The NHL franchise doesn't get the same attention as other EA Sports games, and has almost no staff or budget like the FIFA and Madden franchises. However, the NHL franchise has enjoyed lasting success since the current generation's disastrous debut with NHL 15. As of 2015, the franchise has always struggled with its poor Be a Pro mode and choppy gameplay which can be considered at both surreal and frustrating.

NHL 21, which launched worldwide on October 16, seemed like a real deal during the game's promotional phase, but did the game itself feel the same? Not sure.

Divots on the ice

The gameplay, like the franchise, has seen some success in recent years, but has remained the same as in NHL 15. There are some notable changes in NHL 21. First, ice skating is more enjoyable for ice skating players. elite. There is a noticeable difference between those who are elite skaters and those who are not as they will have more energy and speed in their strides. In addition, the AI ??now feels more stable.

And then there's the back ridge, in the NHL 21 beta I found the backward skating to be slower than in the NHL 20, and it stays that way throughout the game. This creates a skills gap and also means players have to be much more careful when it comes to checking and controlling gaps. However, these changes add a slightly different dimension to the show.

Unfortunately, this is where the gameplay ends. Many of the unattractive aspects that have kept this franchise from reaching its true potential remain intact.

AI awareness may be a little better than in previous years, but it's still a problem as there are still too many cases of a computer-controlled skater taking off from the ground for no apparent reason. This clumsiness has been a problem for years. And if you're looking for graphics changes, keep looking. As with the other big sports games released in 2020, the graphics have remained pretty much the same since Game 1 of the NHL.

Not a free kick

Perhaps the main focus of EA Sports NHL 21's advertising campaign was to promote Be a Pro's new changes. After years of neglect, they promised the mode would get a facelift for NHL 21 with some of these additions including a chat system, in-game challenges, new videos showcasing your career on and off the ice. , and hosting a Vancouver-based radio show commentator James Cybulski.

These changes looked very promising, especially since this mode had barely been used in years. In previous NHL games, Be A Pro was just playing games, planning practices and ... well, that's it. Career mode is even pale compared to NHL 13 or NHL 14 in the previous generation of consoles. I have to admit, I loved and emphasized this mode during the NHL 21 ad campaign.

Despite all the hype, Be a Pro fell short of expectations. Yeah, it really did look deeper and deeper. However, the new conversations made little sense. During my time in NHL 21, there were times the head coach set a goal for me, and even when I did, at the end of the game he still said he was disappointed with my performance.

And then there's the conversation system between the character and teammates which didn't make much sense either. For example, when I was working with the New York Rangers, a newbie asked me why I didn't do the job. It struck me as very strange why a similar newbie would question my game, say compared to a league veteran and a team manager.

The biggest problem with Be a Pro, however, is that it still doesn't answer the main question I've been asking myself for years: why should I play it? The game mode still has no objective and there is no reward for playing. You will not receive World of CHEL items or HUT 21 Coins. All you really get is a glimpse of what it's like to be in the NHL. And judging by what I learned from the Be a Pro book in NHL 21, that's hardly a valid representation.

HUT changes don't break the glass

The Hockey Ultimate team hasn't changed much between NHL 20 and NHL 21. HUT rivals and HUT champions will persist, as will stand-alone team battles. Online playing times and the draft champions, however, took a toll. The addition of HUT to HUT is HUT Rush, an expanded version of Hockey Ultimate Team that features shorter games and three times three actions. HUT Rush is essentially the NHL Threes in the Hockey Ultimate Team, so while EA tried to do this in a promotional campaign, it's not a huge novelty.

It's a bit of a disappointment that the Network Seasons are leaving the NHL franchise. This has been a staple for HUT for years, starting with the PS3 and Xbox 360, and climbing the corporate ladder to Division 1 was fun. It is understandable why it was deleted, but for me that takes away HUT and its purpose.

Cold and hard truth

Like Hockey Ultimate Team, World of CHEL has remained largely unchanged since 2019. However, a few minor additions have been made to the mode.

One of these was the inclusion of the practices in the EASHL. While this is a minor change, it makes a big difference, especially since EASHL players have been asking for it for some time. Second, EA Sports has now added leaderboards for all modes of World of CHEL, including Top 3 and Open Play. As with the addition of EASHL workouts, this seems like a minor change, but it makes playing all CHEL modes much more meaningful, especially when users are playing to climb the leaderboards online. The World of CHEL formula has been working for a few years now and it's nice to see EA Sports continue to add what I think is the best mode in the NHL series.

Finally, there is the franchise mode. Last year has been a big year for franchise mode, as EA Sports have added a new chemistry system to NHL 20, as well as trainers who can manipulate the simulation engine. Unlike last year, there haven't been many big changes in NHL 21. The main innovation has been the return of the trading deadline craze as users now have to control the highs and lows of. the deadline. Trading takes place all day in the ticker and the value of the players changes as the morning and noon turn. This and adjusting the player values ??gives the depth of the mode.

However, the game mode is full of bugs. Intelligence in its current state is not functioning properly because it is almost impossible to unleash the potential of players and you cannot see their stats at lower levels. In addition, the record books were also deposited. Gamers who have only played a few games by 2020 suddenly appear on all-time playlists.

judgment

Before the release of NHL 21, there were a lot of positive emotions. Based on the improvements announced along with the solid beta of NHL 21, the NHL franchise appeared to be making progress. And while I think he's on the right track, he's not there yet. Being a pro still takes a lot of work and the gameplay needs to be tweaked before it can be considered a true hockey simulator.

Has the series been successful in recent years? Of course there are. The fact that many NHL 21 games are too similar to NHL 20 degrades the game score.