NHL 17 Reviews
The NHL series' gameplay continues to impress in NHL 17, but with only incremental upgrades, it feels like a game we've played before.
NHL 17 has some real strengths, but it still feels like it hasn't quite made it out of the previous generation. The gameplay is strong but increasingly dated; the feature set feels haphazard, and there are lots of niggling quality-of-life issues. It feels more and more like the series is stuck in a rut, and it's hard to say where EA Canada should take it next. For now, NHL 17 is another decent outing, but the next step remains elusive.
NHL 17 has some real strengths, but it still feels like it hasn't quite made it out of the previous generation. The gameplay is strong but increasingly dated; the feature set feels haphazard, and there are lots of niggling quality-of-life issues. It feels more and more like the series is stuck in a rut, and it's hard to say where EA Canada should take it next. For now, NHL 17 is another decent outing, but the next step remains elusive.
NHL 17 is only held back by a few issues, but they rear their ugly head during every single match. Both player selection and poor teammate AI could be improved by patches, but right now they make every match become frustrating in spots. It’s incredibly disappointing to see a game that gets so much right also proceed to get a few important things dead wrong. There is still fun to be had, especially in the Be A Pro mode, but the action on the ice isn’t nearly as satisfying as it should be.
After the barebones release of NHL 15, the notable improvements of last year’s really stood out.
EA Sports has three different sports titles under their belt.
NHL 17 is more like the previous entry in that fun will mostly take a backseat to simulation/realism and the problems that entails. There is fun to be had when the cons keep to themselves but it happens a bit too much. However, all the customization and game modes will keep you busy for a very long time. Especially if you need to take breaks because you grow a little frustrated. In the same vein as those who enjoy racing simulators, sports fans will enjoy the latest entry into EA Sports' series but it will be another year that greatness wasn't achieved once again.
It has been a fact for a couple of years now that EA Sports NHL series is in need of a big renovation. The graphics is starting to look dated, the physics isn't nearly as good as PES or FIFA and the AI is unbalanced – particularly the goalie part. NHL 17 is still a pretty decent game for the hockey fans, but it's hard to not feel a bit disappointed.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
NHL 17 is a very good game of hockey that has not really grown much since last year. Tweaks and improvements are there, certainly nothing feels worse about the title than last season, but there is still room to innovate.