Fri. Feb 14th, 2025

If you already own NHL 22, NHL 23 is essentially NHL 22 with a few extra features that aren’t worth your money. In fact, the game’s full price is so outrageous as to be offensive.

In the gaming industry, huge budget sequels are frequently released with the intention of improving upon what came before while also being larger, better, and more spectacular. Sports video games have historically been an exception to the rule that they be released annually, giving developers below a year to revamp and improve the game before it is released. However, NHL 23 has had enough.

Even though the NHL series isn’t EA’s most well-known, it offers some of the best gameplay and has for a while. Sadly, boring gameplay has resulted from a tendency to rest on one’s laurels.

The minimal improvements to the series’ essential real-time action that NHL 23 has brought about are merely insufficient to interest me.

NHL 23: Key Information

The creator: EA Vancouver,

Price: $59.99/£49.99

Availability: October 14, 2022

Platforms: PC, Xbox, and PlayStation

Hockey 23 trailer: Small improvements and Cracked Ice

Experienced gamers will be immediately underwhelmed by NHL 23’s menu outlining everything that is “new” to this year’s iteration when they first load it up.

“Last chance” movements, which let players make crazily desperate plays exactly as they do in reality, are this year’s biggest enhancement to the on-ice gameplay.

NHL 23 also includes some new animations, such as highlight reel saves, which should seem much larger than they do in the game’s outdated broadcast.

One game I played, the goaltender for the opposite team produced a glove save that truly left me in awe. However, despite being a highlight-reel save, it went unnoticed. Not a replay. There was no way to relive the incredible experience from a different angle.None.

The broadcast package for NHL 23 is largely the same as that for NHL 22 and NHL 21. By some miracle, I think the broadcast’s presentation has gotten noticeably worse over time, and its repetition only serves to amplify my worries.

Everything was identical—the commentary, the gameplay, everything. It’s comparable to competing on ice that hasn’t seen a Zamboni in a long time. The addition of female players as well as the new Stanley Cup celebration is merely the icing on an already-old cake that has been exposed to the sun.

Not quite as X-Factor-like

Following the last-chance puck movement screen, EA SPORTS makes a big deal out of the addition of two new X-Factors, which are distinct player characteristics that grant them unique skills like extraordinary shots.

A hammer would appear next to a player’s name if they were a big hitter, for example, in NHL 2004, which was the game that inspired X-Factors, as I noted in my analysis of NHL 22 from the previous year.

Although X-Factors are undeniably an improved version of the variant from NHL 2004, I didn’t think they were all that significant when they were reinstated with NHL 22, and I believe they are even less significant in NHL 23.

This time, there are an astounding extra two X-Factors for the fans! Whoo! We now have access to Trevor Zegras’ and Sarah Nurse’s “Skilled Up” and “Relentless,” which allow players to score goals similar to those made in lacrosse, and the latter improves a player’s ability to shoot & pass while off-balance, respectively.

These are comparatively small additions, but it’s telling that they appear second on the “what’s new” page.

Franchises with little customization

The “historic” degree of customization in NHL 23’s franchise mode allows users to alter the NHL’s team count, the playoff structure, and more. But the level of personalisation is limited.

While NBA 2K has long allowed users to change the number of games in a season, NHL is only now beginning to do so and has few options.

For instance, I could choose from a number of overtime configurations, but I couldn’t just choose 5 minutes of 3-on-3 play. A shootout was required to follow. Why couldn’t I take it off if I didn’t like the shootout?

Additionally, I was unable to replace league teams. On PS5, all of the teams except for my user-controlled team were frozen in place when I tried to create a league with only 12 teams.

Another time, when I planned a 40-team league, the NHL attracted a number of clubs from Europe, and I was unable to replace them. I’m not sure if it was a bug or not, but it still seriously limited the custom options available in the new franchise mode.

Despite this, I could choose the playoff structure for each round. a much-welcomed addition whose implementation should never have taken this long.

NHL 23 does not qualify for the playoffs.

After all was said and done, NHL 23 made me angry.

This year’s version’s loud crowd noise is the only thing I can say for sure. Except for an uncommon whistling sound that actually led me to believe play had stopped, it’s the finest it’s ever been.

Everything else either feels long overdue considering the state of gaming today or is insignificant.

EA will eventually need to alter the way it tackles this series. In all honesty, I’d put a liberal $10 on the value of anything “new” in this game. Really, NHL 22 owners should only be required to spend that much on this title. It’s full price, alas.If you are only familiar with the EA SPORTS NHL franchise, there is little doubt that you will enjoy this.If you haven’t played the series in a while, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had, but seasoned gamers will feel seriously let down by this year’s game. If you want to buy NHL 23 coins safely and quickly, make your team stronger. Then please visit Buymmog.

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