NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

[CarryTheWeight]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

Carry, I would say 100% drop down to rookie.

It helped me tremendously for faceoffs. I now can usually win more than the cpu.

But it does help with all aspects of the game. You get a little more time on the puck without being checked or poked or harassed and you can see how the play develops in the O end.

On D you can see what the CPU is doing without it being as lethal.

You can straight up play a play now on rookie or mix it up and go over to NHL Moments and try some on rookie. Either way you can lab the game pretty nicely this way.

Thanks for the awesome reply, helpful stuff like this is one of the reasons I continue to come to this site after 14 years (!!!).

I'm probably going to lower the difficulty seeing as though I'm not getting many positive results. I only wish the AI behaved more organically/imperfectly on the default sliders. I'm going to play around with the right mix or download a set from OS.

If my post seemed like a massive rant, it's only because I really want to have fun with this game. Perhaps swallowing my pride and lowering the difficulty is the way to do it.

[sweetjones]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I thought we were suppose to be able to save team strategies. Why am I still having to change them before every game in Play Now mode? smh

[gopher_guy]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I really wish they could get official uniforms for the National Teams.

I really like playing with USA/Canada/Finland/Czech Republic/Russia/etc, but the generic sweaters they have are all so ugly

[actionhank]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I really wish they could get official uniforms for the National Teams.

I really like playing with USA/Canada/Finland/Czech Republic/Russia/etc, but the generic sweaters they have are all so ugly

I'm hoping someday we can import our own custom jerseys. Takes the pressure off of EA. They make a jersey editor and template that can be used on PC, or they could even make something similar to Forza's car editor.

Then, they give us the means to apply it in-game. It would be awesome HUT teams, EASHL, and even offline players, as they could release "Jersey Packs" to keep up with the latest changes. I have to agree, the default jersey are awful looking for international teams. I believe they've been the same since NHL 07.

Just imagine being able to create/edit teams and jerseys, and finally giving someone like Slovenia their authentic goalies, and replacing teams like Japan, or Great Britain, who didn't even compete on the same stage in the Winter Olympics.

[Steven547]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

Game has only been out a few days and I already have to step away and take a break from it. The AI is horrible in this game. The CPU "cheese" is uncanny. I'm playing on PRO (Position Lock as well). The CPU, even with aggression on 5, can skate right into my zone and score without being touched.

The opposing team's winger skated down while my defense was on him. As he got closer to the net, my defense LET HIM GO! The defensse skated to the middle of net, leaving an open net shot for a goal. I have tried turning sliders down....I have CPU diff at 0....AI learning at 3 and no luck. I see "slow" rated players outsktating everyone.

The shot accuracy of the CPU is amazing with pinpoint accuracy. My guys can't hit a one timer worth spit. My goalie, not matter who I'm using, plays like a pee wee goalie. Their goalie? Superb.

Anyone else experience the same thing again? Any suggestions for sliders? To me, the only difference between this game and last year, are the visuals and the mascots.

I wish EA would've spent as much time on the AI gameplay then the did with the ridiculous mascots. Break time.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

Maybe I've yet to figure out the mechanic, but the cpu seems really adept in one on one situations or on the rush generally. Almost feels like good gap control and closing the gap at the right time and angling them to the outside has no value because the cpu possesses incredible fidelity with their shots and passes in tight spaces.

Anyone figured a better way to corral the cpu bearing down on you?

[TheBuddyHobbs]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

Since we can't alter game speed without the frame rate glitching out, I lowered acceleration progressively in one on one practice. I timed laps with the puck with Morgan Rielly (since the camera won't track you without the puck), and with accel at 0 the lap times were about 20-18 seconds. Conisdering this is with the puck I think it's probably pretty accurate.

I jumped into a game with the acceleration set to 0 for human and cpu and I really liked what I saw. The pace seemed more to my tastes, and the cpu AI seemed less frantic. Everything felt less twitchy and slide-y. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd like to get some other guys' feedback on playing with acceleration tuned all the way down.

Seems like I'm down on the game, but I'm not. I think it's prudent to highlight this AI stuff because I think it's the game's biggest shortcoming.

Here's a praiseworthy clip from a game with acceleration tuned down (which I think may allow some of the dev's animation work shine brighter). Look at the quality of the seamless puck pickup animation by Boychuk here. Really nice stuff by EA.

Thank you so much! This made the game feel a lot better!

[TheBuddyHobbs]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I'm seeing a very realisitc amount of penalties. I don't know if anyone else is having trouble? If so, I can toss in some of my adjusted sliders that may be helping or not. Both human and CPU.

[AdamJones113]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I've just played games so far, on different sliders, but at All Star/Hardcore. So this impression post will be based solely off gameplay.

I don't want to divide myself into "good" and "bad," so let's ramble a bit. This game is the most realistic NHL game to date. The board play is terrible, the passing is wonky, and don't even think about sniping 5-hole, but this game is the best NHL gameplay to date. The offensive CPU is very good, both from an logical standpoint and a skill standpoint. They dump when they should, they cycle when they should, and they aren't afraid to rip the puck on net. The defensive AI, however, is poor. They lack initiative—whether it's not stepping up when possible or more likely, not sensing plays around them or not sensing or even looking for the puck. The CPU defense has no heart, no intensity that characterizes the CPU offense.

The CPU has an easy time breaking it out, even if you are a good forechecker (which I think I am). The passes are so easily made (I don't say completed, that fluctuates according to slider preference) that a split second is all a CPU defenseman needs to make an improbable pass for the breakout. The CPU defense does do a good job getting sticks in the lane. Stick-on-stick collisions are slightly improved, not much; stick-on-skate collisions are an afterthought.

I noticed more separation in hitting and skating, so that's a major plus. The penalty issue was a non-issue for me. What was an issue is the godawful AI goalies. Poor save decisions, slug puck location times (even at a high slider), and animation-dominated movement. I never, ever want to see a pass from a forward go through the crease, behind the goalie, and to a player on the far side. That's ridiculous, but happened to me twice. Don't try to snipe 5-hole. Not gonna happen, even against 6'6 Ben Bishop... when he's moving.

But I digress. This is the best NHL game yet. If you like EASHL, you will love this game. The coach feedback is great, and the On Ice Trainer is very cool. Gameplay is much improved, but it still has a long way to go.

Good job.

[gopher_guy]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I'm seeing a very realisitc amount of penalties. I don't know if anyone else is having trouble? If so, I can toss in some of my adjusted sliders that may be helping or not. Both human and CPU.

I am, as well. I've been pleasantly surprised at the level of penalties.

Do you guys play with the penalty time scaling all the way up? (So the clock will go real time on penalties, giving you [and the opponent] an actual 2 minutes of PP time)

[TheBuddyHobbs]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I am, as well. I've been pleasantly surprised at the level of penalties.

Do you guys play with the penalty time scaling all the way up? (So the clock will go real time on penalties, giving you [and the opponent] an actual 2 minutes of PP time)

That's exactly what I do.

[gopher_guy]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

Is anyone else playing BAP? It may be my imagination, but I feel like there's an issue with icing. I've iced the puck a couple times, and have still been allowed to change.

[TheBuddyHobbs]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

Is anyone else playing BAP? It may be my imagination, but I feel like there's an issue with icing. I've iced the puck a couple times, and have still been allowed to change.

I'll give it a go and report back.

[half-fast]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

After playing a number of online versus, and several offline vs cpu, I have to say this year is good and bad, but definitely better than any year recently. The one thing driving me nuts is the goalies still look stupid, the cpu goalies hand out the puck way too much in high traffic areas, and save decisions/animations look seriously pathetic.

The cpu does the same move pretty much every time in my zone, no matter how i defend ... no adapting at all.

I will say the arenas and environment are top notch. The play feels a little more loose and organic, even if it does create some weird play skating animations and ai teammate behaviour. One thing that is getting me about offence is guys with quick shots dont seem to have a quick wrist release. Hard to walk in and just twitch shoot like these guys really do.

Hope with some slider tweaks and gameplay updates this game gets even better.

Online versus, finally feels like the losing team doesnt get gift goals, which ive been waiting for since theyve put versus in.

[THESHAMISASHAME]

Re: NHL 16 Available Today For Xbox One & PlayStation 4, Post Your Impressions

I actually cant stop playing it EA NHL 16 is everything I hoped and it has so many little things or tweaks that were updated its too long to list but you can see it all on the ice especially the physics .

Penalties have been tweaked to perfection if you play real NHL hockey ! and I also like how Im forced to dump the puck in and corner work is pretty good without slowing down the game too much .

One that stands out is I shot a puck that was deflected and cause a redirection and the animation changed direction and the goalie scrambled to recover and it looked and felt perfect .

Menu navigation is much better and its nice having real goal sounds and horns since we cant really add our our on the ps4 .

Im just hoping they dont do another update like last year where it changes everything just for the sake of online play or at least have a online and offline tuner or update .

I also think the announcers are much improved and only see it getting deeper for years to come and as I mentioned before it seems like they even made an effort when adding progressive playoff beards to at least get non scanned player faces semi accurate which is greatly appreciated

Well gotta get back to the Ice and only small gripe is they need to update new goalie mask designs down the road and real faces for all !