NHL 14
Producer: EA Sports
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3
Rating: E10+
Genre: Sports
Keep ’em on Ice
Written by Jesse Seilhan
The EA NHL series has its roots dug very deep within hockey fans. For two decades (minus a few years in the middle), the annual output from EA Canada kept plenty of buddies on the couch late into the night with the one-timers and fights. Along the way the company developed a genuinely interesting and exciting way to play with the Skill Stick, eventually tuning just about every aspect of the game until it culminated into NHL 14. The latest game really makes up for last year’s stop-gap product, fixing two of the more fulfilling aspects of the game: hitting and fighting. Instead of having to use two sticks to check an opponent, you just skate directly into them the way you would in real life. Dropping the gloves has turned into a more sweat-inducing task with better controls and a more entertaining camera angle, showing the rest of the players on the ice and allowing for post-scrap celebration. Capping off the improvements is a return of the classic gameplay of NHL 94, letting players go a little old-school while scoring in the five-hole.
The reunion isn’t quite as perfect as one would hope, as EA sticks to a few rehashed ideas when it comes to the presentation. The menus are slightly improved, combining a few modes into easier-to-navigate hubs but the design is the same as it has been all generation. The music is as standard and stagnant as always, combining the worst of modern cock-rock with a few goal songs from various teams. Worst of all is the commentary, reusing lines from prior games, incorrectly capturing the action, and mispronouncing player names at a distracting clip. Luckily, those are simply speed bumps on the way towards an intense battle on the ice, a great experience from nearly start to finish. The skating has been made even more realistic and the sense of speed and weight is better than ever, allowing speedy wingers to zip down the boards while lumbering defensemen attempt to lower the boom.
Ultimate Team has been tweaked in a few ways, offering rewards for playing other modes and rewarding those that come back everyday, even just to check in. The online mode really shines, giving some more control over what position you will play in-game and creating more incentive to joining the various club modes with other players. Dozens of hours of playtime never resulted in lag or hiccups, something I’ve not been able to say about most sports games. Playing as your favorite team is cool, but living the life of an NHL player is even more immersive, allowing gamers to answer to the media, sign endorsement deals, and manage their fate with their on-ice performances. Managing the role of a particular position player has never been better, even if some of the interviews can be a little goofy or repetitive.
After all of the facelifts, from the graphics to the hitting to the rosters and jerseys, NHL 14 comes out looking much better than NHL 13. More importantly, the lack of a next-gen version whets the appetite for what hockey will look like wrapped in the new EA Impact engine. Having to build it for both generations will keep it handcuffed for a year or two, but imagining the gritty sport realised in higher-definition and allowing for greater physics to flourish is exciting. This year’s game proves that the team is dedicated to the fanbase and is looking to always cater to the hardcore while still allowing newbies a way to get into the game. If you have an addiction to the coldest sport in the world, pick up this game and grab a buddy (or 30) and knock out some teeth or shoot out the lights.