Despite not playing a hockey game in decades, I was very excited to tackle NHL 24. Although I’m no expert game player, I’ve really enjoyed spending my time behind the scenes, creating my own character, and trying to be the best. As much ice as possible. The game features multiple modes for both online and offline players with new exhaust engines, constant pressure system, improved physics, and more. From the way players stand to the way they taunt, everything has been improved.
I haven’t had so much fun playing hockey in the last few years, even though there were some things I found frustrating – in particular, monetization. While the overall gameplay experience was fun and something that hockey fans will enjoy, NHL 24’s monetization system is hard to ignore.
What’s new in NHL 24, and was it worth it?
NHL 24 had some serious enhancements that fans already know about. exhaust engineFor example, it has two parts: the constant pressure system And this goalkeeper fatigue system, When you put pressure on the opposing goalie by making aggressive passes and shots on net, you will tire out their goalie.
If you keep the pressure on the opponent’s side on the ice, you will create constant pressure. While this is going on, you drain your opponent’s stamina faster due to the debuff, while you get a buff that increases passing, shooting, and speed.
Of course, the weaker your goalkeeper is, the easier it is to score on them. This is probably my favorite part of NHL 24’s gameplay. One thing that can be infuriating about a hockey game is that the goaltender remains strong throughout the game. The new exhaust engine causes fatigue not only to the goalkeeper but to all the players on your team.
I’m a big fan of how it all happened. The more you shoot and the more aggressive you are, the more tired the opponent becomes. But this is a double-edged sword because in the process you also weaken yourself and become less effective.
I’m also a big fan of the new physics-based combat. This gives players more control over how to pursue other opponents in NHL 24. However, it took some getting used to as I repeatedly found myself in the penalty box for being overly aggressive.
vision passing system It was also a neat system, making it clear who you could pass and when. This was particularly helpful for me, allowing me to press a button to make a better pass.
Between these system enhancements and total control skill moves, NHL 24 makes players feel like they have more control than ever before. This makes it easier for people with higher skills to play amazing games and hit various difficult shots during their matches. Ultimately, I think these are positive changes for the game, but unfortunately, there is still work to be done on this franchise.
NHL 24 has a variety of modes, but microtransactions hold some back
To its credit, NHL 24 has some incredible game modes. 1 vs 1 vs 1 was probably my favorite and honestly I did the best in it. Along with franchise modes, I’m a big fan of career modes in a variety of games. There are so many different ways to play, and of course, I had to put in the effort to create a character.
However, even though it started off okay, it still felt dull. With the exception of some conversations between players, NHL 24’s career mode conversation options felt pretty generic. Still, it didn’t feel like a real conversation between two people who were supposed to be teammates.
However, I will admit that the gameplay in this mode was incredibly fun. Even when I constantly found myself running out of stamina or sitting in the penalty box, I was still hooked to the game.
From what I’ve seen, microtransactions aren’t much different from last year, but there is now a World of Chel Battle Pass. Having to have a premium battle pass, on top of all the other microtransactions in this game, is what I felt bad about. If this was just a free battle pass, I wouldn’t say anything about it.
World of Shell may be the best mode of the game, but it makes the microtransaction agenda in NHL 24 incredibly difficult. It constantly wants you to choose more in-game currency to purchase items. This may be the best mode in the game, but I’m disappointed by how much it forces players to spend money.
NHL 24’s animations are pretty advanced, and the inclusion of Cheryl Pounder is a big deal
While the graphics still look very similar to NHL 23, the animations have been upgraded dramatically, in my estimation. There are tons of new, cool animations including scoring goals, defending as a goalkeeper, and more. There’s a lot to like visually, especially since it was already a visually appealing game before these upgrades.
Having the UI features on ice doesn’t distract me at all and in fact, makes it much easier for me to see what’s going on. Little things, like seeing the skates leaving marks in the snow over and over again, are another nice touch.
However, a major change to the voice cast is the addition of Cheryl Pounder as one of the play-by-play announcers. An incredible hockey player, he has two gold medals from playing in the Olympics (Salt Lake City and Torino) and is a six-time International Ice Hockey Foundation World Champion.
As one of the announcers, she brings a lot of knowledge and enthusiasm to the game, and I was incredibly happy to see her a part of the game. It’s sure to be a significant change with Pounder’s addition to NHL 24.
in conclusion
On a personal level, I like NHL 24, even though I felt the difficulty increased a bit. I have not been a big hockey player these days, due to which I had to face many difficulties. The gameplay was fun and felt realistic even without simulation. It felt like a mix of arcade action and realistic gameplay.
However, increased micro transactions is a major issue that needs to be discussed and hopefully it does not become a trend across NHL franchises. I feel like the World of Chel Battle Pass will get a lot of attention, both positive and negative. Ultimately, gamers’ opinions will likely be divided as some won’t care for it at all, while others will be disappointed by it.
Finally, the incentive for crossplay was also a big deal and will likely make players happy. While current-gen consoles can crossplay with each other, you can still crossplay if you’re on a last-gen console. For die-hard hockey fans, there’s a lot to like about the NFL 24 title. It’s not going to do much to draw in the casual player, but for the most part, I like what they’ve done.
nhl 24
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series
The platform was reviewed on: PlayStation 5 (code provided by EA Sports)
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Vancouver
Release date: 6 October 2023