Matthew Will
Editor-in-Chief
Year after year, sports video games are tagged with the familiar ‘just a roster update’ stereotype. For the third straight year, NHL has paved the way in sports gaming with new features and modes, breaking those stereotypes.
Presentation:
In 2006, EA Sports began using NBC as their game broadcast package. Legendary hockey commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emerick greeted the gamer with his familiar lines, unchanged year after year. This year, EA Sports have ditched NBC to develop their own game broadcast package.
Also changing in the game broadcast package is James Cybulski, the new lead play-by-play announcer. While the change is difficult to get adjusted to, the new commentary is electric.
To go along with the excited announcer, replays have taken a huge step as well. After a normal replay from a high angle, an ice level replay follows with super slow motion as the player fires the shot. Despite this being a minor change, there is nothing more exciting than showing off your latest goal with the new angles.
Gameplay:
NHL 20 changes the way players pick up the puck this year. No more will you skate right past the puck without picking it up or must stop your skating stride to pick the puck up. Now, the skater adjusts his skating to pick up the puck while in stride, making your offensive attack that much quicker.
Also included in the new game are new contextual shot animations; in fact, there are 45 new animations. Included in these are 18 specific player shot animations for superstars like P.K. Subban, Alex Ovechkin and the cover athlete Auston Matthews.
The best innovation in gameplay is goalie intelligence. Finally, your goalie will not make a save, handing a rebound to the opponent to sink behind the goalie. Instead, the netminder will deflect the puck away from threats.
New Mode:
The World of CHEL took center stage in last year’s NHL 19 release, giving players the chance to customize and compete as their own player. This year, EA Sports have added a ‘battle royale’ mode to the game… sort of.
The mode, called Eliminator, throws 81 players into games. The 81 are sorted into 27 games of three. The 27 winners are then sorted into nine games of three to have three final players standing. These three players fight for the title of ones eliminator champion.
If you have a squad of three, a mode set up the same way works for threes as well.
Final Thoughts:
This game brings tons of new enjoyment to a classic franchise. The new commentary joins you in the excitement when you’ve scored an overtime game-winner in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals. The new gameplay innovations feel awesome and make the game flow well. Above all, NHL has shown once again that they are more than just a roster update. In fact, for the first time in years, NHL has a game that people need to buy. 8.5 pucks out of 10.