This mode offers 40 3 on 3 challenges with unlockable content as you progress. Threes was introduced last year, so I don’t need to get into that mode but NHL Pro-Am allows you to hone your skills against the A.I. It has a slick social hub that includes EASHL, Threes pick-up games, an NHL Pro-Am mode, and Ones. I know, it’s a bit weird, but whatever I liked the mode. Surprisingly enough, I really loved CHEL, which apparently short for NHL. I am usually a franchise mode kind of a guy where I just want to play with my favorite team and grind away through an 82-game regular season. I spent most of my playtime in ‘The World of CHEL’ mode and I didn’t expect that. It makes for an experience that feels a little less scripted and it is pretty satisfying pulverizing a player like Marchand to the ice. You’ll also see big players paste smaller players against the boards. I saw players getting clipped and flung around like a helicopter. That said, there is more variety in the types of hits you’ll see on the ice. There were times my player would slowly collapse after a hit and I’d be yelling at the screen like a maniac for the player to get up. Players used to fall to the ice in a similar ragdoll-like fashion and you do see a bit of that in NHL 19. The hitting does seem a little more realistic this time around. NHL Threes made for a frustrating experience at times because if there was a defender even remotely in your way, he’ll block the shot – every time.
I get it, there are a lot of blocked shots in the NHL but NHL 19 seemed a little over-the-top in that department. I did however, notice that there were far too many blocked shots.
So I’d hate for the dev team to tinker with that area needlessly. I’ve often felt NHL nails those passing and shooting mechanics. The shooting and passing mechanics remain, for the most part, unchanged and I am quite happy about that. The player’s crossovers and carving look close to the real thing. Skating in previous NHL games felt a little stiff and you don’t get that this time around. Using Real Motion Tech (which was also used in Madden and FIFA) players seem to turn on a dime and more realistically work out of tight corners. Most notably, the skating mechanics have improved this year. NHL 19 is a smoother and more authentic hockey experience. Cuts on a DimeĪs I say that, I still don’t want to take anything away from the game. In fact, it’s rock solid but I cannot help but think what more could have been done if EA Sports had dug a little deeper into their wallets. Again, this is not to say NHL 19 is a decent game. Likewise, a single player story, like we’ve seen in Madden and FIFA would be absolutely perfect in NHL 19. The NHL Ultimate Team mode is nowhere on par with Madden’s Ultimate Team which offers far more depth and variety. It boils down to resources and to be perfectly honest, it certainly appears the NHL dev team is shortchanged a bit.
#NHL 19 PC SERIES#
When I step away for a minute and take stock with where the NHL series sits on EA Sports priority list, it’s clear it is near the bottom. But was I blown away with anything I saw in the game? Not really but that is okay as NHL 19 should be enough to keep the hardcore fans coming back while maintaining a hockey game that is accessible for newcomers. It looks, plays and offers more depth than ever. Sure, NHL 19 brings a suite of new additions that unquestionably improve the experience. Like most of EA Sports games, it is all about making those incremental improvements from year to year. So naturally, I went in this year fully anticipating I would not see NHL 19 game rebooted in any way. Likewise, sales numbers have remained steady. They’ve definitely made improvements since 15 but we haven’t seen any game-changing innovations in a long time. For the past two years, review scores have been nearly identical. Ever since NHL 15, which may be considered one of the worst in the franchise, the series has essentially played it safe. I feel like EA Sports NHL franchise has been stuck in cruise control for a couple of years now.