NHL 14 ReviewHello Vizzed! I have been meaning to write this review for a while, I have just never found the time. Since I have a snow day today, I figured it would be a good day to finally write it! So let's get started!
Gameplay (10):
NHL 14 is so much fun to play. It really feels like an actual hockey game. The hits are something that this game is known for. They are slightly exaggerated, but lifelike at the same time. You really can "Deliver bigger, more thrilling checks and true-to-life collisions" The dekes are very smooth too. If time correctly, you can go right through defenders, but if your timing is off, you will skate right into a big hit. The fights in this game are one of my favorite things about it. They completely redid it, making it easier, more fun, and more realistic. You can try to get your opponent off balance by pushing and pulling, lean back and pick your spots, be the aggressor and punch, or time you dodges and get your opponent into a jersey hold, where you can hit them over and over without them being able to defend themselves. NHL 14 uses "True Performance Skating", which lives up to it's name. Everything about the skating is accurate. When a player stops skating they don't just stop, they glide.
Graphics (9):
The graphics in this game are good, but not as good as they could be. The players are somewhat detailed, but it is hard to tell who is who without looking at the back of their uniforms. After a fight, each player has black eyes, regardless of where they got hit, or if they even got hit at all. I also see graphic glitches quite often, such as a player's limb going into the board or a stick going through the net. There are some good things about the graphics too, though. The players do resemble the real version of themselves a little bit. When a skater makes an abrupt stop, "snow" flies, just like it does in an actual game.
Sound (7):
I am not a fan of the sound in this game, but it isn't terrible. The soundtrack is pretty bad, but there are some songs I like (my favorite being Harlem by New Politics) and some songs that fit in with the game (such as The Boys are Back by Dropkick Murphys). The sound effects in this game are good. The punches sound painful, the slap shots sound powerful, and the crowd sounds energetic. The thing that I really dislike about the sound is the commentary. Man are the announcers annoying! The say the same thing over and over again. I can't tell you how many times I have heard them say "And that's a hat trick, he's got three!" I have scored a hat trick quite a few times, and they same the same thing almost every time. If you play just one game, you will hear them repeat themselves. It is very annoying and I hope they will improve it in NHL 15.
Addictiveness (10):
This game took up a huge chunk of my free time from September to December. It is highly addicting, especially Hockey Ultimate Team. It is a very fun game, which is what makes you want to play it over and over again. If you do not get into Hockey Ultimate Team then you may have a chance, but once you do, NHL 14 will have you hooked.
Story (N/A):
It is a sports game, there is no story. Sorry. It is just hockey.
Depth (9):
NHL 14 offers a decent amount of different game modes for you to play. There are not as many as other sports games like MLB The Show, but there is enough to keep you entertained. I will break down some of the game modes for you. Play Now is the first game mode. If you haven't guessed, it allows you to play a quick game. Another game mode is, my favorite, Hockey Ultimate Team. This is the main game mode in NHL 14. Hockey Ultimate Team, sometimes called HUT, allows you to build up a team of your favorite players. It features players not only from the NHL, but also from other leagues such as the AHL, OHL, SHL, QMJHL, CHL, WHL, SM-Liiga, DEL, and more. You start off with the logo, a home and away jersey, and 2 decent players from your favorite team, as well as one other decent NHL player and a bunch of crappy players from other leagues. The point of the game mode is to play games, earn pucks, buy players from auctions or from packs, and make your team epic. Another game mode is NHL 94 Anniversary Mode. It takes modern teams back in time and let's you play with the controls and feel of the original NHL video game. The next game mode I will tell you about is NHL Moments Live. In NHL Moments Live you play moments that actually happened, and have to either re-create them or change them. There are also training modes of course, such as team practice (a simulated game) and shootout mode. Another popular game mode is Live the Life. This is NHL 14's career mode. There are also other game modes such as season mode, be a GM mode, tournament mode, GM connected, and more.
Difficulty (7):
The difficulty of NHL 14 really depends on which difficulty you put it on. It ranges from a 1 to a 10 as you go from Rookie to Superstar. The reason I rated it a 7 is because of how difficult it is to build a good team in HUT. You need to play quite often and be very smart with your pucks.
NHL 14 is a great game that I definitely recommend buying. It is a load of fun, especially when you play with a friend. Please do not reply to this review unless you read it. Thanks for reading my NHL 14 review, I hope you liked it!
Graphics
9 Sound
7 Addictive
10 Depth
9 Difficulty
7
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