NHL 14: Demo Impressions, Player Ratings and Latest News

The demo for NHL 14 dropped on Aug. 20. The series is one of the most underrated in the sports gaming universe, and that's probably due to the current place hockey holds in the United States.

Nonetheless, the franchise has pioneered several concepts in sports gaming over the past five years. GM Connected took online franchise modes to a new level, and the game was among the first to use real-time physics.

It's early, but the NHL series looks like it is still quietly leading the way.

Gameplay Enhancements

The gameplay immediately stands out in the demo. It has become a hallmark of the series, and it continues to take steps forward. Incidental contact creates more reactions from players, and that can make a huge impact on the ice.

This is a product of the new collision physics. Through a few sessions, the realism is shining through quite nicely. Hits that take place near the boards as well as in the middle of the ice create awesome physical reactions.

Sometimes, the collisions will escalate to a full altercation.

Fighting Is...Awesome

It isn't too early to call the fighting engine in NHL 14 the best ever in a hockey video game. The collision detection for fists and the variety in the sequence is excellent. That's especially the case considering this is such a small part of the game.

It is clear, the developers wanted to accentuate this aspect of the sport, and they put in the work to make it stand out. The third-person perspective during fights and during other naughty aspects of the action is smart.

The subtle transition from a first-person experience to that of a fan sitting three rows up works perfectly for these sequences.

If you're a goon looking for trouble, the Enforcer Engine is your friend. Every player is live and vulnerable to your attacks. This is way cool.

Perhaps the fights happen a little too frequently, but this could simply be a product of showcasing the mode for the demo.

Playing defense and delivering punishment is sure to be a blast in NHL 14. The enhancements aren't all about defense, though.

Be Nice with the Puck

I really enjoyed the one-touch dekes, although I don't quite have them mastered. I was able to pull it off once with Patrick Kane, but it was refreshing to see the clear difference in stick-handling from one player to the next.

Just to test the validity of the theme, I tried slick moves with players who I expected to fail miserably and they did. 

True Performance Skating continues to increase the quality of the skating. This year's version seems to have focused on momentum, starting and stopping. It all just equates to more weapons at your disposal when looking to light the lamp.

While your eyes may be wide with the new offensive and defensive tools, beginners should cut their teeth in the Free Skate mode.

Scoring goals is challenging this year but not to the point that it isn't realistic. In fact, the increased A.I. on defense is appropriate. Defenders play the passing lanes well and punish you for being careless with the puck.

These things shined through in the Play Now mode, but the demo also offers other options.

The Other Options

Ultimate Team

Ultimate Team is back for the NHL series. The interface has been redesigned and many of the restrictions from the past in regards to salaries and retirements have been removed.

In the demo, you're allowed to play in a tournament after receiving your first set of players. The starter pack I received was pretty impressive. Take a look at the team I began play with. The video below gives a sneak peek at some of the player ratings.

I seem to always end up with Henrik Zetterberg every year, but I'm not complaining. In this year's version, he's rated an 87 overall.

Team chemistry is a focus as your players from the same real-life team, league and country will have the most continuity. The NHL series is the only EA Sports game that brings that much realism to its version of Ultimate Team.

Old School

As a way to pay homage to one of the most iconic sports video games in history, NHL 14 also includes the anniversary edition of NHL '94. Some older gamers like myself remember playing this game for hours.

EA Sports approached this tribute intelligently. Instead of just including the old version with the severely dated graphics, the mode actually uses the same player models from NHL 14, but the gameplay is tweaked to mimic NHL '94's, as are the gameplay controls.

This could actually wind up being the preferred way to play for some fans who can't quite master the analog controls.

A best of both worlds for the retro gamer, perhaps.

Latest News

Release Date and Twitter Love

The full retail version releases on Sept. 10. Judging by the responses the official Twitter account for the game has been retweeting, it seems the demo has been received well.

Hopefully, the retail version only builds on the positives in the demo. Be on the look out for a full review once the game has released on a retail level.

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