9/4/2023 0 Comments Nhl 21 review![]() Generally, these additions are good decisions to enhance the core gameplay, but the game looks and feels like it did six years ago - which is to say that it's at least three years too old. The goal dekes are well balanced (read: hard to pull off in the action), so they're a rare occurrence rather than a guaranteed goal. There are some signature dekes to shake opponents and score signature goals, like a lacrosse-style goal. There are new dekes and methods to chip pucks ahead, which is a countermeasure to zone entries being tougher against the AI. Coupled with NHL 20's maneuverability improvements, NHL 21 feels very smooth to play, even though not much else has changed. ![]() Animations, especially individual skating animations, look much more animated and natural in this iteration. The main way to score goals is to be the good old one-timer like it's always been, with snap or slapshots sometimes being much harder to push over the line.Īs for AI improvements, NHL 21 also introduces a few new animations and dekes into the mix. Goaltending has also seen some renovations, but they feel relatively minor in-game. Again, it is a huge step up from the downright devastating decisions that AI companions made in previous years, but there's still room for improvement. Equally, when the AI tries to enter the zone on its own, pucks are often and regularly turned over. When in puck possession, they frequently turn over pucks or choose to wedge it to the boards rather than carrying it out of the zone. AI teammates will make horrible decisions. On the flip side, the AI is still lacking on the defense. Entering the offensive zone is also more challenging in NHL 21, since opponents have a much better awareness of the puck carrier to cut off entry routes into their defensive third. In the offensive zone, your teammates will make mostly intelligent plays and be in position to wait for the pass to set up scoring chances. I'm happy to say that the AI has improved across the board. Let's start with general gameplay improvements, with a focus on AI and goaltending. If you had hoped for an overhaul with next-gen consoles on the horizon, you might want to pass on NHL 21 because the base game still feels and looks unchanged. However, what has not changed is the overall presentation and foundation. Developer EA Vancouver also promised improved animations and AI, new dekes, new game modes, and minor improvements all around. With these expectations firmly in place, I was still cautiously excited at the announcement that EA would finally spend some time on its Be A Pro career mode, which is several years overdue at this point. Updates to yearly sports titles are never groundbreaking, but compared to FIFA or Madden, NHL seemed in especially dire straits with fewer sales and less budget to make meaningful improvements year over year. Some of the most exciting additions, such as the revamped Be A Pro mode, are bogged down by bugs and offer little else to sink your teeth into. Some long-overdue improvements have finally arrived, but the final product feels more like an overpriced refresh than a worthy reason to upgrade from NHL 20. While that likely did not mean more development time for this entry, this year's improvements feel meatier than recent installments - although that doesn't necessarily mean much. NHL 21 released one month later than usual, most likely due to the NHL season starting late. Not everything has changed, though: EA's sports titles keep dropping to maintain some normalcy in our lives, and NHL 21 is no exception. Games, Konami, Nintendo, and Xbox with Bethesda in tow, there's a notable repeated absence from the list as Sony bows out once again.With COVID-19, the world has been trying to adapt to the new normal of working from home, maintaining safe distances, and wearing masks. After picking up heavyweights like Ubisoft, Capcom, Take-Two, Warner Bros. Next up, E3 2021 is shaping up after the event's absence from 2020's calendar. Our cast compare and contrast Xbox's Game Pass lineup and Game Pass Ultimate options with PlayStation's answer across several different services (PS Plus and PS Now), with varying prices and benefits. While Xbox continues to grow one one of the best deals in gaming, PlayStation doesn't seem pressured to be competitive in that space. This week, our host Daemon Hatfield, joined by Ryan McCaffrey, host of IGN's Xbox podcast, Podcast Unlocked, and Jonathon Dornbush, host of IGN's PlayStation podcast, Podcast Beyond discuss the growing gap between Xbox and PlayStation's subscription service options. Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch 2020, our new show following all the news and rumors on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Series S.
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