![]() ![]() It’s the same gameplay loop that you’ve been dealing with since the Be a Pro revamp and there is little reason to play Be a Pro in NHL 23 that didn’t already exist in NHL 22. While you will notice some new animations and improved AI in Be a Pro, not much has been done to push the mode forward from a feature perspective. As I took a spin through Ones and Threes, I realized both were unchanged. While most of the additions to NHL 23 are improvements from what was on offer in NHL 22, things start to fall off when you make the rounds through the rest of the modes. The empty stadium The inclusion of the IIHF Women’s National Team is welcome. There's no denying that NHL 23 looks much better than NHL 22 did, and seems to better take advantage of the power for current gen consoles. New augmented reality stat presentations will show up between whistles, the crowd will be more responsive depending on the situation, and overall graphic quality is the best it's ever been. In fact, the presentation in NHL 23 is improved in many ways, including the pre-game, post-game, and even some of the cooler moments within the game. It was short, but there’s no denying it’s an improvement. It was nice being able to have Tavares hand it off to Matthews, then to Marner, and then to Morgan Reilly. I made sure the Leafs won the Stanley Cup so I could take in the interactive celebration. To get the full Franchise experience, I simulated an entire season, making trades, signing players, scouting, and even fixing up the facilities. Players seemed to take more shots from a variety of positions on the ice instead of always forcing the puck into the slot. I didn’t have any instances of defenseman retreating into their zone and being board pinned as they often did in NHL 22. When the game ended, I left with the impression that many of the AI shortcomings from NHL 22 were gone. It was a vintage Papi one-timer from the left circle. On a power play, I was delighted to see that Matthews was in the position I’d set for him, and even scored on a dish from Marner. I find removing myself from the equation is the best way to truly see how the AI responds. To test the AI further I fired up the coach mode and watched a third period. Once I was into my Franchise, I was able to tweak the Leafs power play to have Nylander gaining the zone, Marner dishing the puck, and Matthews as the shooter. You can tweak the points awarded for wins, losses, and ties, as well as determine the lengths of playoff rounds and even the sequence of home and away games as a series progresses. You can create almost any league you can dream up, changing the number of teams, conferences, divisions, and so much more. When I moved over to Franchise, which is where I spend the most time, I was impressed with the customization options that were added. I even manged to try out the last chance puck movement feature, which seems more about making the gameplay feel authentic than adding crazy goals. Most importantly, the AI seemed to be somewhat improved, although one game was hardly enough to form a final opinion. I was treated to a hat trick and the subsequent showering of every color hat imaginable on the ice. I noticed several animations that I don’t recall seeing from goaltenders in the past. My first game delivered on showcasing new additions. I dove into Be a Pro to check the AI and new goalie animations. This year also marks the first year that the IIHF Women’s National Team is in Hockey Ultimate Team, which is admittedly not only cool but also important.Īs I dug into NHL 23, my goal was to experience everything that was added to the game as best I could. When you launch the game for the first time it will detail what’s new, listing the AI improvements, X-Factors, animations, presentation updates, and the custom options when you start a new save file for Franchise mode. The list of new features sounds a lot bigger than it is. Fresh ice There's no doubt that NHL 23 looks good on the PS5. Unfortunately, NHL 23 fails to take meaningful strides forward and falls well short of expectations. ![]() The game has and continues to evolve, though, and an annual sports franchise must continuously find ways to provide enough value to convince players to return each year with their wallets open. ![]() ![]() There are sticks and skates, hits and fights, and as Ray Ferraro often points out, the nets haven’t moved in over 100 years. In the case of the NHL franchise, hockey has remained largely the same game for over a century. Annual sports games face a unique challenge in that they must find ways to provide value each year without the benefit of reinventing the wheel. ![]()
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