NHL 27 Reviews
NHL 27 is the annual addition aimed primarily at team playbooks, new stadium shows and presentations or Connected Franchise mode. The vast part of upgrades go towards the formal parts but there are some changes in gameplay that will please players and tactic-lovers.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The handful of changes in NHL 27 are mostly welcome – nothing is worse than last year, but very little is better either.
If you weren't able to tell by now, I'm not a fan of NHL 27 in the slightest. Normally, I can still find something that keeps me coming back to weaker sports games. I won't be doing the same with NHL 27.
This caps a full decade of me reviewing the NHL games, and while I believe the gameplay is better in NHL 27 than NHL 26, my position hasn’t changed. Harsh as it may sound, this is an update, not a new game.
NHL 27 takes a step forward from its predecessor, striking an effective balance between old and new. With its presentation polished around the edges and its AI improved, it delivers enjoyable games, albeit with the occasional lapse, while maintaining a more than solid overall experience. The situation is somewhat different when it comes to the game modes: the addition of Connected Franchise stands out in an otherwise largely traditional lineup of options.
Review in Italian | Read full review
'NHL 27' is yet another yearly release of the same installment. The package and presentation are gorgeous and the in-game experience is super immersive. The introduction of Connected Franchise is a big win for players, and returning fans of Be a Pro will be satisfied. But if you are looking for a major overhaul, you'll be disappointed. By no means is this a bad game, in fact, this is a good game with certain aspects of greatness. This video game makes playing hockey feel entertaining and exhilarating, the atmospheres bring an authenticity and really that is all you can ask for.
NHL 27's on-ice action may have become smarter, but the overall product has barely changed at all.
NHL 27 remains fun: the problem is everything else; this year there was no revolution, not even a small, low-magnitude earthquake.
Review in Italian | Read full review
EA SPORTS NHL 27 remains a great hockey game (perhaps the only one), but a sequel that's too conservative. It's fun to glide across the ice and there are good ideas in the new tactical identity of the teams, but the constant feeling of playing something too similar to the previous edition prevents a higher score.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
NHL 27 delivers a convincing hockey experience with a big leap in presentation and atmosphere, though modest changes to Franchise and Be a Pro and the pushy Hockey Ultimate Team onboarding hold it back.
Review in German | Read full review
EA SPORTS NHL 26 delivers a more realistic and engaging hockey experience with improved player behavior, smoother transitions, and enhanced HUT mechanics, but its lack of innovation and familiar shortcomings make it feel more like a minor update than a truly new entry.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I don’t know whether hardcore fans who play every single installment will be satisfied with this year’s entry. What I do know is that, from the perspective of someone who returns to the series only every few years, NHL 27 is in a pretty good place. There’s plenty of content to sink your teeth into, while its visual and audio presentation remains as impressive as ever. NHL 27 doesn’t reinvent the hockey puck, but it doesn’t really need to. For someone like me, it’s a solid and polished return to the ice, offering enough improvements to make those few years away feel worthwhile.
The main issue I had with NHL 27 comes from some of the small inconsistencies during matches. Puck pickup can still feel inaccurate, particularly in situations where you expect a more direct puck steal, and some AI decisions make you stop for a second and wonder why a player moved that way. The number of menus also makes some modes slower than they should be, especially Ultimate Team. These problems do not ruin the experience, but they are noticeable during gameplay and prevent everything from feeling as fluid as it could. I also really missed having a Brazilian Portuguese translation, especially to make it easier to dive deeper into modes that involve so many menus. On the other hand, the more time I spent playing, the more I enjoyed the possibilities offered by the mechanics. The initial accessibility of the controls combined with the difficulty of actually mastering every available tool creates a very interesting learning curve. Directional passing, plays involving the boards, teammate movement, and the variety of strategies can quickly turn a simple match into a sequence of decisions. The balance found in the movement of the AI controlled teammates was also one of the things I enjoyed the most, because there is a very satisfying feeling that the players are participating in the same play instead of simply following isolated commands. In the end, NHL 27 is an extremely fun game once you start mastering what it has to offer. The offline one on one experience was one of the things that stood out to me the most. The presentation is also at a very high level, with incredible looking arenas, an authentic atmosphere, a very well selected soundtrack, and a broadcast presentation that fits the sport. There is still a huge difference between knowing how to play and actually mastering NHL 27, but that depth is precisely one of the things that made me want to keep playing.
NHL 27 delivers a solid and accessible hockey experience, but its overall evolution feels too timid for a new installment. The return of Connected Franchise and the addition of cross-platform roster sharing are welcome, while improvements to presentation and HUT add some interesting touches. However, the team-specific strategies lack depth, Connected Franchise is more limited than a traditional Franchise mode, and several technical issues from last year remain.
Review in French | Read full review
NHL 27 is a solid sports title for newcomers, but longtime fans may find it all too familiar. While the new additions bring some welcome changes, their overall impact remains limited, leaving NHL 27 one step short of reaching the level of innovation seen in EA’s other sports titles.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NHL 27 features great gameplay and looks fantastic in every element of its presentation, however, there are few changes to make it stand out from last year.
Overall, NHL 27 delivers a solid and complete hockey experience by refining last year's mechanics, adding depth to existing Franchise Mode, and introducing smarter AI and playbooks. While it lacks revolutionary new modes or a dramatic visual leap, its polished on-ice gameplay, improved presentation, and rich feature set make it the definitive release of the current era.
EA Sports NHL 27 stays true to its formula, focusing less on a major revolution and more on numerous smaller improvements. The new team playbooks, more dynamic team behavior, revamped defenses, and Connected Franchise add depth and variety, while Be a Pro and World of Chel have also been meaningfully expanded.
Review in German | Read full review
NHL 27 doesn't reinvent EA Sports' hockey, but it addresses some of the series' most evident problems: teams that felt too similar, poorly differentiated atmospheres and the lack of a real online league among friends. A familiar technical structure, clumsy menus and an imperfect AI remain, but for anyone interested in online leagues, arena atmospheres and a more tactical portrayal of the teams, this is one of the most interesting editions in years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
EA NHL 27 may not have delivered some ground-breaking systems that improve the game beyond its previous iterations, but it does present the game through more subtle ways like the playbook system and better goaltending on higher difficulties. Presentation is solid, but glitchy crowds and awkward animations still break through and can ruin your immersion, regardless of the vast improvements made to arenas. However, EA’s NHL has rarely looked or played better despite those annoyances, and if you meet the game on its terms, it’s bound to bounce the puck in your direction one way or another, just be ready to take that shot.