NHL 25 Preview
It’s hard to believe, but we’re already on the cusp of another EA Sports NHL hockey game. It seems like only yesterday that I was reviewing NHL 24, praising the improvements the developers at EA had made to ensure a more authentic hockey experience. Undoubtedly, NHL 24 was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, after a brief showcase of what’s to come with NHL 25, I’m not convinced the same strides will be made this time around.
“Hockey is built different” is the motto EA has attached to NHL 25, but it remains to be seen if this year’s entry can firmly distinguish itself from the rest. “Ice-Q” is introduced to the series for the first time, allowing players to lock onto a specific target anytime. When in possession of the puck, we’ll now be able to keep a skater’s eyes on the net. This should provide a more natural approach to creating space and finding open slots. When on defense, we can lock onto the puck and open a player’s body to anticipate the offense better. Both options look to provide a more strategic approach to attacking and defending.
AI Adjustments
EA also promises to deliver a revamped AI system. CPU skaters will now recognize player positions, allowing them to respond more confidently to dynamic situations. This goes hand-in-hand with the promise of players being better rewarded for finding the correct position at the right time. Stressing about where your AI teammates are located has always been a drawback of the NHL franchise, but NHL 25 may finally start to alleviate the issue.
As expected, NHL 25 will also offer an abundance of new animations. Most exciting is how skaters can now walk the blue line to create space and get the puck down low. We were specifically shown an example of players utilizing the edges of their skates in ways we’ve never seen in an NHL game, and I’ll admit, it looked great.
These new animations also lend themselves to delivering on what EA is claiming is a new skill-based one-timer system. One-timers have always been the bane of many player’s existence within the NHL franchise. They’re too easy to pull off and way too overpowered. Ask anyone who’s played an NHL game in the last decade, and they’ll tell you that the one-timer is arguably the most frustrating thing to contend with. With the adjustments mentioned earlier to animation and AI intelligence, EA is hoping to create a more balanced take on the one-timer. They won’t be as easy to pull off, but nailing a one-timer should now at least feel much more rewarding.
Sapien Technology
Of course, visual improvements have also been made to NHL 25, which I’m quite excited about. “Sapien Technology” is being utilized for the first time, promising a drastic change to player likenesses. Jerseys feature a new cloth wrap look that better emulates how uniforms look in real life, and individual strands of hair are prevalent like never before. Yes, NHL 25 may be the first hockey game to feature genuine “flow.”
That said, my concern lies in the lack of gameplay we were shown. EA didn’t show us what the second-to-second gameplay will actually look like. Hell, we didn’t even see a single shift play out from start to finish. We were merely shown a few (carefully curated) clips that showcased NHL 25’s new tech. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that a lack of transparency in a game’s reveal often indicates a lack of confidence in the product. I desperately want to like NHL 25, but I refuse to get my hopes up.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on NHL 25’s development over the next month or so. EA will reveal more information in the weeks to come, including the improvements made to Franchise, World of Chel, and Hockey Ultimate Team. It’ll be interesting to see the reaction to what I anticipate will be a minor upgrade to the NHL franchise.
At least the Hughes brothers on the cover was a sweet choice.
Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.
