adrian dominguez

NHL 16

EA received a lot of criticism last year for putting out a less than complete game. All can be excused if this years version was as smooth as ice. Will a 12 month cycle for making NHL 16 be enough to forgive last year’s sins? Yeah I’ll forgive them. They brought in a bunch of hardcore players, listened to the feedback and it shows in the gameplay.

Despite bringing back many modes that were absent from last year, there isn’t much new. Instead EA focused on improvement. The physics engine is really shining in subtle ways. Glancing hits are enough to nudge you off the puck but not always take you out of the play. Precision skating helps you hold the blue line or play from behind the net. Cycling the puck is as authentic as it has ever been. There’s a variety of goals but I found an exploitive one by going five-hole around the face-off circle.

Your ability on the sticks with dekes has become more crucial for success. As defenders play you much tighter than ever before. It’s difficult to find open space. You need to be decisive with the puck and pass or shoot should be your first thoughts, as you’ll notice how quickly the AI swarms anyone holding the rubber.

Defensively you can easily find yourself out of position and the AI is smart enough to almost always capitalize on your mistake. Even in arcade style you can't be overly aggressive. Emphasis is put into playing team defense.

New players to the game will have a lot of help this year. EA has inputted an On-Ice Trainer to help you decide where you should be positioned, where to pass, and where to shoot. It can be overwhelming, but if you decide to focus on one element at a time and gradually learn. You can then start turning off the aids individually.

Presentation builds on last years forward leap. Doc Emrick is as stellar as ever. I would like to see pre-game commentary be less generic and more matchup and player specific. Arenas have life to them with team specific goal horns and mascots. When you score on the road you’ll get a camera cut to a lonely fan cheering amidst rivals, which is always funny.

Modes such as Hockey ultimate team and EA Sports Hockey League are accounted for with the league showing it had the most involvement from the community. Still Be a Pro mode is the standout. Be a pro mode now respects your time more. Letting you sim through the game until your next shift.

I am thankful that Be A Pro Mode has not gone full rpg and instead automatically increases your players ratings, however I would like to see more specific detail on what I'm doing well. And not just the handful of repetitive tips. There should be more to my success than just generating and preventing goals. Reward me for drawing penalties, screening the goalie, pinning the boards. I just want there to be more transparent criteria.

Though there is nothing revolutionary this year. Having subtle changes and fine tuning make NHL 16 a fun game with entertaining ways to play.