New aspects in NHL 16 give it some welcome layers of depth

EA Sports skipped the new generation of consoles with NHL 14 leading to very high expectations for NHL 15. As things turned out last year's game was utterly underwhelming, and some fans even argued that NHL 14 would have been a more fitting title for NHL 15. But that was last year, and luckily EA Sports has redeemed themselves with NHL 16. Facilitating ease of play there is now a drop-in option, making it possible to play with other people when your buddies aren't around. Apart from this the structure is more or less the same. You create your own player, and watch him follow your precise instructions on the ice. This year however, your player won't progress his skills the more you play, but remains locked to his initial set of stats. Presumably this decision has been made in order to preserve game balance.

The Be a Pro mode is back, and it is improved this year. I was glad to see that you can now work your way up through a junior team before being drafted into the NHL. For me, this was definitely the strongest single-player mode in the game. It is so deep, from the authentic shift-simulation, which once again allows you to sim to your next shift, to the on-ice visual hints (we’ll get to that more later), to the valuable coach feedback between shifts. The team at EA have really nailed the experience of being in a real NHL career, and you will feel like a genuine hockey star once you get immersed into it. My only quibble is with the interactions with coaches and the team. It is done through static dialogue boxes and still images, rather than animations. I know such a small touch would have required EA to put in a lot more time and resources, but it would have been a nice touch of authenticity. Hey, the NBA games are doing it, so why not?

Granted those modes above are great single player experiences, but as I mentioned earlier NHL 16 is all about being social and putting your skills up against someone else. The biggest online mode is the Hockey Ultimate Team. Build a team lineup from opening packs of cards that are purchased via the marketplace or auction house with an in-game currency. Currency is gained by completing certain tasks online and offline. While online you will be matched against someone else and their currency created team. Climb your way through the leaderboards and gain recognition among your friends and opponents. I am not entirely sure if this has smart matchmaking, but for my sake I hope they do or else your online experience may not be entirely enjoyable and you'll spend most of your time playing this mode offline. Also added is Team Play, which is a 6v6 mode that will definitely incorporate and encourage team play in order to come out victorious.

Similar to the Hockey Ultimate Team is the EA Sports Hockey League, which allows you to drop into any multiplayer game session or join a club to compete against other clubs to achieve points, rank up, and earn sweet badges to place next to your user ID... and, of course, bragging rights. Not as in-depth as HUT, though a nice collaborative mode if you have enough friends or an interest in playing in groups. Another returning feature is the ability to skip other player’s shifts when you are on the bench. Unfortunately, the few seconds it takes to simulate, coupled with UI being navigated, makes the entire process feel more arduous than it should be. Combine that with the fact that you are being rotated in and out every one to three minutes, and you have a slow, poorly-paced game of hockey. The fact that you have to play twenty-minute periods makes it all the more disappointing, and ultimately kills what could have been a highly upgraded feature.

NHL 16 includes an online multiplayer suite, with shootouts, traditional competitive matches, team play, and the online seasons of the Hockey Ultimate Team mode. The clear highlight is the return of the EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL). It allows players to create a character and take them online to compete in team matches with a group of friends or strangers with the drop-in quick match option. Prior to each match, players choose positions and then classes within those positions. If you want to be a sharpshooter who focuses on goal scoring, that's totally fine. Just select the appropriate class.

New aspects in NHL 16 like the on-ice trainer and the Morale system in Be a GM give the game some welcome layers of depth, and the actual gameplay is as good as ever. However, you can’t help but get the sense that the biggest additions to this year’s game just came from putting back features that were cut from last year’s title.