After a return to form on PlayStation 4 last year, NHL 22 will make the transition to both the PS5 and EA’s signature Frostbite engine – with a first trailer scheduled to debut tomorrow, 19th August. Early details leaked online confirm that the title will be adding Superstar X-Factors first introduced in Madden NFL 20, which it promises will allow you to “feel the personality and power of NHL superstars with an all-new ability system that unlocks the unique skills of the league’s most elite players”.
In the publisher’s American football game, top players like Patrick Mahomes get buffs once they fulfil specific gameplay challenges, such as completing consecutive 10 yard passes without being sacked. It's a system similar conceptually to the Takeovers in NBA 2K as well we suppose.
HUT, the franchise’s unique version of Ultimate Team, will also return, as will the series’ popular World of CHEL. It’ll be interesting to see how the title leverages Sony’s next-gen DualSense controller, because all of the ice skating systems in Astro’s Playroom felt absolutely sublime, and we’d expect similar implementation here. It does look like Microsoft has the marketing rights to this title, though, so it’ll be fascinating to see just how heavily the team at EA Sports dig into the controller’s capabilities.
[source youtube.com, via reddit.com]
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“feel the personality and power of NHL superstars"
Hockey is one of my favourite things, but truth is that NHL players don't have much of a personality at all.
Watch an interview with players, 95% of them are the exact same. Just like the NHL games are the exact same every year.
Can’t wait to unlock Marchand’s unique licking skill
@bpomber I think they mean their playing personality.
I’ve played about 20 hours of NHL 99 in the last month as the Maple Leafs. The only hockey players I know are Sundin and Gretzky.
Optimistic take and I hope to be wrong as a longtime fan of the series, but if I were to bet i’d say they’ll do little to utilize the Dualsense’s capabilities & this year will be a case of style over substance as the switch to a new engine/console usually entails that for sports games.
@get2sammyb oh yeah I think you're right. That would definitely make more sense.
@Jimmer-jammer or the ability to take cheap shots as Tom Wilson.
i'll give the switch to frostbite the benefit of the doubt. Haven't bought NHL in years due to the same old year in, year out... but a new engine could be refreshing. Perhaps I'll pick it up! Just wish EA also developed NHL for PC players as well, but understand the demand simply isn't there for hockey games.
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