NHL 15 Reviews
NHL 15 is fun to play and pretty to look at, but it's disappointingly light on modes to keep you hooked on hockey.
As the first next-gen entry in the series, 'NHL 15' breaks new ground - and the hopes of the hardcore fans along with it.
Devoid of many important modes and features, NHL 15 feels incomplete, and will not appeal to long-time fans.
Hockey fans are better served playing the old-gen versions of the game
NHL 15 missteps badly in its introduction to the current console generation
New generation graphics and marginal gameplay improvements clash with a lot of missing features in NHL 15.
Whatever steps forward NHL 15 has taken in visual presentation hardly make up for the alarming gutting of many of the series' best features.
NHL 15 is right to focus on improvements to the gameplay and the presentation, but they aren't nearly good enough to justify the cuts made elsewhere. It dazzles out of the box, but it doesn't take long for the upgrades to feel shallow in comparison to what's missing. Ultimately, NHL 15 feels like a major misstep for a franchise that doesn't necessarily have a lot of room for error.
There are undoubtedly great things in the pipeline for the NHL franchise, but NHL 15 isn't a part of those plans.
Whether or not the horn sounds on home ice, every goal will give the fan in you the same satisfaction as if the game were live right in front of you.
The choice to rebuild from square one on a new engine has resulted in a game that doesn't necessarily stand up to last year's on paper, but shows promise when taking into account the track record of EA Sports NHL. In the game of hockey, sometimes you have to make the counter-intuitive decision to take a big penalty to prevent a season-ending goal.
If you're expecting a completely stacked, feature-laden game as you've gotten in the past, you're bound to be disappointed and on the phone with EA's customer service department, wondering where the majority of your game content has gone. However, if you're an avid hockey fan, you probably won't mind hitting the ice and taking part in a well-rounded contest of hockey, and seeing what the new visuals and audio have to deliver.
NHL 15 is one of the most frustrating sports releases to date. The core experience has been markedly improved.
NHL 15 looks impressive on the surface with graphics and gameplay, but way too many features have been cut or neutered this time around.
On the ice, NHL 15 is great. Gameplay is smooth and fun to play, and the plethora of customization options means everyone should be able to find an enjoyable setting. The visuals and commentary round out the package that is only let down by the occasionally questionable AI. Where NHL 15 falls down is with its replayability and game modes. Not only are fan favorite modes missing, but the ones we do get are not feature complete. If you can deal with only having a few modes, then NHL 15 is well worth buying, but the lack of variation is sure to become an issue over time.
For the last couple of weeks, the majority of the talk surrounding Electronic Arts' NHL 15 has been what is not in the game
NHL 15 offers stepped up physics and superb visuals, but it's a regression for the series due to a significant number of missing features.
As someone who plays every NHL yearly release all year long, it is unfortunate to see just how badly this has gone. I can somewhat understand taking out 6v6 online play if it wasn't ready, but taking out features in Be a GM or making Be a Pro completely unplayable is just ridiculous. If you are not a hockey fan at all but you want to slap around a few pucks, this might be the game for you. However, with all the lost features and left out modes, NHL fans might want to wait until everything is patched in to jump on this ship. EA Sports: it's in the game… eventually.
The next generation jump for NHL 15 is far from a mind blowing one. It brings about fantastic visuals and more of the same excellent gameplay we have come to expect. Unfortunately, it really is just more of the same but with an impressive visual bump. Of course, the improved presentation is nice as well but it lacks that oomph needed to wow consumers. That being said, EA Canada has done enough to create a very recommendable hockey game, but they may have some trouble on their hands if they continue to provide more of the same next year.
As far as the new generation of NHL 15 is concerned, this package isn't nearly strong or complete enough to justify an immediate purchase.