NHL 22 Reviews
If you love the sport and want the best looking and playing a version of it of all-time along with a staggering number of modes and options, then I think NHL 22 is going to make you quite happy.
Hockey games, to me, have the longest appeal and replayability out of all sports games. The default four-minute periods result in more fast-paced, “attention to detail” arcade-style competition. Sure, the games don’t last as long as football or baseball, but I can guarantee you that, unlike them, you’re going to want to play another game or two because of its pace. NHL 22 has that same good old familiar feeling, the only real difference bing the updated roster that corresponds with the year.
On the other hand, HUT, Be a Pro, and Franchise mode don’t look that much different. The lack of changes does bring down this game a bit, but is it worse off than before? Absolutely not, and NHL 22 should give those who might have been worried about a NHL 15-like debacle some comfort.
NHL 22 offers a new visual experience, but does not offer anything new in the usual modes. If you have already played last year's game, the experience will be more than similar for your wallet, whereas the editions on new-generation consoles are more expensive.
Review in French | Read full review
The richness of the game modes, the depth of the Franchise mode and the introduction of the X-Factor system are the indisputable strengths of NHL 22, but graphical uncertainties, an often de-structured commentary and the intrusiveness of microtransactions inevitably affect the final evaluation.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NHL 22 may be finding its feet a little bit with its new engine and mechanics, but it’s the one sports-game I’ll definitely keep going back to this year!
NHL 22 didn't do a whole lot to improve on its predecessor, but it didn't have to. The important part is that the development team didn't do anything to change the game for the worse. The franchise was already a ship sailing smoothly, all anyone needed to do was keep it steady.
I have long been a fan of sports games. Those who have read any of my other reviews will have no doubt come across a plethora of such reviews here on the site.
It probably won’t surprise you to read that NHL 22 has failed to rekindle my love for this series. To put it bluntly, I didn’t have much fun playing NHL 22. And when all is said and done, how much more do you really need to know than that?
NHL 22 brings great gameplay improvements, but it lacks new stuff in its content.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
It's a transitional year for NHL, then. It's arguably better than ever on the ice, playing a mostly authentic and enjoyable brand of hockey that implements some subtle, but worthy new features to satisfy hardcore fans. It also looks meaningfully improved thanks to the Frostbite engine (and clearly a lot of hard work). But in terms of content and game modes, it's largely the same offering as last year, and that gets pretty old after a while. Hopefully, now that the engine transition is out of the way, we can look forward to some ambitious new modes and features in NHL 23 and beyond.
NHL 22 makes a careful and mostly smooth transition to a new engine and the new console generation. The new ice looks great, and some gameplay tweaks are enjoyable, but beneath the surface the experience still feels very much the same.
While consoles made a generational leap, NHL 22 is still very much stuck in the past. Some of the gameplay tweaks improve the experience, but the game has largely remained the same. The graphical improvements are minor, and the overhyped X Factor abilities are underwhelming. Aside from minor changes, everything else is pretty much in the same state that it was last year, except you can now pay the next-gen premium price for it. NHL 22 is still the best hockey game you can buy (mostly due to the lack of other options), but I'd strongly advise against it if you have played any other NHL title in the past few years. The series has been stagnating, and NHL 22 doesn't indicate any will to make meaningful changes, which is a shame because this would've been the perfect cut-off point to do something new and interesting.
So at the end of the day, NHL 22 just feels like a transition to a kind of gameplay that would eventually feel even more real, probably not this year but in the upcoming releases. It's still fun to play, and the graphics are clearly the best improvement on new-gen consoles, but otherwise, those who want to get the game on old-gen wouldn't necessarily notice a massive refresh.
NHL 22 makes a successful jump to the Frostbite engine by playing it more safe than any other game in the past. It’s a fun game for any hockey fan, but won’t give you that true next-gen feel you may be wanting.
NHL 22 Makes Successful Transition to Next-Gen Consoles
NHL 22 on current-generation consoles is the best NHL experience that has released in some time.
NHL 22 delivers some good moment-to-moment hockey along with a needed visual upgrade, but the franchise feels tired and worn out.
Hockey is a sport that’s very confined to skating on a set rink with a standard 5 vs 5 player configuration. NHL 22 brings all the different styles the game can be played with superstar abilities tailored to the different hockey niches all gamers can appreciate.
We finally have a truly next-gen sport title, and it's amazingly NHL 22. A complete overhaul to everything about the game and series makes for the best hockey title in decades. Even with its faults, this is a must-buy for hockey fans.