Sell me on NHL 18..

[Ratboy]

I've already got 17, and with some slider tweaks I'm reasonably happy with the offline experience (Be a GM mode is my staple).

I just want to know honestly, if there's a reason to upgrade this year (for offline play).

Is the gameplay significantly better (more realistic?) Is franchise mode better?

I've owned almost every NHL game since NHLPA 93..

Sound off below.

Click to read more...

 

[CauZuki]

Defensive skill stick and a few dekes/celebrations added , graphic are nearly the same.
It's a slightly polished NHL 17 with a new mode (3v3 which is fun even in offline) and updated rosters.

I think you should wait for it to go on sale.

 

[Elvs]

I only play this game for franchise mode as well ...

There's no major changes but there's some small things that I like.

1. The Vegas Golden Knights are in the game (this one's obvious).

2. All the new jerseys are in the game (also obvious).

3. You can turn on/off player morale for franchise mode.

4. You can sign extensions with players during the season, but only with players who are willing to negotiate.

5. I prefer the lowered overalls. Maybe because I'm old and liked how players were made 10-15 years ago.

6. Some new dekes are in the game. The defensive skill stick is also useful.


Overall though, the gameplay has the same feeling to it. It uses the same base engine.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Puck control or lack there of make the game frustrating online. It wasn't bad, but they added a Tuner near the end of September, my guess to increase turnover breakaways to focus on the new dekes in the game. Team play out, dekes and cherry picking rule the day. EASHL won't last until Thanksgiving this year.

 

[Beautvillier]

there's more than 3 songs on the soundtrack

 

[ShootIt]

Still on EA Access trial(so limited time played), but so far there is a better discrepancy between a 1st liner and a 4th line player.

You can still play fundamental hockey with the 4th line but I'm not seeing bottom six guys juke me out or score Stamkos level one timers. Nor can I deke with Michael Haley around any defender.

I couldn't find any slider play to enjoy 17. Already found some sliders that are enjoyable, but a challenge on 18.

But still will probably wait for a sale on 18 to purchase.

 

[Joel Ward]

If I were you, I would grab it when it goes on sale around Black Friday. Assuming you are a big Be a GM player, most of the major roster updates will have been done by that point, so the big prospects will be in the game; so that's a bonus.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Wait for it to go on sale , because I don't expect the game will woo you.

Like previously mentioned , it's basically a polished NHL 17.

 

[WaW]

Well, I'm having more fun with 32-team franchise mode than I've had in any franchise mode since NHL 2004 (My Saskatchewan Huskies are in a heated battle for a playoff spot with Minnesota). I haven't tried it but apparently you can do divisional realignment to make any expansion team more realistic (ie create Quebec City and move Detroit back to the Central or create Seattle and move Vegas to the central or w/e)

 

[Elvs]

Well, I'm having more fun with 32-team franchise mode than I've had in any franchise mode since NHL 2004 (My Saskatchewan Huskies are in a heated battle for a playoff spot with Minnesota). I haven't tried it but apparently you can do divisional realignment to make any expansion team more realistic (ie create Quebec City and move Detroit back to the Central or create Seattle and move Vegas to the central or w/e)

Though when you play expansion mode you can't use your custom rosters. I think it's important that OP should know this. For normal franchise mode it works however.

 

[Ratboy]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll hold off for now, doesn't seem like its worth the pricetag.

Maybe later.

 

[DenisSamson3]

If you have a relative or friends that comes over often, you can now play ultimate team in co op. That's the major reason I am going to get the game. ALso nhl 3s is now available for co op. If you only play multiplayer then maybe the game might not be worth it. I spend many hours when my brother comes over with my previous game nhl 16 so it will be worth it for me

 

[Pickle Juice]

just curious do not subscribe to paying for the same game every year or so

is there going to be a game in the future that will be the NHL game of games... lol
i mean this was a good idea because of the vegas knights

 

[Mats88]

Can you still do a World Cup Tournament?

 

[RealRockNRolla]

While I've played the games since NHL 91, I have to say, I am not in awe of this game at all. The effort level put into this compared to NFL and FIFA is just poor, it's like EA Vancouver are happy selling a half polished game. Be-a-pro is still linear and has very little fun to it, Franchise mode is the saving grace but it's still no-where near as in-depth as the other EA Sports games, while HUT just genuinely annoys me, I keep getting put against teams online that have the likes of Bure-Brind'Amour-Gaborik as a top line while I have Tkachuk-Kadri-Nylander as my top line, it just seems like the match making is atrocious. I'd personally save your money for Battlefront II or Assassin's Creed: Origins as at least you know the effort put into those games will be about 50x as much as EA Vancouver has put into this.

 

[Bluesguru]

Defensive skill stick and a few dekes/celebrations added , graphic are nearly the same.
It's a slightly polished NHL 17 with a new mode (3v3 which is fun even in offline) and updated rosters.

I think you should wait for it to go on sale.

This pretty much sums it up. I'll add one more take to this. Right now, I'm not impressed with the gameplay modes and I find them frustrating to play. Even with trying to improve it with the sliders doesn't work............ But I will say I am impressed with the Superstar level which is supposed to mimic realistic play. The Superstar level is good, but the others are thumbs down. At least for now until they make more updates and maybe that will change.

 

[CauZuki]

This pretty much sums it up. I'll add one more take to this. Right now, I'm not impressed with the gameplay modes and I find them frustrating to play. Even with trying to improve it with the sliders doesn't work............ But I will say I am impressed with the Superstar level which is supposed to mimic realistic play. The Superstar level is good, but the others are thumbs down. At least for now until they make more updates and maybe that will change.

My biggest pet peeve is you can't unpin HUT. I don't want anything to do with that pay to win garbage.

 

[Leafs87]

I got it and regret the purchase tbh. Overall terrible game is the best way to describe it. The graphics to me went down (definition of players and jerseys anyways). The mechanics isn’t realistic and the AI is worse then before. The be a GM is decent. A lot more realistic in some senses. However trying to retain players is unrealistically hard and there salary demands change 2-3 mill per season in just a week. If you wait too long or not enough they are unreasonable with there demands. The on ice product is just plain pathetic.

Btw I only play about 3-4 hours a week if even. The price for the “upgrade” if your hardcore about it is obviously “worth it”

 

[ToppsSmith]

Preach this HUT garbage. Haven't touched it since 16 and even then I hated HUT. I'm all Franchise with NHL. HUT is nothing but quick money to EA with no pay off.

 

[Beville]

Until they give human's accurate bodies, I'm not really interested.

Not so much Kessel in this photo, but the guy next to Malkin - what's that all about?!

you get the jist, no actual human shape just a lump more than anything.

 

[5150]

its alot better since the update.

great game, has some holes in it. but the gm mode has been revamped a bit, its harder to succed now. the vegas golden knights adds a little more excitement to the game, oh and fighting is back. and better then ever

 

[Galactico]

Do you live in Canada ? I just bought it on sale at Best Buy for 49.99+tx and I think it's still on sale. I didn't play NHL 17, the last one I had was NHL 16. I easily notice the difference. 18 is better for sure.

 

[Coastal Kev]

its alot better since the update.

great game, has some holes in it. but the gm mode has been revamped a bit, its harder to succed now. the vegas golden knights adds a little more excitement to the game, oh and fighting is back. and better then ever

This is what I hate. The CPU manipulates the game to keep it close. Why people want more CPU involvement on the outcome confuses me. I think the younger generation simply wants to win, even if they have little to do with it. The earlier versions in 09 through 15 were great since the CPU was dumb. If you tried to rely on the CPU for wins, you got destroyed.

Now.... it's a joke. Way too much CPU involvement in the outcome of games.

 

[Edge]

Do you live in Canada ? I just bought it on sale at Best Buy for 49.99+tx and I think it's still on sale. I didn't play NHL 17, the last one I had was NHL 16. I easily notice the difference. 18 is better for sure.

I upgraded from 16 as well and it just feels a lot better and more polished. NHL 16 was the first NHL game I owned since the inception of seasons where I didn't make it through at least one.

Not going to be a problem this time around.

 

[Cup or Bust]

I have not been a fan of the NHL series for a number of years and although this years game is not perfect by a long shot, I believe it has the best performance sliders of any EA game recently. You can actually make the goalies good if you ramp them up. I find the attributes effect adds to the game as well, you can at least find some separation between the players skill wise. Also the size slider makes bigger guys more physically imposing then smaller guys in hitting.

My goalies actually have over .900 save percentages and getting a pretty balanced 30-30 shots for and against on a game to game basis. I do not find the computer cheating by scoring weak goals like previous versions, I usually win if I outplay the other team offensively and defensively and lose if I do not, with fairly realistic stats.

If you are a person that enjoys mostly playing the franchise mode, I think the game is much improved. The stick checking is kind of crazy, but in the real NHL stick work is pretty common as well, I find it makes the defensive side of the game better. I am enjoying it quite a bit so far.