So, NHL 14 has been out for awhile, and with NHL 15 being announced for the next generation systems, I figured I'd put in my 2 cents on this game.
First, I'm a huge hockey fan, and with no other real hockey game out there, it's not like you have much of a choice when it comes to playing virtual hockey. The graphics are great and the game play is better than it has been over the years. Game modes like EA Sports Hockey League and Hockey Ultimate Team give you some options other than just playing a single player game that can get pretty boring after awhile. GM connected mode is pretty cool as well, but sometimes finding enough players can be a pain.
Now on to some of the headaches of the game. If you can get to certain areas of the ice, it takes little skill to almost guarantee yourself a goal, we're talking somewhere in the rage of 80 to 85 percent chance. Then there's the poke check. Sometimes you'll be skating with the puck, and someone who is not even near you does the poke check motion and you lose the puck. It's almost like they have the force or something. Other times, you'll be hitting the puck dead on and there's nothing.....somethings wrong there. Inconsistency online is also a big factor in the game. You'll play one game and dominate, then play another and it'll be like NHL all-stars taking on a pee wee team. Very few games have been pretty equal and have given me that "edge of your seat - what's going to happen next" experience. You can say it's a matter of skill, but that's not the case. For instance, one game, you'll be able to line up hits, get takeaways, and pass the puck without any issues, then another game, it's the complete opposite, like you're being handicapped by the program.
If you can get past some of these annoyances (sometimes they can be massive), then you have yourself a great sports simulation game. I'm hoping they fix some of those issues for NHL 15 because if they can, you'll have the best sports game on the planet.