EA Sports NHL 22

[Vinny01]

I just had the chance to play one game this afternoon and it was good to be back after a few years away. Looks really nice on the PS5 and I really like the touch of the goal horn and song playing through the controller. I also like the rumble/skating feature lets you feel each stride. The PS5 controller continues to be the highlight of the system.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

So I'm really impressed with the graphics on Series X, which are especially apparently on a 4K TV with good HDR handling.

What I'm annoyed with is EA charging for the Xbox Series X/S version and the Xbox One version separately. What the f-ck, EA, everyone else this generation made and sold one game and Smart Delivery downloaded the version for the appropriate console (except games where there isn't an Xbox One version available at all). Instead if you aren't so fortunate enough to have upgraded every console in your house to a Series X/S (I have a Series X and my other consoles are still One Xs) then you have to buy the game twice.

Thanks, dicks.

It’s actually stopped me from buying the game. I have a PS5 and XSX but my friends I play with are on PS4 or XBO. I could buy the previous-Gen version but then I wouldn’t feel like I’m getting to use my new console.

I said screw it and skipped this year. I’ll get it if they give XSX a free PS4 version in the future but for now I’ll be saving my money.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

So I'm really impressed with the graphics on Series X, which are especially apparently on a 4K TV with good HDR handling.

What I'm annoyed with is EA charging for the Xbox Series X/S version and the Xbox One version separately. What the f-ck, EA, everyone else this generation made and sold one game and Smart Delivery downloaded the version for the appropriate console (except games where there isn't an Xbox One version available at all). Instead if you aren't so fortunate enough to have upgraded every console in your house to a Series X/S (I have a Series X and my other consoles are still One Xs) then you have to buy the game twice.

Thanks, dicks.

I'm on the other side of the fence. I want the PS5 version to be unencumbered by having to stick to the legacy systems. Give me every damn thing the PS5 can do, and if you have to build it so different it can't play nice from one system to the next, then I'm ok cutting it loose.

Your point is very valid, but these games tend to feel _so_ similar that I'm happy to get aggressive with progress.

I'm about 10 games into my franchise and I'm having a great time. The poke check feels more like a poke check and less like a thing magnetically charged to tripping everybody, being in the lanes seems to matter a lot, the puck is active as hell... frankly going to a new engine this year had me ready for a brutal janky mess, so I'm super impressed.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm on the other side of the fence. I want the PS5 version to be unencumbered by having to stick to the legacy systems. Give me every damn thing the PS5 can do, and if you have to build it so different it can't play nice from one system to the next, then I'm ok cutting it loose.

Your point is very valid, but these games tend to feel _so_ similar that I'm happy to get aggressive with progress.

I'm about 10 games into my franchise and I'm having a great time. The poke check feels more like a poke check and less like a thing magnetically charged to tripping everybody, being in the lanes seems to matter a lot, the puck is active as hell... frankly going to a new engine this year had me ready for a brutal janky mess, so I'm super impressed.

These first couple of years it would be nice to have cross gen play. I am the only guy out of my group of buddies who has a PS5. I opted not to get the versions of Madden and NHL that come with the PS4 version but am missing out on playing with them which is unfortunate for me

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm on the other side of the fence. I want the PS5 version to be unencumbered by having to stick to the legacy systems. Give me every damn thing the PS5 can do, and if you have to build it so different it can't play nice from one system to the next, then I'm ok cutting it loose.

Your point is very valid, but these games tend to feel _so_ similar that I'm happy to get aggressive with progress.

I'm about 10 games into my franchise and I'm having a great time. The poke check feels more like a poke check and less like a thing magnetically charged to tripping everybody, being in the lanes seems to matter a lot, the puck is active as hell... frankly going to a new engine this year had me ready for a brutal janky mess, so I'm super impressed.

My point isn’t to encumber a new version with supporting an old version, these are still fundamentally the same ‘platform’ but with hardware upgrades. The whole point of Smart Delivery on Xbox is you get the version appropriate for your hardware. If you buy a game that has an X1X and XSX version available, then you get the X1X version on X1X consoles and the XSX version on your XSX console. But it is the same SKU so you are buying the game once for your Xbox consoles. EA has made them separate SKUs; if you want to play on One X, that’s $79 please. Series X, that’s $89 please. Both? Buy both or get the ‘Ultimate’ edition or whatever they call it.

I have 2K’s PGA Tour game, physical copy. I put the disc into my One X and it installs the game. I put the disc into my Series X and it downloads the Series X version. Imagine you had to buy a new copy of [insert game here] because you upgraded from a GTX 10-series GPU to an RTX 20- or 30-series GPU.

[Esoteric]

So, this gameplay is actually ..... good? I've been enjoying this year a lot, and I hated NHL 21. I'm just having fun playing the CPU, which hasn't happened in a long time.

HUT seeming more accessible too.

[TorqueDog]

Agreed, the actual gameplay is really good, so my bitching about not having the SKUs go cross-gen only takes me so far.

[Hockeyguy15]

I've been doing share play with friends on PS4, they say how nice the PS5 version looks.

[Wood]

I haven't played an NHL game since the PS3. I don't care too much about having the best of the best, so I might pick up a Xbox Series S to get back into NHL finally

[1_Flames_Fan]

When do they generally slash the price? I want to get NHL 22 for my PS5 but I'm not paying 100 bones for it.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

When do they generally slash the price? I want to get NHL 22 for my PS5 but I'm not paying 100 bones for it.

It will probably be on sale around Christmas, maybe Black Friday.

It'll eventually be on EA Play but you'll need to wait until the playoffs for that. I don't like starting a Franchise until after the trade deadline anyway so I don't mind waiting.

[ResAlien]

I appreciate that they let you tank your BAP pre draft interview with Buffalo. Seattle here I come.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

I appreciate that they let you tank your BAP pre draft interview with Buffalo. Seattle here I come.

Ha. I did the same thing.

[Engine09]

I'm liking 22 much better than previous years, seems the poke checking is more useful and results in less penalties. I also used to lay out a player with the puck with a huge hit and they would get up too quick and regain possession, doesn't seem to happen anymore.

McDoofus is rated too high, playing against the Oilers is even more disgusting than watching them.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Engine09

I'm liking 22 much better than previous years, seems the poke checking is more useful and results in less penalties. I also used to lay out a player with the puck with a huge hit and they would get up too quick and regain possession, doesn't seem to happen anymore.

McDoofus is rated too high, playing against the Oilers is even more disgusting than watching them.

Fun tip: when playing the Oilers, turn your sliders physical sliders all the way up (bodychecking, aggression, etc) and theirs all the way down, turn injuries up, and proceed to absolutely punish digital McDoofus for as long as he can stay in the game.

It's a really rewarding way to play.

[Max Cow Disease]

The game does feel quite decent this year. Moment to moment play is generally quite fluid and organic-feeling in contrast to some previous years. The exception continues to be offline play vs. the AI on higher difficulties, particularly Superstar. On Superstar (with default sliders), the game takes on this claustrophobic, grindy, almost "synthetic" sort of feel where CPU players win puck battles at will, laser shots in to your net from anywhere in the O-zone, suddenly start skating and passing at warp speed, etc. In franchise mode I've instead been playing on All-Star with the CPU difficulty slider cranked to 3 out of 6, which feels a bit more forgiving and natural.

The game looks good, too. I like that HDR's finally a thing in the series, and they've done a do-over on a lot of faces in the game as well (Monahan!). The X-factor skills aren't a game changer but are a cool edition and something that helps make individual players seem a bit more unique on the ice.

It's more or less impossible to trade for Eichel as the Flames in franchise mode...

[dissentowner]

Would those who have this say the AI has improved?

[ResAlien]

Maybe? Except maybe not when the puck gets dumped behind your net and both defenceman stop at the top of the crease for some reason, staring intently at the puck, watching the opposing team skate right by them to take control of the zone.

That’s pretty awesome and not infuriating

[TorqueDog]

It has certainly improved, gameplay feels better and looks the part. Definitely an uplift from NHL '21.

[devo22]

I hate myself so much whenever I give money to freaking EA, but I think I'm going to concede at some point this year. Part of me still says no, the other part says "the last version you bought was 18, and buying one every 4 years is fine". Sigh.