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NHL 14
Platform: PlayStation 3
80

NHL 14 Review

Annual hockey title returns to solid form just as the generation prepares to wrap up

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Like clockwork, the NHL series from EA Sports has arrived in stores this week, just as the real NHL teams are kicking off their training camps. NHL 14 brings over 6 years of upgrades and iterations on the current game engine after jumping into the current console generation. As such, the game is overflowing with modes and features all accumulating over the years. It lacks any major revamps, instead opting to refine and improve on existing mechanics, a trend that has coincided with the even-numbered releases in the series for quite some time. With that said, it’s probably the best version of the game in recent years.

Following the typical progress of a sports franchise, NHL 14 includes almost all of the gameplay modes introduced during this generation. This meant that the navigation menu has been a growing mess over the years, but this year’s iteration finally compresses things into simpler, easier to navigate submenu system that’s both concise and logical to follow. There does seem to be an issue with speed though, as some menus take a moment to load and subsequently require additional 2-3 seconds before user input is detected. Not that the series was ever known for quick user GUI, but things seem to be moving downhill.

NHL 14

Regarding the gameplay modes: there are lots of them. Offline, the recent inductees Legends mode and NHL Moments Live are back, mostly unchanged, in addition to the usual myriad of jump-in options like Season, Battle for the Cup, and the rest. One brand new mode is NHL 94 Anniversary, where players can try to relive the past glory of the series by playing NHL 14 under a different set of rules and slightly altered presentation. However, classic arcade sounds and blue ice with faster gameplay speed doesn’t hide the fact you’re still playing a modern title with all of its animations and physics. It’s a nice nod like the Winter Classic, but doesn’t amount to much more than that. And to make things worse, has offline multiplayer only.

The Be a Pro mode, where players create their skater and follow through their careers, has been rebranded as Live the Life. Besides the name change, a new social simulation system has been added on top of the usual proceedings. The game attempts to focus on a player’s interactions off the ice, essentially resulting in an interview system, often seen in soccer management games. You’ll be asked questions on various subjects, everything from your thoughts on the team, their performance, your performance, to how you feel about certain events such as injuries or trades. You’ll also be sometimes asked by your teammates to hit the town, or even asked what to do in a certain situation. Each question presents four answers, attached to different likeability meters.

NHL 14

These likeability meters range from -100 to +100 and will have an impact on your game depending on the rating. The four meters are fan, teammate, management, and family likeability. You’re probably realizing at this point where things are heading. Answering the interview questions and making choices for off-ice events either improve or reduce one or more of these meters. The questions and situations are decently varied but do eventually begin to repeat themselves. Consequently, your likeability ratings affects certain aspects of your career.

Being liked by the team means you’ll be invited out more often and have a bigger chance of earning the Captaincy badge, whereas being disliked means less events and even being ignored when you call for passes in-game. Management likeability helps you stay in the league, or being disliked could land you on the trade block. If fans like you, endorsements will be easier to earn and cheers will ring out when you start your shift; boos can be heard should you have a low rating.

Finally, the Family likeability meter will have a direct effect on your on-ice attributes. The actual performance on the ice can also impact these ratings, so if you do well but act as a jerk during interviews, everyone may still put up with you. The whole system is engaging enough and works well to expand the overall experience of the newly renamed mode; players who want to be more immersed in their career will surely appreciate this addition. Others, more concerned with the other gameplay and player career aspects, may ignore this as a mere distraction and not the revamp that Be a Pro needed.

NHL 14

The other major offline mode, Be a GM, has received minor updates mostly focused on the back-end simulation. A new player progression system ranks your skaters based on their estimated talent, and how likely they are to reach it – something that existed in years prior but now with more detail. Multiple improvements to AI GM’s make for more realistic interactions, included an expanded trading screen where players are now easily identified based on your and the other team’s wants. For the lazy, the CPU can sign free agents and re-sign players for your team during the off-season.

Where NHL 14 really begins to stand out is with its’ on-ice performance. Fans who were disappointed with NHL 13’s major feature of True Performance Skating will find that it has been much improved this time around. In its second year, the skating engine feels more refined and polished, closely considering the attributes of players to dictate their maneuverability on the ice. It makes for a smoother, more enjoyable experience and adds better flow to the game. New control options allow players to hit with the left stick or to perform one-touch dekes with the use of a single button. These additions make the game more accessible for those who want to utilize them.

The game’s other major focus is toughness, which is underlined by a new collision system and fighting engine. The latter has been a bit of a running joke in the previous years, but is now a worthwhile event on the ice. There are various conditions under which players instigate fights, such as team rivalry, late hits or injuring a star player. With simple controls and added presentation elements, you can punch and wrestle your opponent to the ice to gain energy for your team. An only oversight is a lack of a power meter, thus both players can simply throw punches until one of them wins. Also, due to this being one of the game’s selling points, the fights happen a bit too often to be realistic, and players engage in confrontations after almost every stoppage of play.

Collision physics are similarly satisfying and bring back some of the huge hitting action that NHL 13 sorely lacked. Getting hit now involves all limbs and throws skaters into a physics-based animation, which can look great but also jarring and awkward at times. It’s another step in the right direction, but one that still needs refinement. Overall though, the game plays better than last year. Goalies are less super human, poke check works again, puck control is realistic and faceoffs are no longer spammable. It all makes for a fun, engaging experience. Perhaps it’s at this point that fans and EA Sports will realize that NHL is always destined to be a hybrid between sim and arcade style gameplay – as last year’s attempt to swing the series towards a simulation produced rather disappointing results.

NHL 14

In the online segment, EA Sports continues to push the money-making machine that is the Ultimate Team mode. NHL 14 sees the HUT influence appear across all of its modes, even offline, as all games you play earns you pucks which can be redeemed in HUT. It’s a nice move to maximize players’ ability to purchase new packs and remain competitive against those who use real money to quickly boost their teams. Alongside the usual tournaments, online play in HUT has been revamped into Online Seasons. Similar to that of FIFA, players now participate in seasons in hopes of winning enough games to advance to a higher division. It’s currently the most popular mode of competitive online play across EA Sports’ game roster, and one that works just as well here.

EASHL, likely the most popular competitive mode in the franchise, returns with similar improvements. Clubs can participate in Online Seasons and be promoted to higher divisions, with 10 available. Once again, it’s a system that works, and some players may enjoy it better than the classic EASHL divisions. There aren’t any severe connectivity problems or lag when playing online, though it’s slightly annoying to get dumped into the game’s main menu after finishing a match, instead of the sub-menu where you could select another multiplayer mode.

Another huge addition in NHL 13, that came up short in execution, was GM Connected. This massively multiplayer mode lets players create their own leagues and play with friends in many different ways. Sadly the mode was plagued by awful loading times, which you will be happy to know have been much improved. Numerous changes have been made to the main player roles and their powers (GMs, Commissioners, etc) which presents a more polished and well-designed experience than last year. With previous technical issues mostly addressed, it’s well worth it to try your hand at this deep online mode.

NHL 14

Where the series continues to tread water is presentation. The usual soundtrack of rock and alternative tunes, from Rise Against and Bullet For My Valentine to Dropkick Murphys, lacks inspiration and becomes repetitive way too quickly, given its short 14 track roster and artists that appeared on the franchise soundtrack previously. Commentary remains untouched, and in parts grossly outdated, with only new lines relating to the new fighting system. Visuals are similarly unchanged, with no new character creation items or other notables. The only improvements are a few new camera angles during breaks in play, and a basic damage model to showcase the bruises on players after a fight. The post and pre-game visuals, styles, and animations, including winning the Stanley Cup, are identical to last year. A few visual glitches exist during loading and pause screens.

As the end of a console generation wraps up, the NHL franchise seems ready to move on. With an absolute overabundance of modes, it is fittingly the most feature-reach offering this gen and thus probably provides the most value for your money. Given that the gameplay itself is also improved over NHL 13, there are many positives to consider. Sadly, new 94 Anniversary Mode and Live the Life fall a bit flat, and the ever-aging presentation leaves much to be desired. Technical improvements in online play should provide for better multiplayer experiences this year, however. Overall, it’s a stronger entry than NHL 13 and one that does well to wrap up the franchise before the inevitable jump to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 next year.

Our ratings for NHL 14 on PlayStation 3 out of 100 (Ratings FAQ)
Presentation
78
Visuals and audio continue to struggle, and whatever new presentations items have been added are crushed by the weight of very old content
Gameplay
80
New fighting engine works well, although fights happen too often now. Collision physics are satisfying again, though can look awkard at times. Most importantly, the game is fun play again thanks to control tweaks and other gameplay adjustments.
Single Player
81
NHL 94 Anniversary doesn't add much to the experience, but otherwise this is the most mode-filled edition yet.
Multiplayer
82
Introduction of Seasons brings NHL up to par with other EA Sports franchises, while resolving technical issues with GM Connected makes it worthwhile again.
Performance
75
A few lengthy loading times and visual glitches
Overall
80
NHL 14 is a rebound from last year's misstep, and brings fun back on the ice. It's the most feature-filled edition of the game during this generation, and if you've skipped the series in the last few years, it's well worth obtaining.
Comments
NHL 14
NHL 14 box art Platform:
PlayStation 3
Our Review of NHL 14
80%
Great
The Verdict:
Game Ranking
NHL 14 is ranked #464 out of 1957 total reviewed games. It is ranked #43 out of 158 games reviewed in 2013.
463. Deponia
PC
464. NHL 14
465. Motocross Madness
Xbox 360
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Screenshots

NHL 14
15 images added Aug 7, 2013 11:37
Videos
NHL 14 - Teaser Trailer
Posted: Apr 17, 2013 22:53
NHL 14 - Enforcer Gameplay Trailer
Posted: Jun 6, 2013 21:25
NHL 14 - Goalies Gameplay Trailer
Posted: Jul 12, 2013 20:08
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