffs since the '97-'98 season. That streak continues.

Technically, EA is still okay on the other half of its Stanley Cup Finals guess. It was predicted that the San Jose Sharks (another team known for its per?ennial chokejobs) would represent the Western Conference. The Sharks and the Nashville Predators play a game seven on Thursday night that could render EA's call completely incorrect. For what it's worth, the Sharks have ?played like a team that absolutely has all the pieces in place to be serious contenders.

Across its sports titles, EA has had a rough go of it as of late. In February, the Madden folks predicted that the Carolina Panthers would beat the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl (and subsequently deleted the prediction video. Earlier this year, NHL 16 predicted that the Anaheim Ducks would end the season as champions; they lost in the first round to the Predators. And, as of March, UFC 2's cover is adorned by fighters who have taken ?recent high-profile losses.

To be fair, EA's games are generally very good at acting as simulations of sport?s in video games. Nobo??dy's arguing that. But trying to simulate real life outcomes isn't a formula for repeated success. If it were, sports books in Vegas wouldn't thrive. As the adage goes, that's why they play the games.

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Get the Ducks outta here!

Before the beginning of the 2015-16 NHL season, EA Sports predicted that the Anaheim Ducks would be the eventual Stanley Cup champions. After a shaky start, Anaheim eventually got its act together to win ??the Pacific Division. EA rewards that by reneging on its earlier prediction.

Now that the playoffs are upon us, EA no longer has confidence in the Ducks. Using NHL 16 to simulate the postseason gi??ven current circumstances, EA is backing the Washington Capitals. According to the simulation, Washington will beat San Jose in seven games.

The brilliance of the NHL playoffs is that almost anything can happen. In 2012, the ??Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup as an eight-seed. Good team chemistry and hot goaltending can take anyone to the promised land.

But, the idea that Washington and San Jose -- both with reputations as perennial chokers -- will get to the Stanley Cup Finals? That's almost too wacky even for hockey. Either EA's horribly wrong like it was with the Super Bowl, or I'll be forced to eat crow. Actually, I kind of hope it's the latter so no one can ever give Ovechkin grief when he almost decapitates teammates with garage doors. Russian Machine Never Breaks!

NHL 16 Playoff Sim [EA Sports]

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Ultimate scheme

EA has made no bones about the fact that the extra content market plays a large role in its earnings. A year and a half ago, the publisher said it aimed for $1 billion in revenue annually from selling add-ons. Since then, it has exceeded those numbers due mostly to microtransactions? in sports games.

At a Morgan Stanley investor conference (and as reported on by GamesIndustry International), EA CFO Blake Jorgensen detailed the digital side of the business and mentioned that Ultimate Team purchases from the Madden, FIFA, and NHL franc??hises bring in around $650 million per year. "The extra content business is a [$1.3 billion] a year. Half of that is roughly our Ultimate Team business," he said.

Jorgensen also inferred that it's these sort of additional sales that, in part, keep EA afloat. "We've been a lea??der in driving digital extra content for games, which really drives the profitability of this business." In the case of Ultimate Team mi??crotransactions, the margins are almost pure profit.

As if it weren't obvious already, EA has a lot riding on its annualization of sports franchises. Even if the individual games don't sell incredibly well, it can proba?bly count on an extra couple hundred million dollars from microtrans?actions. That's enough that almost every title will be a guaranteed success to some degree.

EA's Ultimate Team earning around $650?? million a year [GamesIndustry International]

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Training wheels

In the mandatory initial matchup in NHL 16, I was forced to choose between last year's Stanley Cup Final contenders. I had to back either the Chicago Bl?ackhawks who I very?? much dislike, or the Tampa Bay Lightning who I am very ambivalent toward. Lightning it is.

I got throttled. It was bad. Somewhere mid-throttling, we'll say the second period, I carried the puck offsides. Whoops. Later, I thought it might be funny to launch a post-whistle slapper at the goalie. I was immediately knocked on my ass. Then??, I was cross-checked a few times for good measure. These avatars, like the real versions of people, take this sort of offense very seriously.

Anyone who grew up around a rink knows what unwritten rule I broke. You do not -- I repeat: do not -- direct the puck at the other team's net after the whistle blows. NHL 16 didn't tell me this. That's significant because NHL 16 lays everything else out bare. If there's something to learn, NHL 16 is going to teach it.

NHL 16 (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Release: September 15, 2015
MSRP: $59.99

In a genre plagued by incremental increases, this is NHL 16's greatest offering: An on-ice trainer that goes above and beyond. Hockey is a sport that's notorious for its inaccessibility to newcomers. Putting the biscuit in the basket is easy enough to underst??and, but where should my forwards be positioned when in the defensive zone? What kind of check should I execute when skating backward toward my goal?

This training aid helps refine gameplay on-the-fly. It kind of teaches hockey, but more importantly, it teaches how to play NHL 16. Fo?r instance, when skating into the offensive zone, a cone will appear that indicates what part of the shooting lane is open and what part is blocked. A target may s?how up in the corner of the goal to tell you the smartest place to aim.

Or, when playing defense, a box will cordon off part of the ice at your zone. Sticking to this area and covering the man in the box is what you're supposed to do. That's how hockey is played; NHL 16, simulation of hockey as it is, wants you to pla?y it just like hockey.

Those are two examples, but this on-ice trainer permeates every second of ??gameplay until you don't want it to anymore. It's a good thing too. I imagine EA had grown tired of players wildly out of position trying to line up huge hits. That's not how hockey looks, and it's not how a digital representation of the game should look.

To its credit, the trainer doesn't stick to a low-level understanding of hockey. If it detects a seasoned player is at the helm, it'll start to adapt so as to offer more nuanced and advanced suggestions. Basically, everyone has something they can learn from this feature and it's incredibly unintrusive despite constantly being on the screen. It's the best part of NHL 16 bec?ause it actually enforces an understanding of doing what you're?? doing.

The rest? Well, it's what NHL 15 should've been. Maybe it's unfair to hearken back to a previous game as a reference point, but fuck it. We make the rules around here. The on-ice product in NHL 16&??nbsp;is again solid and it includes the modes that last ??year's game should have shipped with.

The actual hockey-playing in NHL 16 feels extremely similar to NHL 15. There are surely some physics and AI tweaks making ever-desired strides toward realism, but they feel mostly nominal. The game still plays well outside of the occasional rare physics bug. And this. Whatever the hell that was.

With regard to the modes, they were mostl??y done right this time 'round. Be a Pro allows the simulation of shifts until it's your time to hit the ice again. (Curiously, the coach-assigned goals and ratings often seem off. Like, how do I have two? goals and an assist, but a "C" ranking on offense for the game?)

Likewise, the EA Sport?s Hockey League has been largely straightened out. Gone are the days of maxing out player skill through real-world currency. Now, everyone has to define their aptitude via a class of player that they pick. It's a smart design decision for the game's leading cooperative mo??de -- not to mention a surprisingly ungreedy one.

Be a GM rounds out the most interesting modes that NHL 16 ??has to show. In it, you eschew the skates for a suit and tie. You're in control of an NHL franchise, and it's up to you to trade, manage, and motivate players. Games are simul?ated via a coach's drawing board where major events become markers like a "G" for a goal scored.

The fascinating facet of Be a GM lies within the morale system. It's a bit paper-thin, but NHL 16 asks you to make unique speech decisions for different players. Over tim?e, you learn what motivates your guys. Your star's ego might be too fragile for you to just outright yell at him; you may have to baby him instead.

NHL 16 isn't perfect, but it's a substantial improvement over what released last year. Mind you, that's not some sheer brilliance; it's just because of general competence. The NHL franchise seems back on track, and it has even introduced the wonderful on-ice trainer. But, that trainer aside, it's tough to shake the feeling that NHL has just caught up instead of innovating. EA Sports spent?? this iteration making up ground. It was a necessary move, but not one that instills confidence that the developer has grown comfortable with the generational shift in consoles.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: NHL 16 appeared first on Destructoid.

Not worth winning if you can't win big

It's not exactly a leap of faith, but NHL 16?? has used its magical season simulating video game powers to predict that the Anaheim Ducks will win the 2016 Stanley Cup. By most accounts, Anaheim enters the season as the Western Conference favorite, so you could maybe say that picking them is the predictable prediction.

If Anaheim's going to win, it needs to happen soon. The Ducks have committed a staggering amount of the team's salary cap to players whose star status will fade before their contracts do (Perry, Getzlaf, Kesler). Anaheim fans better hope the cup comes back to Orange County in th?e next three years; if it doesn't, it'll probably be a little bit before they have a contending team again. In a way, you have to respect that "win now" attitude.

Gut punch as it may be, NHL 16 thinks the Montreal Canadiens will be the club that falls in the finals to the Ducks. Canada has impatiently waited for a winner since the Canadiens hung a banner from the rafters in '93. That team was anchored by Saint Patrick who eventually got sick of Canada and went on to play for The Greatest Team In The History Of The NHL. He's now a coach there where he does crazy things like try to murder the entire Anaheim Ducks bench.

As far as video games go, we haven't yet gotten to test out NHL 16. It showed up in my mailbox literall?y as I was leaving for Tokyo Game Show. Since then, I've been ill, catching up o?n other work, and generally not up to the task. Fear not, a review is coming soon, just as the NHL regular season is.

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No new cover announced

Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane has legal troubles, as he's the subject of a recent rape allegation. The incident allegedly took place at Kane's lakefront home in H??amburg, New York last week, thoug?h he has not yet been charged with a crime.

Kane was set to appear on the cover of NHL 16, but in light of this situation, EA has made the decision to skate away from those plans. In a tweet, EA Sports stated that Kane will no longer grace the cover of NHL 16, nor will he be? involve?d in promotional activities for the game.

NHL 16 was going to be the first time that two players were featured as cover athletes. The original box art was to feature Kane and teammate Jonathan Toews hoisting the Stanley Cup together. EA Spo??rts has not yet announced who will appear on the new cover art.

This isn't the first time EA Sports has had to change course with regard to NHL box art. In 2004, Joe Thornton was scheduled to be the cover star, but was erased because of his own assault charges. Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley took over; shortly after the game shipped, Heatley was involved in a car crash that killed teammate Dan Snyder. EA Sports a?gain switched cover stars to feature Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic, but an initial shipment of Heatley boxes had already made their way to stores.

@EASPORTSNHL [Twitter via Polygon]

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Home of the Roypper

Goaltenders have exactly one job: tend to the goal. Don't let the puck hit the twine. Accomplish that through whatever means necessary. Force them t??o the glove side where you make web gems like Willie Mays. Flash the five-hole, then immediately take it away.

That's what this NHL 16 trailer's all about. It's about getti?ng a skate up against the post. It's about gliding through the crease. It's a?bout bringing in an NHL up-and-comer to do motion capture work.

Regrettably, none of the goalies in this trailer do any of the best things Patrick Roy did during his career. No goalie bashes Chris Osgood's face. No goalie handles the puck through center ice and takes a penalty for it. No goalie shoves Stanley Cup championship rings in his ears to drown ??out the chirping of intolerable loudmouth Jere?my Roenick.

I guess I'm trying to say that Patrick R??oy was the best.

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But it's still early in the week

Tha GAWD outchea flourishing. They got my pretty mug on the big screen at #EAE3 doe!!! pic.twitter.com/ZunBINvt9e

— Hoop Gawd (@ThaHoopGawd) June 15, 2015

This is an actual tweet from an actor hired to be "Tha Hoop Gawd" by EA to pretend to be a celebrity during its conference. This was approved by someone at EA. Tha Hoop Gawd came on the stage to demo the GameFace app for NBA Live 16 that pastes your face onto the body of a basketball player. "Damn! That look just like me!" he exclaimed. I guess this is what EA thinks its core demographic for NBA Live is, so it made a character to?? represent them. Only it comes off awkwardly.

It would be different if this were a real person and not an actor instructed to behave this way,?? but that doesn't seem to be ??the case.

As Tha Hoop Gawd exited t?he stage, he ga??ve presenter Sean O'Brien an awkward shoulder bump, as O'Brien remarked that he looked "pretty hot!"

Also added to NBA Live 16 is the option to let go of the ball when you want as you shoot it. Sean O'Brien talked about this proudly as a hot new feature; clearly he forgot that this has been in many basketball games, including my favorite Double Dribble for t??he NES that came out in 1986. A bit late, aren't we EA?

On the other end of the spectrum is a new golf game, Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, that lets you play the ball no matter where it lands -- also a feature on NES Golf, though there wa??s an out-of-bou??nds area in that game.

The upcoming NHL '16 features The Green Men, who are fans known to get seats by the visiti??ng teams penalty box and taunt them in creative ways while wearing skintight green suits. So at least something positive came out of this. 

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EA Sports round-up!

Another year, another collection of ?EA Sports titles. EA's in a fortuitous position in that it has the video game rights to three of the five most popular athletics wrapped up. Demand for these games seemingly never wanes because as the respective seasons are set to begin, fans want to take to the pitch/field/ice themselves in pursuit of virtual glory before their teams attempt the real thing.

As if it weren't a forgone conclusion, we're getting yearly iterations in the Madden, FIFA, and NHL series yet again. In each case, EA's developers?? are placing emphasis on one particular area of improvement to bring their game ever closer to pure simulation. It's a tried-and-true strategy, as the publisher's implemented it annually. Sure enough, almost every release has been marginally better than the past one. That looks as if it'll hold true again this time 'round.

Without a doubt, Madden is the EA Sports franchise that's been given the most attention o?ver the years. It'd have been easy for the publisher to ask for some more subtle changes like even slicker presentation. To EA's credit, it's working out a new take on a gameplay staple -- a risky venture in an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" culture of gaming.

EA Sports has coined the term "Air Supremacy" for its Madden focus, and it begins at the position everyone starts with: Quarterback. There's greater control over the passing game now when helming a football team. Touch passe?s have been implemented to offer some variation in between lobs and bullets. The developers have altered how passers move on the run by using different animations for rolling out (yet looking for a receiver), and a full-on scramble.

Maybe the biggest change to the quarterback position comes in the form of body positional passes. As an example, the presenter brought up the Seahawks' last offensive play in the Super Bowl this year. Russell Wilson threw a mid-body pass, and it was picked off. If he had thrown a low one (as he should have), the worst case scenario would've likely been an incompletion. With this installment of Madden, the player will ha?ve that sort of pinpoi??nt control over every pass.

However, passing is a two-way street, and no quarterback will put up Hall of Fame numbers without an apt receiving corps. Madden 16 also focuses on wideouts, as they can implement different styles to make catches. Maybe an ill-thrown pass calls for them to go up and challenge a defender for a ball. They likely won't gain many yards after the reception, but they might actually catch it (and more importantly, the chances of an interception go way down.) Or, maybe the situation is optimal for them to rack up some yards after catch. Do that, and pick up a first down. Those are just a few of the circumstances where Madden 16&nbs?p;lets you cho?ose how to catch the ball after it lets you choose how to throw it.

Lastly, ever eager to capitalize on the growing fantasy football trend, Madden 16 has a new fantasy mode. Draft Champions is a 15-round fantasy draft that allows you to build a team from all NFL players and play a full season. The publisher described this as the type of mode you might play if you had a couple hours to kill before you went to bed. The seasons are designed to go quickly, allowing you to draft an entirely new team relatively q??uickly after finishing one campaign.

While Madden's focuses are easy to identify, FIFA 16's are a little more nebulous (apart from the women's national teams that were added.) They're centered a??round the player as the playmaker, but mos??tly in how all the surrounding pieces move.

In a nutshell, EA Sports is upping the competency of FIFA's AI. It's improving positional defensive sense and how they defend as a unit. The goal (GOLAZO!!!) here is players have to be more strategic with their attack. Passing better be done with a purpose, or the opposition will just take the ball from you at midfield. But, working down the pitch and clinically finishing should feel like an actual accomplishment, one that sends you running and shouting toward a section of fevered supporter?s.

This is the most difficult enhancement in the three games to recognize at a preview event. These are changes that define the very core of the sport. For instance, with Madden it's easy to play and realize "oh yeah, the quarterback is doing those things they said he would." It's not as simple with FIFA this year. If it's as improved as EA says, hardcore fans might recognize it, but more casual players might just think "Yeah, th?is is a good soccer game."

As subtle as FIFA's intentions are, NHL's are far more brazen. It's eschewing the likes of physics and presentation for something else this year. Basically, EA's looking to add in a lot of the stuff that was inexplicably absent in NHL 15. Those who are dedicated to the series should be content, as long as they weren't too put o??ff by last yea??r's game.

The most notable (re)addition to NHL 16 is EA Sports Hockey League -- an online competitive team mode that was quite popular. It was cut from NHL 15 due to "quality control," but it's back?? ?this year.

Actually, EA's inclusion of several modes and features is a testament to the fact that it's listening to the fans (or to how awry the last game went). Also present are offline, single player Hockey Ultimate Team; simulat?ing to the next shift in Be a Pro, along with playing a career beginning in the minors; and the ability to manage individual players in Be a GM.

As it's moving beyond the growing pains of developing for new consoles, EA Sports is making strides with its hockey franchise. It sounds like NHL 16 will end up being the game NHL 15 should've been.? It's just a shame i?t took an extra year.

So, that's where EA Sports' intentions lie for Madden 16, FIFA 16, and NHL 16. They're all different in the varying degrees of change that needed to be made. Some, like NHL are more apparent, while Madden just moves a bit closer to that sim experience. But,?? the??y all look to be on track to be an improvement thanks to their one big focus.

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I'm tempted

It's much easier to stomach Electronic Arts when you're only paying a fraction of the original price, as is the case with these Xbox One deals via Live. Come on, latecomers. This one's fo?r you:

• Battlefield 4 - $13.20
• Battlefield 4 Premium Edition - $24
• Dragon Age: Inquisition - $35.99
• Dragon Age: Inquisition Deluxe Edition - $41.99
• Just Dance 2015 - $30
• Need for Speed Rivals: Complete Edition - $15
• NHL 15 - $24
• Peggle 2 Magical Masters Edition - $4.95
• Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare - $10
• Titanfall - $10
• Titanfall Deluxe Edition - $12.50
• Titanfall Season Pass - $6.25

I think I paid $10 for Titanfall or thereabouts, which was low enough that I couldn't? be too upset about its dwindling player base. Fun game when you can play a full, well-balanced match.

Same goes for Garden Warfare, my eighth favorite release of last year. And Dragon Age. Oh, Dragon Age. Dare I sacrifice my coveted Xbox One hard drive?? space for you? Nah. PC version it is.

[Via NeoGAF]

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L.A. Kings again?

EA Sports used NHL 15 to simulate and predict the upcoming NHL season which begins next week. The results are most likely terribly wrong because nowhere does it an??ticipate that the Colorado Avalanche will be crowned Stanley Cup champions.

Instead, NHL 15 (in all its flawed logic) ventures that the Los Angeles Kings will repeat last year's success and take home hockey's most coveted prize for a second straight season. It's an especially bold prediction considering that league parity and a grueling playoff schedule have kept the NHL from seeing a repeat champion since the ??Red Wings did it in '97-'98.

The video makes other forecasts, such as Sidney Crosby being named MVP, but y??ou can probably disregard all of that and just believe me when I tell you that the Colorado Avalanche will emerge on top this season.

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On-ice first star, off-ice distraction

With regard to sports games, the most important facet of any given title should always be the actual playing of the sport. That's how NHL 15 is. It mostly shines when you're on-ice, leading the charge through the neutral zone or lining up a bone-crushing hit on an unsuspecting forward. Damn EA for making me want to say this, but with NHL 15, when you're in the game, you're in the game.

But, if that's all that really matters, why's it impossible to overcome the feeling that its off-ice issues drag NHL 15 down l??ike a player that just got viciously hooked from behind?

NHL 15 (Xbox One [reviewed], PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Release: September 9, 2014
MSRP: $59.99

The direction of EA Canada's focus on developing a hockey title for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 is clear -- prioritize the actual game of hockey. Through a thorough revamping of the physics system, the action's more c??onvincing than ever. With the puck acting as a puck and not a spherical ball, small quirky plays happen with regularity, such as a pass hopping over a forward's stick.

Likewise, the new physics make their impact on the 12 players on the ice. Crashing the net has never been so fun, as the huge pileups can lead to plenty of sloppy scoring chances. It's also a joy to watch the goaltenders make save after save in differing fashion as they re?act to the chaotic nature of both the players and the puck. It's tough to estimate exactly how nuanced and deep this physics rehaul goes -- like if the boards at Joe Louis Arena are livelier than other rinks -- but it's enough to make a noticeable and constant impression.

For all the work that's gone into physics, it'd be a moot point if NHL 15's AI didn't act like hockey players would. Fortunately, they do. Defensemen will almost always stay at home, maki??ng it incredibly difficult to go coast-to-coast alone. Forwards will immediately jump on the backcheck after a turnover, getting the headstart on regaining control. Everyone usually just feels like they're in the spot they should be.

This AI competency means that there really isn't ??anything in the way of a consistent scoring glitch or strategy that I could find. Maybe wristers halfway into the attacking zone went in mo??re often than they necessarily should, but there's no wraparound trick or one-timer combo that will almost always work.

Despite its mostly spot-on gameplay, NHL 15 isn't without its occasional moments that remind you this is just a videogame. In Be a GM mode, I lost Gabriel Landeskog for an extended period of time, but not before he skated up-ice flawlessly and scored a goal immediately after the commentator declared that "he looks shaken up." Likewise, I once surrendered a penalty shot for an infraction along the wing, despite having another d?efenseman directly in front of the net. Moments like these are staunch reminders that even though the gameplay is good, it's still far from perfect.

Really, the one thing that may go the furthest toward tying together NHL 15's illusion of "this is real hockey"?? is the presentation. Featuring a commentary team of NBC Sports' Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Ray Ferraro, fans would be hard-pressed to ask for a better line-up calling the game (except for you, everyone in Canada). The beginning of each match-up starts with a "live broadcast" that genuinely makes each game seem more important than it really is.

What's most impressive a??bout the presentation is how in-depth and dynamic it is. The team will talk about different angles to the game, profile certain characters, or discuss who's on a recent hot streak. Even though you think you know what they're about to say, the commentary's almost always a surprise, as there's a bevy of lines for many situations. Adding to that effect is the mid-game contribution from Ray Ferraro, who's at ice level, and will periodically analyze a player's game, whether it's showcasing his big hits or chronicling his tremendous saves.

Of course, this excellence in production translates to the visuals, as one would expect from a game on current consoles. Everything that's happening is sharper and more detailed. The player models l?ook fantastic, and give plenty of reason to watch post-goal celebrations. When you watch the ice shavings as the goalie carves up the crease after an intermission, well, you get sort of nostalgic for that trademark hockey rink smell.

But, for everything it does right on the ice, NHL 15 missteps horribly off-ice. This year's iteration is simply stunningly lacking in game modes and options, especially compared to NHL 14. Fans of the franchise will likely be affecte??d in some way, as the list of things nixed is too great to ignore. Just as a sample, gone are E??A Sports Hockey League, GM Connected, Winter Classic, Be a Legend, and regular old season mode. Those are just some of the greater examples.

Even for the modes that remain, many are scaled back in inexplicable ways. For instance, in Be ??a Pro, it's no longer an option to simulate to the next shift. You're just forced watch mindlessly from the bench. Unfortunate enough to take a penalty? Then you might as well just go make a sandwich or take a restroom break.

Be a GM is similarly stripped. For a mode that thrives on control, NHL 15 gives you next to none. The AHL affiliate teams have been done away with, and players in the minors don't accumulate any season stats -- they just sort o?f exist without any progress that you can control. There are no longer any go?als to aim other than winning (I guess). Probably most egregious, the year-end draft is completely run by the CPU, and the preseason and fantasy drafts are gone.

Predictably, the Hockey Ultimate Team mode is plenty intact. After all, EA looks at it as a central piece to making $1 billion from extra content this year. However, the only way to earn pucks now seems to be from playing online -- no longer picking up a few from time spent i??n singleplayer modes. O?r, (as EA would surely like) just open up that wallet of yours.

For what it's worth, EA's patching some of these missing features back into NHL 15. Already added are a playoff mod??e, coach feedback in Be a Pro, and the three stars of the game (how the latter was ever overlooked, I'll never know). Coming soon are online team play and the aforementioned ability to control the draft in Be a GM. That's the extent of the plans that EA has outlined thus far.

It's all such a shame because at its heart NHL 15 is a very solid hockey game. It just doesn't do ?any of the non-hockey stuff right. Honestly, newcomers to the franchise might not even notice. But, series veterans would feel incredibly cheated. If nothing else, this is a great foundation for EA Canada to build on as it gets more comfortable developing for Xbox One and PS4.

There are undoubtedly great things in the pipeline for the NHL franchise, but NHL 15 isn't a part of those plans.

The post Review: NHL 15 appeared first on Destructoid.

Play it if you want. Or don't. I'm not a cop.

You can play as? either the New York Rangers or LA Kings, test out that new skill stick they're flaunting, or go into a free skate practice mode if you're new. 

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See how the system's changed

Slapshots from the point, cheeky tip-ins, and wristers through traffic are all perfectly fine, but when you play an NHL&nb??sp;game, you want to embarrass your opp??onent. You want them going to get their jock out of the rafters while you plug your ears with your Stanley Cup rings.

NHL 15 claims to be able to give you that ability. With the Superstar Skill Stick, the right-stick system has evolved in a way to make it look like you have the puck on a string. Do whatever you want to get around defenders, just re??member that none of it co??unts unless you rip twine.

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All thanks to the laws of physics

About a month ago, I explained how EA Sports' big focus for NHL 15 was physics. In the event that you didn't believe me (or hate reading), this video adequately sums up the studio's intentions. Watch it to le?arn how pucks bounce or to see Matt Duchene crash the net like a total badass.

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Beating out Canadiens' P.K. Subban

[Update: EA Sports has sent along the cover art, which can ????be seen below.]

At tonight's 2014 NHL Awards in Las Vegas, the winner of the NHL 15 cover was revealed. The athletes went through a fan voting process, beginning with eight, and being whi??tt??led down until only Montreal Canadiens' defenseman P.K. Subban and Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron were left.

After bringing both of the players out, the game's new commentators revealed that Bergeron had edged Subban in as the fan favorite. Official?? box art isn't available yet, but it probably won't take EA Sports too long to get on the ball...err, puck.

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EA Sports round-up!

EA Sports is in a good position with its athletic franchises. The demand for annual iterations in each series is high enough to warrant frequent releases, but sports don't really change. This allows the developers to focus on nothing but improvements and making the games as realistic as possible -- something t??hat any fan of sports games desperately wants.

And, realism is exactly what EA Sports strives for. With regard to its Madden, FIFA, and NHL brands, each is seeing changes this year that bring i?t ever closer to pure simulation. After all, if it's in the game, it's in the game.

Madden may have been the franchise that's received the most love and care from EA for more than a decade, so it might be the one that's seeing the most nuanced changes. A lot of the upgrades to Madden 15 deal with presentation. There's no question about it: EA Sports wants you to feel?? like you're watching a football game when you're playing a football game.

As soon as a game starts, that level of immersion begins to take effect. As we were shown a match-up featuring the recent NFL champion Seattle Seahawks in their home venue, we couldn't help but be impressed by the attention to detail. Wide-angle shots of the stadium, close-ups of the coach, the camera shaking from the intensity of the crowd -- it all positively smacke??d of watching a playoff game on television.

That degree of presentation depth extends throughout the entire experience. New to Madden 15 is a full-fledged halftime show, explicit?ly tailored to the game at hand. Apart from detailed discussion about trends and certain plays in the first half, there's also on-field entertainment, statistics, box scores -- again, all the stuff that you could expect from a Sunday ??afternoon broadcast.

There's also a bit of refinement taking place with regard to gameplay. One of EA's biggest priorities was to get away from using the skill stick to wiggle through plays, but instead concentrate on authentic strategy. Working toward being as close to a true simulation as possible, Madden 15 puts more emphasis on wise play-calling th??an unrealistic juking.

However, Madden 15 will offer a bit of hand-holding to help acclimate those that haphazardly select plays like they're pointing out names in a phonebook. An updated approach to the play-calling screen shows players a strategic pick, a community pick, and a personalized pick. The strategic pick outlines what the opponent is likely to do, and hopefully reinforces your actions by teaching you about the game. The community and personalized selections don't sound as if they'll be as strategically refined, but, just like Madden, sometimes the popular choice is??? popular for a reason.

If the improvements to Madden 15 hold a central theme of presentation, the one relating to FIFA 15 is undoubtedly emotion. Soccer is a game that brings out the passion and emotion in players and fans alike, after all. That's going to be nowhere more evident than in FIFA 15.

EA set the framework for this feature last year; ??this year it's fleshing it out. Emotion and intensity of all 22 players on the pitch will be tracked at all times and consta??ntly changing. The victim of a hard tackle might become angry at the opposition, and his teammates might too. A player that skies a ball in the box might be disappointed with himself, and react as such. Something as ridiculous as a keeper letting in an own goal might destroy team morale, at least temporarily. Of course, the emotion all translates to the players' other statistics, effectively acting as a boost or hindrance of sorts.

Even though the emotion system will affect matches of FIFA 15 at its deepest level, it will have plenty of opportunities to become the star of the show. The greatest example of this may be after important goals are scored, as celebrat??ions are now more grand than ever. Ten player dogpiles and elated sliding and hugging are sure to add an appropriate exclamation point to important moments and monumental wins.

The emotion doesn't just stay on the pitch, however. It bleeds into the stadium. Rowdy crowds that hang onto every corner kick and through ball know how to act for any circumstance that might arise. Fu??rther, supporters are represented by the specificity that they're known for, and well, i??t's tough not to get goosebumps watching all of Anfield sing "You'll Never Walk Alone."

EA's third major sports title for the year, NHL 15, focuses its intentions toward something much more integral than presentation or emotion. NHL 15 aims to? revamp its? physics, an aspect that affects the core of the hockey experience.

Now that development of these titles has moved to its fourth generation, EA Sports stresses that consoles are equipped to do things that were never before possible. One such thing, and maybe the most notable improvement to NHL 15, is that the puck acts more li??ke a p??uck and less like a ball.

It may seem silly at first, but it's a sizable upgrade. Pucks are nothing like ??spheres, and being able to recreate their true movement adds that layer of realism that EA Sports ye?arns for. Expect more awkward bounces off of the endboards, funny hops over sticks, and deflections past goaltenders that weren't possible before. All because the puck acts like a puck now.

Obviously, the puck is f??ar from the only thing on the ice. There are also 12 athletes, 10 of which are skating about at breakneck speed. The physics improvements extend to them as well. The collision and hit detection for them has been overhauled in an effort to make every bodycheck unique to the forces being applied. In theory, because of the great number of influencing factors, each check will be like a snowflake -- no two the exact same.

That's where EA Sports' intentions lie for Madden 15, FIFA 15, and NHL 15. The focal points may appear to smack of more subtlety with each passing year, and may??be it's because that's exactly the case. That's a luxury that EA Sports has on its side as it inches ever-closer to realism.

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Guess where my allegiances lie

EA Sports has released the first screenshot for NHL 15, and it features San Jose captain Joe Thornton rocking an unimpressive beard, because they're the Sharks and their long list of playoff flameouts disappoint in both the championship rings and beard departm??ents.

Now, this screen could be helped immeasurably if it were of, oh I don't know, electric Avalanche rookie Nathan MacKinnon. Of course, his presence would beg for a more action-oriented still, rather than just meanly staring at the faceoff circle. But, EA's been working on the NHL serie??s for a while now; I i?magine it could be pulled off.

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They even took out the ads!

Hockey and non-hockey fans alike might remember the iconic NHL '94, the first NHL game to feature actual NHL rosters, teams, and logos. It also removed fighting and blood per league concerns. True to its era, NHL '94 offered a simpler form of sp?orts gameplay, more arcade-styled and accessible, fun for either hockey fans who weren't?? big into games or game fans who weren't big into hockey.

For NHL 14 and the 20th anniversary of the series, NHL '94 is making a triump??hant return as its own optional game mode, featuring all the iconic trappings of the game. The ice is blue, the player indicators are s??tars, and the music reverts to 16-bit organ tunes. They even removed the advertisements from the boards. In an EA game.

Gameplay-wise, of course, it's back to a simplistic button layout, while penalties are non-existent. NHL 14 physics minus the penalties can only mean a good time decking your friends. EA has been bringing its old sports properties back of late, with the wonderful NBA Jam: On Fire Edition and the slightly awkward NFL Blitz remake. Cool to see the NHL series get some love, and as an included game mode, no less. Does it feel too weird ?in 3D?

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Fight tech implemented from Fight Night

One of the weird things about NHL 13 was its newly implemented first-person fighting system. Well, that system is getting removed because it takes the player too much out of the game. In its stead, some of the tech from EA's Fight Night has been adapted in an all new combat system. Because hockey is all about??? fighting, I think? It's cool, though.

Better than that, the game adapted some of FIFA's collision physics. Coupled with last year's True Performance Sk??ating, which feels great, this is the best feeling hockey game yet. Size and weight matter, as well as momentum. Glancing blows and hard hits abound with the new collision system. I'm pretty sure rocking people with big hits is the second thing hockey is about.

There is puck stuff in there somewhere, too.

Last year's game made skat??ing feel great and grounded. Making plays, defensively or offensively, feels largely about positioning and finesse, almost like a ballroom dance. As hardcore as hockey is, they're ice skating -- and doing so incredibly well -- so making skating such a focus and making it feel great is fantastic.

Adding the collision physics to this previously implemented system means the latter doesn't fall flat when players collide, ruining the effect. Backwards skating feels a bit smoother, too, as well as defensive pivots and defende??r AI.

L1 now lets you do a one button deke in the direction you're skate, while L2 does a spin in the direction you're skating. With proper timing, you can avoid the?? big, physics hits and hopefully break away for a goal.

The fights now feature real time damage that you can see on players face. More importantly, they're ??in third person and don't break your immersion when fights begin. Good hits feel absolutely devastating without feeling overblown, which is impressive. Additionally, you can grab, evade, and blend crosses and uppercuts. Not only did I win the game 2-1, but I won fights 3-0. 

Otherwise, the game plays as fabulously as it always does. The game I played was 0-0 well towards the end as both of us played sloppily and took penalties while in conversation. After I snipe??d a last minute goal, though, things went tense and we both went silent and soon the game was an intense 1-1 that I ended with a 30 seconds left spin move and sneaky goal. As tense and fun as ever.

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Mmm delicious rainbow vomit

There's one deal on PlayStation Plus this week that just seems too good to pass up. Starting tomorrow, Critter Crunch will be available for only $1.40. At that price there's almost no excuse not ??to be regurgitating colorful nutrients into the mouths of your kin by this time Wednesday.  

Subscribers can also save on spooky platformer Closure (free), NHL 13 ($38.39), a top down shooter by the name of Alien Breed that features cross-buy functionality ($7.99), and aquatic papercraft platformer Derrick the Deathfin ($4.00).

PlayStation Plus?? Updat??e: Closure Joins the Instant Game Collection [PlayStation Blog]

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It would be facile to say NHL 12 just skated by, sticking to the winning formula established in franchise’s resurgence. Still, as is occasionally the case with ??sports games that don’t need radical fixing, last year’s iteration was one of tweaks and balancing: welcomed AI fixes, improvements made to the previously implemented physics system, and so on.

NHL 13, on the other hand, feels like a more substantial improvement over its predecessor, due in large part to the physics system extending into the actual skating, further grounding the game in strong hockey simulation that, simultaneously, is accessible enough to pick up and play. And, given the consistently great scores this series has received over the years, I think you know where this review is going: NHL 13 is pretty great.

NHL 12 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 [reviewed])
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Released: September 11, 2012
MSRP: $59.99

Players no longer feel like gliding ghosts out on the ice. Ice chips spray up on sharp cuts and momentum is preserved. An object in motion tends to stay in motion, after all. When you take a sharp break up (or down) ice, you can feel each stride length digging into the ice. I actually played a game of Madden 13 right after some NHL 13 and felt I had less a solid foot beneath me in Madden, weirdly? enough. You’re more grounded on ice.

The extended physics, True Performance Skating, and EA Sports Hockey IQ all work in concert to produce the most nuanced hockey title to date. With the Hockey IQ, the new governing AI, players are aware of every other player on the ice, rather than just those in their immediate vicinity. Goalies are aware of more than just the player controlling the puck at any given moment, while new animations afford them independently controlled limbs that can make for exciting desperation saves and less mechanized, exploitable goal keeping. What all this means, in short, is that play feels true to life, more akin to the fluid, organic art that is professional sportsmanship than a mechanized recreation. Save for some occasionally wonky collision detection on hits, t??he game is, in some way, indistinguishable from the real-life product you’d watch on television.

This faithful representation does something most sports games don’t: it starts teaching you about the nuances o??f hockey and does so implicitly. It challenges you, but doesn’t necessarily assume you know what the heck is going on in the sport (and I know plenty of ardent sports fans who actually know very little about the sports they root for so strongly). It does well what great games do, but what sports games often eschew or ignore, basically. It teaches you?? how to get better through play -- and you often don't even realize it until after the fact.

If you opt to take the brief, explicit intro tutorial, the first thing you do is shoot and the second thing you do is shoot aimed shots. The third thing it teaches you is how to engage in and win a fist fight. Hockey, folks. If you’re curious, triangle (or Y) still engages and it’s still in first person, though it appears to have slowed down and become a bit more measured since NHL 12. Left and right on the left stick to dodge punches, L2 to use your free hand to block, down to tug on opposing pl??ayer’s jersey – a quick right stick delivers an uppercut. The pun?ching parallels shooting. Flick the stick up (straight, or towards left or right, depending on where the opposing player’s head is) for a jab; pull the stick down and up for a full-fledged punch.

I know I’m in the minority in thinking the fighting in hockey is stupid. “Part of the culture” and all that nonsense. Fighting in the series is rather hilarious, though, emphasizing the inanity of it, like playing a less self-aware NFL Blitz. Of course, it also has the practical use of giving you an energy boost if you win. To it??s credit, the game also does a good job of subtly nudging you in the direction of proper play without successive tutorials, which is great because there’s way too much content to relegate to tutorials.

The game is as robust as ever, filled with enough different modes to keep you content for far longer than the?? year’s wait until the next release, though modes like NHL Moments are only good for short bursts. New kid on the block is the huge GM Connected, which can accommodate up to 750 individual players in a single league if you have the bureaucratic wherewithal to organize such a logistical nightmare. Having human-run teams, despite ??the difficulty in organization, is better than dealing with the offline, improved-but-still-flawed managing AI, from whom you can still bait bad moves (or just let it make the bad moves on its own and capitalize).

I still prefer couch co-op, which NHL 13 continues to do with aplomb. Still, the ambition of GM Connected is duly noted and the heavily invested fanbase will undoubtedly enjoy the opportunity to play, manage, or coach en masse. Hopefully the its next iteration will be a bit more streamlined and optimized, however, as the menu navigation is bo??th a bit labyrinthine and irritatingly slow -- be prepared for a lot of waiting during navigation.

As the third period of a one-to-one stalemate began, after winning a face??off I made a mad dash for the opposite net. At the last moment, as I skated towards the goalie from the left at breakneck speed, I gingerly slid a pass across the ice to the AI teammate trailing behind me on the other side. I automatically a?ssumed control and flicked the puck into the upper right corner of the net -- just beyond the goalie’s outstretched arms -- that bounced off the steel and in for a goal. Inadvertently, in real life, I fiercely pumped my fist and growled an emphatic “Yes!” Growled, not yelled, because it was well past midnight and I was still playing.

NHL 13, at its most basic level, is just fun to play when you get right down to it, even for someone who might only watch hockey during the playoffs and Olympics, or not at all. With another work stoppage induced in the oft-locked out league, NHL 13 is also one of the few outlets for hockey fans this would-be season, save for getting out on the ice yourself and getting your teeth ?knocked out. Yo??u could do much worse for a substitute.

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