NHL 20 Open Beta (July 26th-31st)

[Clint Eastwood]

Just played 3's with some pals and we made a dramatic comeback to win in regulation.

And the whole time they were all happy and I just sat with a neutral look on my face. I wasn't having fun at all. Something like that kind of shows how much I don't like this game.

 

[RedWingzz]

The game is EXACTLY like NHL19, but with worse passing and different commentators.

It's the same game with terrible passing...

 

[Joey Moss]

I like the gameplay other than shooting.. Feels awkward and barely any one timers.

 

[ItMe]

So yes this is a beta and not everything is ready to go but here is my take...

Puck pickup - I find this to be slightly improved. I still see the same problem with a stray puck sliding on the ice and 3 skaters al lfail to pick it up.

Passing - I'm not sure this needs an overhaul. It will just take some time to adjust is all. Leave as is for now and let people get used to it.

Shooting - Seems better, looks better as well. However, there is a problem with all these cross-crease goals (which is more on the Goalie AI still being terrible, and human controlled players in the crease not being abe to interrupt the pass).

Skating - Feels a little clunky, but I think this is definitely improved and will also take some getting used to. I like the fact that a forward can actually blow by a defenseman without them catching up right away.

Goalie AI - Still terrible.... The same goals are let it. The rebounding issue is the exact same. Nothing was changed in this aspect. Really makes EASHL frustrating and unenjoyable.

Defensive AI - A little better, but still not good enough. Like I menioned before, being able to interrupt cross-crease passes would be huge. The puck will literally go right by a CPU or human controlled defenseman without any effort to break it up (yes, pressing the poke check button does not help either).

Ones - I don't play it, not my thing. Same goes for three's and that new game mode.

HUT - Biggest scam on the game and the main reason why EA has failed to upgrade the game. STOP PUTTING MONEY INTO THIS!!!!! YOU ARE BUYING THE SAME S**T EVERY YEAR...kind of like the game itsel lol!!!!

Overall, there is some promise. However, taking a step in the right direction is a fail in itself. They should already be there at this point. I also would have loved to have been able to try franchise but that apparently isn't happening. We are all most likely going to buy the game because there isn't another hockey game available. Although this is a step in the right direction, I feel like we are all going to be bored with the game come December.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Passing is absolutely horrendous. Any pass that isnt within 3 feet gets picked off. Ive also just stopped poke checking since its an automatic penalty.

 

[belair]

All they've done is change the text font and add Cybulski's cringe inducing play calls.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

The animation looks the EXACT same. I have NEVER been negative in regards to the NHL series, but either EA gives no budget to the NHL series, or the developer is horribly out to lunch and should probably be fired. How creativity can be so stunted to this degree, especially in 2019 is beyond me.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

Laggy as ****. Won't be buying this garbage. Done with EA for good.

Sure you are.

 

[Nickmo82]

I didn't buy '19, but I played that beta too... and the little I played of this one felt EXACTLY the same. Can somebody enlighten me as to what I should be looking out for with regards new stuff?

 

[elias026]

Just played 2 games the one thing that never will change is people quitting mid game. First game I scored a 3rd goal to make it 3-1 and he quit.
Shooting feels a lot better and passing needs time to get used to.
The play by play was very annoying and something that bothered me was how many times the puck went out of play after hitting the goalie

But can someone tell me how to win face offs the game always tells me good timing but I think I one maybe 3 in 2 games

 

[Antis4r4h]

What time on the 31st will it end? I've been trying to find answer everywhere. I'm just wondering if it will end at midnight after the 30th or will we actually get to play all day the 31st until midnight? Weird question I know but maybe someone is familiar enough with NHL ea beta's?

EA SPORTS - NHL 20 Open Beta




Also note that this build is 8 weeks old, and they have since made changes to it.

NHL 20 - CHEL Notes - Open Beta Gameplay[/QUOTE]

 

[Grazzy]

It's been pretty underwhelming. I honestly don't even get why they'd bother releasing this beta, seems like a bad business decision. I don't buy the 8 week old excuse either -That makes 0 sense. The shooting seems a bit better as do the puck pick ups, but the skating and passing is arguably worse. If there's no GM Connected this is an easy pass.

 

[IcePhoenix]

What time on the 31st will it end? I've been trying to find answer everywhere. I'm just wondering if it will end at midnight after the 30th or will we actually get to play all day the 31st until midnight? Weird question I know but maybe someone is familiar enough with NHL ea beta's?

EA SPORTS - NHL 20 Open Beta




Also note that this build is 8 weeks old, and they have since made changes to it.

NHL 20 - CHEL Notes - Open Beta Gameplay

Most likely they will extend the beta beyond the 31st. They do that pretty much every year.

 

[um]

god the passing is awful... does every pass have to be held down now?

At least the shooting is a little bit better. 1 step forward 3 steps back.

 

[Cor]

Played a couples Versus Game, and a round of the Ones Eliminator. My Thoughts;

- Commentary and Presentation is much improved, though I think parts of the presentation haven't been put in yet, mainly between whistle stuff (play of the period, play of the game, etc). I feel the commentary is a lot more smooth and dynamic.

- They NEED to put an option of where the scoreboard is. Some people may like it on the bottom, I prefer it at the top. Just give us the option to switch it for all modes in the main menu settings.

- Shooting is A LOT better. This is very well done. There's still a coupe times where players won't make the right shooting choice, but hopefully they can tweak it between now and release.

- One thing I noticed with pickups, is that when players go to try and stay onside by stretching a leg, they will still attempt to pick up a pass while they are in that motion. It still goes past them most of the time (as it should) but when the player does manage to pick it up, I find it it can create a good scoring chance.

- I'm noticing there are some players that when they get going, can fly by defenders skating backwards. I LOVE that. With the new shooting, there was a couple times where I caught a slow defender, blew past on the outside, and while there wasn't enough room to cut in towards the net, I was able to get a nice shot on net, and even sniped one.

- I out-shot my opponent in both of the versus games I played, and ended up winning them both, which is a nice feeling

- I quickly had to stop using the poke check button again. Every time I used it, ended up in a tripping call. Not like I was using it while behind a player, I was straight up with their stick and the puck, and the player just goes down anyway. It was the same thing in NHL 19, but I had hoped they had fixed it, so it took me about 2 periods to stop using it.

- Ones eliminator was cool. It gives it more of a purpose, but I still won't play it much I feel.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Commentary is awful. It sounds like it’s sponsored by Monster.

Gotta cater to the 12 year olds I guess

 

[Terrible GM]

Played a couples Versus Game, and a round of the Ones Eliminator. My Thoughts;

- Commentary and Presentation is much improved, though I think parts of the presentation haven't been put in yet, mainly between whistle stuff (play of the period, play of the game, etc). I feel the commentary is a lot more smooth and dynamic.

- They NEED to put an option of where the scoreboard is. Some people may like it on the bottom, I prefer it at the top. Just give us the option to switch it for all modes in the main menu settings.

- Shooting is A LOT better. This is very well done. There's still a coupe times where players won't make the right shooting choice, but hopefully they can tweak it between now and release.

- One thing I noticed with pickups, is that when players go to try and stay onside by stretching a leg, they will still attempt to pick up a pass while they are in that motion. It still goes past them most of the time (as it should) but when the player does manage to pick it up, I find it it can create a good scoring chance.

- I'm noticing there are some players that when they get going, can fly by defenders skating backwards. I LOVE that. With the new shooting, there was a couple times where I caught a slow defender, blew past on the outside, and while there wasn't enough room to cut in towards the net, I was able to get a nice shot on net, and even sniped one.

- I out-shot my opponent in both of the versus games I played, and ended up winning them both, which is a nice feeling

- I quickly had to stop using the poke check button again. Every time I used it, ended up in a tripping call. Not like I was using it while behind a player, I was straight up with their stick and the puck, and the player just goes down anyway. It was the same thing in NHL 19, but I had hoped they had fixed it, so it took me about 2 periods to stop using it.

- Ones eliminator was cool. It gives it more of a purpose, but I still won't play it much I feel.

I play defense almost all the time in EASHL and the contact seems off. I should be able to bump a small'ish forward to throw them off stride. Not so much if they are a power forward, etc. If it get beat because I miss contact... so be it.

I also like doing the stretch pass, but as we know passing speed it a BIG issue with the beta. Doesn't matter if I am playing a offensive D-man with a 90+ passing, or defensive D-man with a passing rating for 80ish, both are really bad atm.

I think the poke check is fine. Any more changes and players will just spam it (like NHL 17). I use it from time to time with a player coming in on me. The key (imo) is to do it only once, if you miss.. go for contact or shot block. I never do a poke unless the player is in front of me or may about 15 degree off to either side. Side poke checks almost always get trip calls.

The score board. I freaking hate it. Its so in the way. As a D-man it clips off my player during face-offs. Might as well put up a huge Subway ad there instead like Sportsnet does during hockey games (spoiler, I really hate those ads too).

 

[Joey Moss]

The rebound control thing was a cool add this year, but the amount of stoppages from goalies sending the puck into the crowd is going to get annoying.

 

[Cor]

You know what, I really like how you can’t pass through players as often this year. Pass speed needs to increase a bit, but don’t allow pucks to go through players like in 19. Keep it as it is, just a bit faster.

Also, is this the first year where refs and linesmen raise their hands for delayed penalties and offsides, or have I just never noticed it?

 

[Cor]

My early prediction is that Carey Price is going to be the top goalie in HUT this year.

I’m 5-2-0 so far in Versus and both losses have been to Montreal and Carey Price, where Price has been first star because he saved 30 shots.

 

[MaxDummy]

Is it me or the checks are underpowered? I can hit a guy like 5 times and it does almost nothing. Maybe the guy I was playing against was a master at puck protection, or I am doing something wrong. No matter the angle, the player I have (or he has) or the speed I am coming at, I barely push him.

 

[clunk]

i haven't played since NHL 11. This is actually worse. I like the shooting animations visually. I think they're an improvement. They're a bit 'clunk'y though. That's really the only thing I prefer to NHL 11 in the game.

Also, the tripping penalties are ****ing ridiculously stupid

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Don't see any issue in the beta with passing, I like it more than in 19 in fact.
The new pass pick ups (if not intercepted before lol) are really nice and make defending harder, I like that.

What I don't like.
Goalies unless fully tuned up will allow for a lot of cheesy goals, I already saw a couple that usually go in.
Also, will the random pick up thing ever go away? It's really annoying that any player with the slightest of touch always makes the puck go away and it's like tossing a coin who gets it, even if you are in a much more advantageous position.
It's ridiculous and it happens in 19 as well

Ah yes, commentators are atrocious. Can't believe I would miss Emrick

 

[Chris Pronger]

I feel like they’re making NHL games for 12 year olds nowadays.

 

[yzerman]

The rebound control thing was a cool add this year, but the amount of stoppages from goalies sending the puck into the crowd is going to get annoying.

Read on Ea sports forum they are going to tone down that for the realese