The “NHL” franchise is still going strong, and EA just ran a closed beta for the newest installment. Players were quick to share their impressions online, painting a very positive picture for the game, as it looks like this is shaping up to be one of the most solid installments in the series to date. We’ve seen various comments on aspects such as the artificial intelligence in CPU opponents, the consistency of online connectivity, and more.
While the beta was limited in some regards – understandably – it still allowed players to get a pretty good insight into what the game has to offer. Various game modes as well as customization options were available immediately, so players had a chance to check out the different components in detail.
As we said above, we’ve been reading lots of comments regarding the state of gameplay in “NHL 17”, and most players seem impressed with what the developers have achieved. The game now features opponents that perform noticeably better against the player, including in more challenging circumstances, so it’s clear that a lot of work has been put into the AI.
On the other hand, those who prefer playing against online opponents would be delighted to know that the overall stability of the game’s connectivity for matches has been improved, and the whole experience is less laggy and more enjoyable. Of course, when reading those comments, it’s worth keeping in mind that the closed beta means a significantly lower number of players storming EA’s servers, so we’ll have to wait for the actual release to see how good the online experience really is.
As can be expected, the visuals of the game have been improved quite a lot as well, with lots of extra detail in various areas. “NHL 17” reportedly takes full advantage of modern hardware, so the game should look every bit as good as a title coming out this year. It’s important that the developers maintain their work on that aspect as well, as in the end, graphical quality is one of the few points where these sports franchises can show a significant improvement.
After all, it’s not like they can do much with the gameplay beyond toying with the base mode of play, so making the game feel and look better should always be a top priority for a franchise like “NHL”. Some particular comments about the graphics in “NHL 17” mention the quality of animations, as well as the dynamic lighting and small details like the audience in the background. We’re curious to see how far this can go in a few more years once VR technology starts to become really popular, but until then, pixels rendered on a good old screen are as good as ever.
There have been some critical comments about the game as well, as can be expected. Some players are apparently disappointed with the variety of customization options presented to them, while others felt like the game is becoming a bit too restrictive and “streamlined” in certain areas of its gameplay.
In other words, there is apparently a bit too much hand-holding in this edition of “NHL” compared to previous ones. If that’s true, it can definitely have a negative impact on the franchise in the long run. It’s clear where EA would get the idea to go in that direction to begin with – making the game more accessible to a wider audience has lots of benefits. But as we’ve seen in the past, it can quickly backfire if it’s not handled correctly.