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NHL 16 Review

NHL 16 Review

NHL 16 Wins in Overtime

The wait is finally over! The anticipation of the newest installment of the NHL series has been slowly building since EA Canada announced big changes coming to the franchise. This year saw EA Canada do something they’ve never done before. The developer surveyed core gamers and directly infused their feedback into the game, which was definitely needed. Last year’s NHL 15 was straight up awful. The actual gameplay was revolutionary in terms of the way players moved and reacted to real-life hockey situations, but everything surrounding that was just plain terrible. Several fan favorite features were absent or appeared partially completed, offline shootouts were abandoned, EA Sports Hockey League disappeared with no substitute in sight, and Be a Pro and GM modes were severely peeled back. That left gamers with a bad taste in their mouths and sucked the excitement right out of a franchise that has achieved greatness since its inception in 1991.

Thankfully, NHL 16 makes up for all of those mistakes. EA Canada truly outdid themselves this year with a host of new features, exciting game modes, excellent visuals, and gameplay that’s actually enjoyable to play. Right out of the box, it finally looks and feels like you’re watching a real hockey game. Everything from skating strides, goalie reactions, and even the way the bench reacts puts players directly into the technical game of hockey. Defensemen finally mirror the puck carrier and react the way they would in real-life, goalie movements no longer feel like your dragging a bag of sand across the ice, lightening fast transitions from neutral zone turnovers are spot-on, and moving the puck across ice on passes or dumps feels like the real deal.

The overall presentation of the game is pretty excellent. Everyone’s favorite hockey announcers are back and have been given a more polished feel in Mike “Doc” Emrick and Eddie Olczyk. No longer will the duo spit out random mouth garbage that doesn’t coincide with what’s actually happening on the screen. Additionally, goal celebrations feature all five players celebrating together, along with the classic fist bump along the bench, while additional arena elements are triggered when the home teams pokes one home. Some of those include rowdy fans going ballistic, the guy everyone loves in the 300/400-level screaming uncontrollably, official team mascots interacting with the crowd, and authentic team-specific celebrations that are unique to that particular arena. Playoff beards are also on full display and will mirror that of the actual player. In other words, a scrappy guy like Andrew Shaw won’t be able to flush out an epic face blanket like Henrik Zetterberg.

On-ice gameplay has been tweaked for the better, with the biggest improvement coming in the goal department. NHL 16 does an awesome job of providing players with a wealth of options for tickling the twine. Slap shots and wrist shots have improved accuracy, to compliment a much better release point . Deflecting big shots from the point are a little easier to pull off, not to mention they’re much more effective when compared to last year’s version. Players will also have the opportunity to stuff home goals in the slot and take advantage of juicy rebounds that don’t get gobbled up by the goaltender. Minor tweaks have also been made to the cheesy hash-mark drag goals and the all-to-famous wraparound instant-goal that have plagued versions in the past.

Fighting is still pretty awesome in NHL 16, and you can antagonize just about anyone on the ice with a face full of glove or a cheap crosscheck to the back. The fighting simulation will remind you of the toughness and confidence these guys bring to the table in real life. Blast your opponent’s helmet off while delivering devastating blows or wrangle him to the ground if you’ve sparked a bout while controlling Sidney Crosby, who we all know can’t fight worth a beans. Celebrate while heading to the box or clutch your bloodied and bruised face as you glide your way to five minutes of shame.

NHL 16 Screenshot

The On-Ice Trainer is a wonderful visual aid to educate new comers to the franchise. Not only does this new system essentially teach you how to play NHL 16, but it actually helps you better understand the game of hockey as well. This revolutionary training system starts you off at the bottom rung with basic shooting mechanics and face-off procedures. You gradually work your way up to basic passing, saucer passes, wrist-shots, and picking your corners on the goaltender. Eventually, the trainer will graduate you to the real thing and continue to provide tips as you make your way through a full game. The mind-blowing thing about the On-Ice Trainer is that the game will tell you exactly how to beat your opponent and succeed. It flawlessly blends into the background and continues to provide feedback on why you should have made the pass to the slot, why you got stoned by the goalie or what worked when you went top cheese and made him look silly. After time, the game will realize the training tips are no longer need as they become conditioned into your mind and become second nature.

NHL 16 Screenshot

My suggestion would be to start with the On-Ice Trainer in anything but Be a Pro mode. Although very helpful within this specific mode, you may have a difficult time transitioning gameplay styles from controlling one player in Be a Pro to controlling five, six if you count the goalie with puck possession, in the other modes. If you have no use for any of the other modes that involve taking charge of all players, then by all means jump right into Be a Pro with the On-Ice Trainer. However, if you play a lot of GM mode or simple exhibition games, then avoid starting the trainer with Be a Pro.

Speaking of Be a Pro mode, players can build a skater from the ground up and take him all the way from the CHL minors up to the big time in the NHL. You will have the option to either enter the CHL as rookie or pick your favorite AHL team and hit the ground running. You can pick any one of the six positions and work your way up to complete for a spot on the NHL roster. Following your coaches advice will help propel you to the next level and make your character a stronger and more improved hockey player. Leveling your skater up requires constant in-game actions to move each category in a positive direction. In other words, taking more slap shots or running guys over will improve both your shooting and checking categories. Fortunately, leveling up your skater won’t feel like grinding, as the improvement in abilities will come organically and blend into the gameplay as you log more matches under your belt.

NHL 16 Screenshot

Shootout mode has finally made its way back to the day one launch, which is both totally awesome and a detriment to my sleep schedule. You can now take full advance of your On-Ice Trainer knowledge by absolutely roasting the goalie into oblivion. Not only is this classic mode excellent for making your buddies feel like children, but it’s also the perfect platform to refine your moves and deke skills. String together a number of combinations with the forehand and backhand or take a quick snap shot at the hash marks, the options are seemingly endless.

When all is said and done, NHL 16 came in way above my expectations. To see this classic title returned to its former glory is both relieving and wildly exciting. The gameplay improvements provide a lot of authentic excitement and the fantastic, complimentary game modes add lot of replay value. Scoring goals is finally fun again. (So is practicing dekes within the Shootout mode!) The On-Ice Trainer is mind blowing and something I never thought I’d see in a video game. To see EA Canada deliver on their promises leaves me optimistic about the future and filled with a child-like excitement I haven’t experienced in a long time. NHL 16 clearly out did its predecessor in just about every facet and gamers world-wide should be excited to scoop up this years version of the revitalized franchise.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 5.0 Graphics
Players finally look and move like they do in real-life. 4.5 Control
The controls are simple enough for new players of the franchise, but have complexity for seasoned gamers. 4.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Doc and Eddie O have been upgraded, but their commentary is still a bit robotic. Otherwise, the sounds of the game are about as authentic as they come. 5.0 Play Value
Lots of replay value is contained in this year’s version and gamers should feel that they gotten more bang for their buck. 4.5 Overall Rating – Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • New Ways to Compete as a Team – Hockey is a sport that comes to life in a competitive team-based gameplay experience.
  • A Way to Play For Every Hockey Fan – Whether you’re an armchair GM, want to live out your NHL pro fantasy, or build your ultimate dream team, NHL 16 will deliver a single-player game mode for every type of hockey fan.
  • Complete Control From Every Position – Whether you play as a forward, defenseman or goalie, NHL 16 delivers a balanced gameplay experience that makes every position on the ice meaningful to team success.
  • Unrivaled Game Day Authenticity – NHL 16 brings the game to life with Distinct Team Arena Atmospheres, the most realistic players yet complete with Playoff Beards, and a Story Driven Commentary package.

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