NHL 22 Reviews
‘NHL 22’ really takes a big stride forward in the franchise. Having it on a PS5 is a big part of what makes the difference in some ways. The haptic feedback really gives the game another level. NHL games have gotten stale in years past (15-18 come to mind in some ways). Over the past few releases, EA Vancouver has taken it to newer heights and this is a leap in a great direction. I haven’t been this excited to try and run a franchise into the ground because I have no idea what I am doing, or go pro and take on the greats for the cup.
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.
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.
NHL 22 does an excellent job at bringing back old arcade-y mechanics and blending it with today's simulation quality presentation in a way that works together rather than against itself. Some modes could still use a refresh, but the core gameplay of NHL 22 shows that the NHL series is really hitting its stride with this release.
At this point, consumers are likely well aware of whether EA Sports' NHL franchise is something that appeals to them, and NHL 22 won't change that. With that said, for the series faithful or someone that skipped out on NHL 21, there's a lot to enjoy in the current-gen polish that the Frostbite Engine and the more powerful hardware bring with them. At the end of the day, NHL 22 is the de facto hockey gaming experience and the energy that went into refining the current product was not spent in vain.
NHL 22 on current-generation consoles is the best NHL experience that has released in some time.
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.
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.
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.
NHL 22's gameplay is substantially unchanged from its predecessors. The Frostbite engine brings a breath of fresh air to the graphics, but the gaming experience does not differ dramatically from what has been seen in the past. The result is a fun and full of game modes title, which however would need an update in the game mechanics to be able to take it one step further.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NHL 22 brings great gameplay improvements, but it lacks new stuff in its content.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
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.
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
NHL 22 relies on its superstar talent, and it's not impressive enough to give the gameplay the new life it so desperately needs
It's odd that it took EA this long to bring their flagship Frostbite engine to their NHL franchise, but now that it's here in NHL 22, the wait was certainly worth it, as the game has never looked or played better.
NHL 22 finally brings the series into the next-gen: the beginning is encouraging but we are still far from that magnificence that had characterized the EA series for long periods in its first thirty years of life.
Review in Italian | 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.