A much more polished and complete NHL 16 is provided

NHL 16 puts our inner coach and player to the test by bringing every aspect of the sport to our living room. In Be a Pro mode you work your way up from the AHL, get drafted, bust your butt to be placed on the first line, take your team to the playoffs, and ultimately become legend by winning the Stanley Cup. This mode is truly a test of your ability to take a player from nothing to greatness, and is rewarding every step of the way. Sure being a player is easy, but what about managing an entire team in Be a GM mode? Typically Be a GM in a sports game is about signing players, dealing with injuries, lineup configurations, and avoiding the salary cap. However, now you have to deal with trade demands, team compatibility, scouting expectations, and even team or one-on-one meetings to boost morale and player relationships.

Needless to say, the folks at EA’s Vancouver studio had a big challenge with this year’s NHL game; they needed to win back the fans and right a ship that had gone off course, and save a video game franchise that is among the industry’s most high-profile. And it comes as a big relief for me to say that I think that, with NHL 16, they have done just that. Yes, NHL fans, start planning that parade – this year’s game has restored our beloved modes to their original glory, and brought back the ones that were missing last year. Plus, there are some nice improvements and additions that, believe it or not, actually make this one of the best NHLs yet. After playing NHL 16, all I can say is, “welcome back.”

I thought my job was stressful, Be a GM is worse! I do see a lot of in-depth potential with Be a GM mode though it is definitely not how I envision playing a simulated hockey game. That being said, EA has added a class system this year, and for each match you get to decide what kind of role your player will have in the squad. Will he be a sniper with killer shots, a playmaker with reliable passing skills, or perhaps even an enforcer with backbreaking strength and a total disregard for the well being of opposing players. The choice is yours. To its credit, EA is attempting to start off on the right foot with its fanbase this year, acknowledging 2014's missteps and laying out a full list of all NHL 16 modes along with its announcement blog post today. The company took a lot of flak last year for refusing to answer specific questions about NHL 15's feature set until the day before launch.

A few years ago, the makers of the NHL series decided that it was too easy to lay people out with huge, game-changing checks, reasoning that checks like that don’t happen often in the real NHL. This is ludicrous. That’s like the Call of Duty people deciding that players can reload with unrealistic speed and making you painstakingly reload your weapon every time. I don’t care about realistic, I care about fun! Give me back my hits. The players look grotesque. Their faces are falling, eyes are droopy, their jaws are malignant and drawn. It’s a perfect simulation of the real players! Well done. The arenas look great and seem like perfect replicas, so that one weird guy in Ohio who really cares about that is sure to be pleased.

As soon as you land your skates on the ice, you’ll notice the on-ice trainer in action. The barrier of entry is no longer an issue here, thanks to the color coded areas on display. The game shows you where to aim your shots, who’s wide open for perfect passes and where you should position yourself on the defensive side. Pausing in between periods will give you even more assistance due to the presence of coach tips. The menu grading system shows you your strengths and faults as you play, which is a great aid for all types of players. By the time you’ve put some time into this sim, you’ll start to approach the game of digital hockey and improve by leaps and bounds.

After almost a trial year in its debut on current-gen consoles last year, EA Canada has provided gamers with a much more polished and complete product in NHL 16. The gameplay improvements, albeit far from dramatic, do help to enhance the in-game experience quite a bit. While some game modes still feel like they are living in the past, the return of fan-favorites like EASHL and the improved Be A Pro make NHL 16 a power play that hockey fans are bound to love.