How do you beat superstar? (PS4)

[PatrikBerglund]

Playing single player seasons against computer in HUT and really struggle against superstar.

Impossible to defend when they just pass around for an eternity and then snipe far corner.

Impossible to create good chances since they are faster, stronger and stick-lift, shuv against the boards and poke you with ease. Then there's the goalies... Mine are brutal, theirs are Dominik Hasek every single game.

How do you do it?

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[Nickmo82]

I find rage quitting and playing a better game to be very effective. NHL 18 is fast losing it's fun factor IMHO.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

I find rage quitting and playing a better game to be very effective. NHL 18 is fast losing it's fun factor IMHO.

Sure.

But how do you score on superstar? Where do you aim? I haven't had a single breakaway in like 40 games.

 

[17of26]

Sure.

But how do you score on superstar? Where do you aim? I haven't had a single breakaway in like 40 games.

You keep taking shots on net until the AI decides to let you score.

That's what it feels like anyway. The quality of scoring opportunity doesn't seem to mean much of anything. Goalies consistently save cross-crease onetimers with superhuman movement and then let in lazy wrist shots from the point.

 

[Nickmo82]

Sure.

But how do you score on superstar? Where do you aim? I haven't had a single breakaway in like 40 games.

If you want more breakaways, job the skating sliders a bit.

 

[Psyfer]

If you want more breakaways, job the skating sliders a bit.

You can't do that in HUT anymore.

If you have a breakaway challenge the best thing to do is position lock lw take a penalty and cherry pick and you can get the cpu to give up breakaways shorthanded.

I can beat the superstar CPU pretty regularly if you haven't already change your strategies from the default there are a few guides out there you can try a couple and find one that works for you, it makes a big difference though.

On defense don't get caught chasing and stay in position and eventually you can get them to turn it over.

On offense take as many shots as you can, D to D onetimers are usually open if you can get set up in the zone, make sure your offense is set to overload and cycle for one timers in the slot if you can. high glove shortside works really well if you can get there.

Another strategy is when you get a lead you can cheese the the cpu by throwing the puck back behind your net from across center ice and when your goalie picks up the puck pin in to the net often the CPU will not attack you and will sit there and do nothing.

 

[Flamesfan62]

Easy, you score more goals than your opponent.

 

[Tak7]

1) Adjust the sliders a tad for a more fair game balance. Skating speed, agility, and puck control slightly stanted in your favor helps with that balance.

2) Never take control of your Dmen. I find that always grabbing control of a winger / center on the backcheck when the other team brings the puck up ice, helps with the defensive part of the game, more-so than taking control of a Dman. Controlling Dmen is too difficult, and within 2 passes by the AI it always seems like you are out of position, so leaving the Dmen to the CPU and you just controlling the backchecking wingers or centers is the best option. The only time I take ocntrol of Dmen, is when they get the puck.

3) Adjust your strategies. If you find that, for example, your team doesn't have enough pressure on the forecheck, up your forechecking pressure. if you find that within 2 or 3 quick passes, the AI are exiting their zone pretty quickly as if your players are pilons, then pull the forechecking back to have more players in the neutral zone.

 

[JuJu Mobb]

Don't chase the puck around in D-Zone.

Slightly increase poke check power and accuracy in the slider settings.

Op is right tho, the cpu passing pattern is ridiculous.

 

[Tak7]

Don't chase the puck around in D-Zone.

Slightly increase poke check power and accuracy in the slider settings.

Op is right tho, the cpu passing pattern is ridiculous.

Yep, and if you try and balance it through sliders (turn down passing accuracy, etc), it turns them into utter shit.

There's just no balance there.

 

[BigRig4]

Never, ever give them space. Heavy forecheck with fast skaters, attack the puck carrier through the neutral zone, tight point with fairly high pressure in the defensive zone.

 

[542365]

Don't let them get set up in the offensive zone. If you challenge them at the blue line they will either dump the puck in or you destroy them with a hit. Either way you get the puck. Then it's all about skating to space. Draw somebody close to you in the offensive zone, play it back to the point and fire it. Spam shoot for rebounds or deflections and you'll score. Once they get set up in the offensive zone, there's basically nothing you can do other than hope your goalie makes the stop. Control one of your forwards in the slot and just try to intercept that cross seam pass that they try every single time or block the point shot. They're pretty predictable if you play against them enough. They do the same thing every time.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

If only the goalies were more equal, I'd stand a better chance. Mine ALWAYS let in the easiest shots while the opposing goalies make cross crease saves with ease.

And the constant stick-lifts from all angles + small nudges separating you from the puck...I mean, how is this anything close to realistic?

 

[Greaves]

Don't chase the puck around in D-Zone.

Slightly increase poke check power and accuracy in the slider settings.

Op is right tho, the cpu passing pattern is ridiculous.

Above post is correct. For superstar I decreased penalties a tad so the other team doesn’t dive as soon as I start to poke check. I was playing an offensive style game and either winning by one goal (think 6-5) or losing in blow outs in my first season. This crushed the morale for my goalie and created a vicious circle. In the playoffs, I started trapping using 1-4 and I don’t have my D pinch at all. If I turn the puck over, the whole team falls back. Also when the opposing team sets up in my zone, I take my player and play positional hockey where I’m cutting off passing lanes as the Center. This is to eliminate green zone shot attempts. This will keep them shooting from the boards (red zone shots). This type of hockey creates a lot of turnovers and gives you an edge. I think I’m 50-7-2 or something like that this season. It’s my second season.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Just lost 9-0.

Shots 34-22, but none of my shots were even dangerous, despite being in good positions.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Btw. I play in 1st div against pc, in hut.

 

[Bluesguru]

It seems to me full simulation in All Star mode is the most fun to play in one on one vs PC ( 6 minutes instead of the default 10 ).

And I just realized if you consistently carry the puck holding the L1 modifier down it makes the game look more realistic and gives it better flow as the agility plays out more in puck carriers and everything just flows better. And if you play that way it makes executing the new deke moves more possible if you wanted to.