NHL 13 Thread

[Yamer]

So I’ve spent about 2 weeks with this game and I think I want to weigh in on a few aspects of it. Apologies if this is a little long, but I have tried to split it up into a pro/con type review in the hopes that some people may be able to offer good advice on different areas I am having trouble with. Keep in mind I am an offline gamer, all games are played against the CPU. Here goes:

What I like:

Enhanced Trade Block – it’s nice to see this feature overhauled somewhat. I like being able to specify exactly what I want or what I am looking to offload. That said, there are some minor gripes about it. First, it would be great to go further than 3 options per screen (e.g. 3 players/picks on the block). Also, although it said in the help screen that team preference would change over time, I find that half-way through a season teams have the exact same wants/surplus/players on the block that they had day 1.

View Potential in Scouting – finally there is a little less randomness to the drafting process. Teams have a pretty good handle on what a player’s ceiling may be in the real world, and it’s nice to have this partial certainty within our control in the game.

Soundtrack – my playlist has once again inflated thanks to certain tracks I hear in the menu screen.

Shooting – I remember in either NHL 10 or 11 – at the start anyway – simply shooting the puck actually did something. Until of course they tuned the hell out of the game and squashed the shooting aspect. I feel I have a real chance at sniping a goal from a good position in the slot or from the point in this game. Unfortunately, however, this seems the only way to generate good chances as EA has overcompensated on one-timers and good dekes by making ridiculous goalie animations or eliminating passing in the offensive zone…but we’ll get to that a little later.

Shootout Camera Option – words cannot express how happy I am that I am not forced into using that dumb view some nincompoop at the studio thought would be oh-so-cool yet oh-so-annoying and impractical.

General In-Game Presentation – from relevant replays to players looking up at the scoreboard to see those replays, and from the lighting to the continuity of goal celebrations, the presentation is certainly more polished. It could be better, but I have to give them kudos for freshening up some parts of the presentation.

What irritates me/what I don’t like:

BAGM Reputation System – it’s stupid. I propose trades that boost my rep in one screen, yet lower my overall rep? Why does signing a fourth-line player lower my rep? It’s a dumb and confusing system, which leads to my next point…

Trade Mini-Games – the mini-game thing at the draft and trade deadline was idiotic when it was first introduced. Why the hell should I be limited to a certain number of phones to use (based on the ludicrous reputation system) within a set number of hours? Just do away with this…please.

BAGM Injuries – they say that they use statistics from the past few seasons to generate injuries during simulations. Am I missing something, or were, on average, two players per average suffering multi-month injuries each day over the past 5 seasons? Every other game that I sim (which is only my AHL team) I lose a player…often for months at a time. Any time I get an in-game injury it is for 2-3 months. There are, again on average, 5-6 injuries around the league per day. Tune them down, or get a better statistician.

Edit Lines Bug – it’s strange how the simplest things that should never, ever get by a competent quality assurance crew find their way into the final release. Thanks to the overblown injuries I have to change my lines all the time, but I can’t do it myself because I can’t switch to the roster (AHL/NHL) that needs the change because a bug in the game tells me I need proper lines before I can switch. It’s hard to explain if you haven’t experienced it, but some of you might know what I’m talking about.

Scouting System – it’s nice being able to see potential, but generally the whole scouting system they have set-up sucks (and it has for a while). This needs an overhaul.

Teammate AI – terrible, and it has been for as long as I can remember. They never go for loose pucks, never find an opening on the offensive zone, and don’t challenge the opposing team properly in the defensive zone. They make dumb decisions and don’t support me along the boards. As gaming continues to trend towards full online immersion, I don’t expect them to make serious strides into improving CPU teammate AI…and that’s disappointing.

Passing – I like the passing system for the most part, but it seems that they have made passing in the offensive zone (especially anywhere near the slot) next to impossible. I mean it’s good that they have made the cross-creasers more challenging, but in combination with the unrealistic goaltending they have almost entirely eliminated creative play. I’m glad that cycling around the perimeter and good shots are being rewarded, but skillful passing plays have been killed in the process. Hockey should be a combination of the two.

Pinning – after taking a step forward with this feature last year, they have taken two steps back this year. Once again I am being pinned to the boards while going full speed and facing away from the boards. Sometimes players spin around in a circle as they pin or are being pinned. Pinning an opposing player is too random…meaning that the CPU seems to arbitrarily decide if I can pin them or not. I can never escape from a pin, but CPU players do it regularly when I do it to them. I also don’t like the fact that we are given no tools other than poke checking (if you pin a player) or kicking the puck (if you are pinned).

Hitting – firstly, I have to admit that I am no good at hitting. It’s rare that I can line up a good hit. However, when I do, or I get close enough to give a shove or a bump, I expect that player to lose control of the puck with the frequency that I do when I get nudged. I also don’t expect, as Jarome Iginla, to get tossed around and manhandled by the Phil Kessels and Marian Hossas of the world. Inclusive to that point, the hitting animations aren’t even close to realistic. Players go flying and flopping like ragdolls and it looks ridiculous.

Skating Backwards – in the promo-videos that they showed it looked like a neat addition…being able to skate backwards and be creative with more control over your feet. However, it feels broken and clunky. It’s definitely unresponsive. Sometimes it doesn’t even work at all. I expect to start skating backward (or at least transitioning that way) the moment I pull the left trigger down. Unfortunately it rarely works that way and leaves me exposed as I try to play the game the way it was intended. I like the concept, but it needs some serious adjusting.

Goalies – I don’t know if there is anything I can say that hasn’t already been said. Superhuman and unrealistic, which leads to the decline of creative high percentage plays.

Warping – happens far too often and is downright glitchy. It occurs the most during points of contact, poke-checking, and pinning…my player will shoot 5-10 feet across the ice from a stationary position, which in turn puts me out of position.

Proximity to CPU is their defence – what I mean by this is that simply by being near a CPU defender is the only defence they need. They are able to strip the puck right off my stick, stunt/block shots, and deflect my passes by doing nothing more than being within 3 feet of me. No poke-checking, they just take the puck right off my stick. This wouldn’t be a problem if I could do the same things. However, I have to swing like a madman or attempt to hit them in order to have any effect on their players.

CPU Goals – this has been a minor psychotic issue for me over the past few iterations of this series. The kinds of goals I have to work for compared to the lame-ass goals the CPU offense is able to score almost gives me an automatic coronary. Floaters from the point, superhuman dekes by fourth liners down low, or unstoppable passes through the slot (despite 2-3 players in perfect position to at least deflect the pass) that are one-timed with perfection. So far, in about 50 games, the CPU has yet to miss the net from anywhere on the ice.

Shoot-outs/breakaways – the reason I dislike them is because I downright suck at them. No matter what kind of moves I pull off, I don’t score. Any pointers?

Chop puck – maybe I just have to get used to it, but as I find it now it is incorporated into the controls poorly. Often I will go to poke a loose puck and end up chopping at it. I understand they have similar effects, but when you’re not expecting it then it can throw you for a loop.

Things I’m not so sure about:

New Potential System – initially, it’s kind of hard to understand, especially since it’s based on a 5 star system that relates to your player’s overall (which is also translated into stars). I’ll have to wait until I get a few seasons in (if I choose to continue playing that long) to see how much of a change this system is from the old one (which was poorly implemented, IMO).

Skating system – one word: clunky. Despite my best efforts over the past few weeks, I can figure out no rhyme or reason for much of it. Often when I gain the puck my player decides to turn the wrong way, such as right into the path of an opposing player. And since it is all (supposedly) momentum based, it’s like trying to turn a Buick back around. On offense, players turn their bodies into odd positions as you tap the analog stick, thus negating what could have been a decent chance. Like the backwards skating, I like the concept…but right now it feels slapped together and…well…clunky.

Rating system – I can’t help but wonder if the folks responsible for the ratings aren’t A) homers, B) going off of NHL.com reports, or C) completely ignorant of the hockey world. I’m absolutely convinced that they know nothing of prospects until a few weeks before the draft. On the other hand, I like the idea of basing ratings on how they match up to their player type.

tl;dr:

Overall…meh. Even when I win I find myself coming away from the game upset and frustrated. I’m almost exhausted playing a couple of games w/ 5 min periods. The game seems to reward you on pure randomness rather than hard work, perseverance, and skill. I often get 35-40 shots per game, and only score on 1 or 2 (while the CPU floats 2 or 3 by me with 10 shots). Other games, against the same team, I score 7 or 8 goals playing the exact same style.

Even though I haven’t truly enjoyed the series over the past 3 seasons, I can’t bring myself to stop playing or buying. Out of everything, that is the thing I find the hardest to figure out.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Iginla

How do the rankings work? With Xbox I barely checked my ranking but with ps3 I'm finding myself checking it more often.

My record isn't even all that great at 48-32-8 and I'm ranked 280 in the world. The more wins the higher you are ranked?

In a nutshell it's about your ranking compare to opponent ranking, as well team skill disparity. The larger the disparity, the more points earn or loss depending on which side of the team skill you were on. The style of play (hockey plays you make during game) also add a bit of bonus points.

[Uncarved]

Just picked up this game for xbox 360, have played a few games. Currenly have 0 goals, 185 shots on net, and have played all five games to a score of 1-0. I do like the new skating in this game but if i wanted to play a soccer game i would have boughten one.

The hitting is brutal in this game to the point where 8 or 9 times out of ten it isn't worth it to go for a hit and would be much better to poke check the puck away. I usually play local play on these type of games and it doesn't seem to make it much fun to play unless you have 2 or 3 human players playing at the AI teammates seem to play against me by putting themselves out of postition, and can find open ice ever, or recieve a pass that is right on their stick.

Might take awhile to get to learn the controls but for the casual player like me don't know if i want to put in 100+ hrs to start enjoying play.

[Reanimate]

Originally Posted by Yamer

So I’ve spent about 2 weeks with this game and I think I want to weigh in on a few aspects of it. Apologies if this is a little long, but I have tried to split it up into a pro/con type review in the hopes that some people may be able to offer good advice on different areas I am having trouble with. Keep in mind I am an offline gamer, all games are played against the CPU. Here goes:

What I like:

Enhanced Trade Block – it’s nice to see this feature overhauled somewhat. I like being able to specify exactly what I want or what I am looking to offload. That said, there are some minor gripes about it. First, it would be great to go further than 3 options per screen (e.g. 3 players/picks on the block). Also, although it said in the help screen that team preference would change over time, I find that half-way through a season teams have the exact same wants/surplus/players on the block that they had day 1.

View Potential in Scouting – finally there is a little less randomness to the drafting process. Teams have a pretty good handle on what a player’s ceiling may be in the real world, and it’s nice to have this partial certainty within our control in the game.

Soundtrack – my playlist has once again inflated thanks to certain tracks I hear in the menu screen.

Shooting – I remember in either NHL 10 or 11 – at the start anyway – simply shooting the puck actually did something. Until of course they tuned the hell out of the game and squashed the shooting aspect. I feel I have a real chance at sniping a goal from a good position in the slot or from the point in this game. Unfortunately, however, this seems the only way to generate good chances as EA has overcompensated on one-timers and good dekes by making ridiculous goalie animations or eliminating passing in the offensive zone…but we’ll get to that a little later.

Shootout Camera Option – words cannot express how happy I am that I am not forced into using that dumb view some nincompoop at the studio thought would be oh-so-cool yet oh-so-annoying and impractical.

General In-Game Presentation – from relevant replays to players looking up at the scoreboard to see those replays, and from the lighting to the continuity of goal celebrations, the presentation is certainly more polished. It could be better, but I have to give them kudos for freshening up some parts of the presentation.

What irritates me/what I don’t like:

BAGM Reputation System – it’s stupid. I propose trades that boost my rep in one screen, yet lower my overall rep? Why does signing a fourth-line player lower my rep? It’s a dumb and confusing system, which leads to my next point…

Trade Mini-Games – the mini-game thing at the draft and trade deadline was idiotic when it was first introduced. Why the hell should I be limited to a certain number of phones to use (based on the ludicrous reputation system) within a set number of hours? Just do away with this…please.

BAGM Injuries – they say that they use statistics from the past few seasons to generate injuries during simulations. Am I missing something, or were, on average, two players per average suffering multi-month injuries each day over the past 5 seasons? Every other game that I sim (which is only my AHL team) I lose a player…often for months at a time. Any time I get an in-game injury it is for 2-3 months. There are, again on average, 5-6 injuries around the league per day. Tune them down, or get a better statistician.

Edit Lines Bug – it’s strange how the simplest things that should never, ever get by a competent quality assurance crew find their way into the final release. Thanks to the overblown injuries I have to change my lines all the time, but I can’t do it myself because I can’t switch to the roster (AHL/NHL) that needs the change because a bug in the game tells me I need proper lines before I can switch. It’s hard to explain if you haven’t experienced it, but some of you might know what I’m talking about.

Scouting System – it’s nice being able to see potential, but generally the whole scouting system they have set-up sucks (and it has for a while). This needs an overhaul.

Teammate AI – terrible, and it has been for as long as I can remember. They never go for loose pucks, never find an opening on the offensive zone, and don’t challenge the opposing team properly in the defensive zone. They make dumb decisions and don’t support me along the boards. As gaming continues to trend towards full online immersion, I don’t expect them to make serious strides into improving CPU teammate AI…and that’s disappointing.

Passing – I like the passing system for the most part, but it seems that they have made passing in the offensive zone (especially anywhere near the slot) next to impossible. I mean it’s good that they have made the cross-creasers more challenging, but in combination with the unrealistic goaltending they have almost entirely eliminated creative play. I’m glad that cycling around the perimeter and good shots are being rewarded, but skillful passing plays have been killed in the process. Hockey should be a combination of the two.

Pinning – after taking a step forward with this feature last year, they have taken two steps back this year. Once again I am being pinned to the boards while going full speed and facing away from the boards. Sometimes players spin around in a circle as they pin or are being pinned. Pinning an opposing player is too random…meaning that the CPU seems to arbitrarily decide if I can pin them or not. I can never escape from a pin, but CPU players do it regularly when I do it to them. I also don’t like the fact that we are given no tools other than poke checking (if you pin a player) or kicking the puck (if you are pinned).

Hitting – firstly, I have to admit that I am no good at hitting. It’s rare that I can line up a good hit. However, when I do, or I get close enough to give a shove or a bump, I expect that player to lose control of the puck with the frequency that I do when I get nudged. I also don’t expect, as Jarome Iginla, to get tossed around and manhandled by the Phil Kessels and Marian Hossas of the world. Inclusive to that point, the hitting animations aren’t even close to realistic. Players go flying and flopping like ragdolls and it looks ridiculous.

Skating Backwards – in the promo-videos that they showed it looked like a neat addition…being able to skate backwards and be creative with more control over your feet. However, it feels broken and clunky. It’s definitely unresponsive. Sometimes it doesn’t even work at all. I expect to start skating backward (or at least transitioning that way) the moment I pull the left trigger down. Unfortunately it rarely works that way and leaves me exposed as I try to play the game the way it was intended. I like the concept, but it needs some serious adjusting.

Goalies – I don’t know if there is anything I can say that hasn’t already been said. Superhuman and unrealistic, which leads to the decline of creative high percentage plays.

Warping – happens far too often and is downright glitchy. It occurs the most during points of contact, poke-checking, and pinning…my player will shoot 5-10 feet across the ice from a stationary position, which in turn puts me out of position.

Proximity to CPU is their defence – what I mean by this is that simply by being near a CPU defender is the only defence they need. They are able to strip the puck right off my stick, stunt/block shots, and deflect my passes by doing nothing more than being within 3 feet of me. No poke-checking, they just take the puck right off my stick. This wouldn’t be a problem if I could do the same things. However, I have to swing like a madman or attempt to hit them in order to have any effect on their players.

CPU Goals – this has been a minor psychotic issue for me over the past few iterations of this series. The kinds of goals I have to work for compared to the lame-ass goals the CPU offense is able to score almost gives me an automatic coronary. Floaters from the point, superhuman dekes by fourth liners down low, or unstoppable passes through the slot (despite 2-3 players in perfect position to at least deflect the pass) that are one-timed with perfection. So far, in about 50 games, the CPU has yet to miss the net from anywhere on the ice.

Shoot-outs/breakaways – the reason I dislike them is because I downright suck at them. No matter what kind of moves I pull off, I don’t score. Any pointers?

Chop puck – maybe I just have to get used to it, but as I find it now it is incorporated into the controls poorly. Often I will go to poke a loose puck and end up chopping at it. I understand they have similar effects, but when you’re not expecting it then it can throw you for a loop.

Things I’m not so sure about:

New Potential System – initially, it’s kind of hard to understand, especially since it’s based on a 5 star system that relates to your player’s overall (which is also translated into stars). I’ll have to wait until I get a few seasons in (if I choose to continue playing that long) to see how much of a change this system is from the old one (which was poorly implemented, IMO).

Skating system – one word: clunky. Despite my best efforts over the past few weeks, I can figure out no rhyme or reason for much of it. Often when I gain the puck my player decides to turn the wrong way, such as right into the path of an opposing player. And since it is all (supposedly) momentum based, it’s like trying to turn a Buick back around. On offense, players turn their bodies into odd positions as you tap the analog stick, thus negating what could have been a decent chance. Like the backwards skating, I like the concept…but right now it feels slapped together and…well…clunky.

Rating system – I can’t help but wonder if the folks responsible for the ratings aren’t A) homers, B) going off of NHL.com reports, or C) completely ignorant of the hockey world. I’m absolutely convinced that they know nothing of prospects until a few weeks before the draft. On the other hand, I like the idea of basing ratings on how they match up to their player type.

tl;dr:

Overall…meh. Even when I win I find myself coming away from the game upset and frustrated. I’m almost exhausted playing a couple of games w/ 5 min periods. The game seems to reward you on pure randomness rather than hard work, perseverance, and skill. I often get 35-40 shots per game, and only score on 1 or 2 (while the CPU floats 2 or 3 by me with 10 shots). Other games, against the same team, I score 7 or 8 goals playing the exact same style.

Even though I haven’t truly enjoyed the series over the past 3 seasons, I can’t bring myself to stop playing or buying. Out of everything, that is the thing I find the hardest to figure out.

You couldn't have written a better post expressing my concerns without ripping into my brain and using my own thoughts and frustrated emotions.

Excellent assessment of a fundamentally flawed yet addicting game. It's like a crack addiction. Why can't I stop??!?!?

[vektor]

So I guess they made Luongo the best goalie ever, just lost to the canucks 3 games in a row online outshooting my opponent a total 104-31. Scored 1 goal, 88% faceoff wins. This game is beyond stupid, I wish I hadn't tried it again. I now know how to win nearly every faceoff but still have none of my shots ever go in. Sometimes the game literally decides you aren't winning, I've played near perfect games only to have the opponent be unstoppable and my goalie have a .789 with my opponents luongo at 1.00

[topfiverecords]

I never play the Canucks. They've obviously been rigged. Even in NHL12 Luongo saved nearly everything and all of their shots were capable of warping from stick to back of the net.

[Morning Wood]

Originally Posted by vektor

So I guess they made Luongo the best goalie ever, just lost to the canucks 3 games in a row online outshooting my opponent a total 104-31. Scored 1 goal, 88% faceoff wins. This game is beyond stupid, I wish I hadn't tried it again. I now know how to win nearly every faceoff but still have none of my shots ever go in. Sometimes the game literally decides you aren't winning, I've played near perfect games only to have the opponent be unstoppable and my goalie have a .789 with my opponents luongo at 1.00

+1 on faceoffs and opponent super goalie. I always use CGY, and our players have crappy faceoff ratings, yet I'm 69.7% on draws through 39 games. I actually have a decent record (34-3-2), but 2 of those losses were against an unbeatable Luongo while Kipper had weak shots going in... The game chooses to make you lose it seems. One goal was a slapper top shelf from the blue line that Kipper went into a butterfly on. The puck went off Kipper's mask and ricocheted towards the short side boards, then suddenly "curved" its path right into the net.

Unfortunately, we all have to go through some unfair games... I understand if Kipper stinks it up the random game in dynasty mode, but in an online vs game, I'm thinking the performance of your players should be consistent.

[AR_Six]

In an online vs. game the performance of players IS pretty consistent, in my experience. It's the games against the CPU where it seems to occasionally decide that you're not allowed to win. Shot goes off D-man at random ricochet angle right onto the stick of CPU forward for empty net goal to go up by one with <5 minutes left = seems like every god damn game.

My only real gameplay issue right now is poke check, which everyone and their mom has complained about. Needs to either be de-powered or make it at least 3 times as likely to result in a penalty so people stop ####ing spamming it. I am fine with it remaining the same power so long as you only get to use it once or twice and have to time it right, rather than just pokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokec heckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckp okecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokech eckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheck

[Flash Walken]

Playing against Canuck players is beyond frustrating.

Burrows and Kesler are essentially uncheckable in this game, Burrows especially.

[vektor]

seriously f this game, just snapped my disc. Hopefully you all realize how bad it actually is, the A.I. randomly decides you aren't going to win the game by not letting you touch the puck, I've literally seen the puck gravitate to another players stick and the player glitches his way through my entire defense and my goalie doesn't move, losing a game I outshoot 30-10 where I'm clearly dominating the other team. Garbage, complete garbage

[Hockey_Ninja]

Well i guess this is a game i won't be getting. I'll just save up my money for Halo 4

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by vektor

seriously f this game, just snapped my disc.

I hope you're kidding given that it has quite a bit of trade in value. That would be pretty stupid.

Hopefully you all realize how bad it actually is, the A.I. randomly decides you aren't going to win the game by not letting you touch the puck, I've literally seen the puck gravitate to another players stick and the player glitches his way through my entire defense and my goalie doesn't move, losing a game I outshoot 30-10 where I'm clearly dominating the other team. Garbage, complete garbage

Yes, this has happened to me too and it is annoying, which is why it's far more fun playing online players where the playing field is level.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Playing against Canuck players is beyond frustrating.

Burrows and Kesler are essentially uncheckable in this game, Burrows especially.

Yep, if you want easy wins pick Vanvouver and just keep your hand on the poke check button all game and watch Burrows and Kesler do as they please out there.


EA isn't dumb, they've got a big market in Vancouver. Might as well make these mediocre players play like Gretzky.

[JurassicTunga12]

I just beat the Canucks 7-0 on superstar.

[AR_Six]

Yeah... it's not that hard to beat them. Kesler and Burrows are good at pokechecking and Kesler has a hard wrist shot. There are lots of better forwards than them in this game in every conceivable area.

Scoring on Jon Quick is way harder than on Luongo, I get so many rebound goals on Luongo it's ridiculous. Lundqvist was initially a beast too but lately I've lit him up a couple of times.

[Yamer]

Crawford shuts me down all the time, but I routinely beat tenders like Quick and Luongo.

[puckluck2]

Just beat the number one ranked guy on ps3

[Russic]

Originally Posted by AR_Six

In an online vs. game the performance of players IS pretty consistent, in my experience. It's the games against the CPU where it seems to occasionally decide that you're not allowed to win. Shot goes off D-man at random ricochet angle right onto the stick of CPU forward for empty net goal to go up by one with <5 minutes left = seems like every god damn game.

My only real gameplay issue right now is poke check, which everyone and their mom has complained about. Needs to either be de-powered or make it at least 3 times as likely to result in a penalty so people stop ####ing spamming it. I am fine with it remaining the same power so long as you only get to use it once or twice and have to time it right, rather than just pokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokec heckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckp okecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheckpokech eckpokecheckpokecheckpokecheck

I'm somebody that uses it incessantly. Not sure how it's spamming... it's a feature. You do get penalties if you use it foolishly. Hits are about as effective as they are in real life and you can't push a player off the puck as easily, so I'm not sure what you'd prefer people use. I'm not trying to be an ass... is there actually a better way?

[bubbsy]

i believe the effectiveness of the poke check is by far the biggest change to the gameplay in nhl13. Yes, even greater than the 'true performance' skating.

Unfortunately, as people are learning how to skate better, online play is drifting back to figure skating tactics, as passing lanes are smaller. I used to love playing online vs, back in nhl10 and before, but since then for fans of playing the game in a way that you see the NHL actually being played, offline is the only way to go.

[Komskies]

How do I deleted my HUT and start over? I really don't like a single one of my players and would rather start with a fresh deck.