NHL 13 Review: Breaking Down Expert Opinions on EA Sports' Latest Title

Tuesday, Sept. 11 was the release date for one of the most anticipated games of 2012; NHL 13. With an impending lockout looming, the fans of hockey must look to the video game to get their fill of the sport that could disappear for a year…again.

While the real NHL may deprive the fans the sport they love so much, EA Sports NHL 13 will offer video game addicts and hockey enthusiasts alike a game that everyone can be proud of.

NHL 13 may not be full of the innovations that Madden 13 was this year—most notably the new physics engine—but EA’s NHL franchise was already in the upper-echelon of elite sports video games.

With a few minor tweaks and some adjustments to flaws pointed out from NHL 12, the EA Sports crew has developed a game that could save even the most jaded NHL fan from the lockout woes.

Every aspect of the game has been changed in one way or another, but if you don’t believe me, look to what the best experts in the video game field are saying about the latest installment.

What the Experts are Saying

Bleacher Report’s Brian Mazique breaks down the gameplay and realism of NHL 13:

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The biggest boons in this category [gameplay & realism] are clearly the improvement of the A.I. and the enhancements to the skating engine. Both are done excellent and they make an already awesome gameplay engine even better.

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Games Radar’s Richard Grisham talks about the best gameplay mode in this year's edition:

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The most impressive mode is the all-new GM Connected. Long overdue, it’s an online league that allows potentially hundreds of people to compete together in a league as GMs and individual players. Traditionalists can have their own teams, but the opportunities for creativity are boundless, such as co-op seasons with groups of friends on the same team--something that’s never been done before. One big drawback has been the menu load times, though; they’re frightfully long.

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IGN’s Colin Moriarty is reporting on the changes to the skate mechanics in NHL 13:

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True Performance Skating marks a paradigm shift in the series by making the very act of skating less arcadey and more realistic. That means no more turning on a dime when barreling full speed towards the boards or shadowing a rushing player without sacrificing some modicum of control. What it does mean – easily understandable to anyone who grew up playing hockey – is that speed sacrifices control, and staying in control, in turn, sacrifices speed.

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GameSpot’s Brett Todd breaks down exactly what makes this year's edition and all NHL games from EA Sports so great:

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Realism is the cornerstone of just about everything that happens on the ice. Players skate, shoot, slash and brawl just like they do in the real NHL. Playing positionally sound hockey is a necessity, as is some sort of understanding of the actual game and the ins and outs of the NHL. If you need to Google what a diamond is or have no idea that cycling here does not involve wearing really tight shorts, you might want to do some reading before picking up a gamepad. This looks like an arcade hockey game, but it plays a lot like a simulation when the puck is dropped.

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Donald Wood’s Take

As an NHL fan first and foremost, the talk of the second potential lockout in ten years has serious grief in the heart of every hockey enthusiast across the world. If the league takes away the sport for an entire season like they did before, there will be no casual fans left outside of Canada.

With all that said, NHL 13 could be many younger hockey fan’s ultimate salvation.

Just like Madden 13, the new expanded career portion of the game allows you to play in massive online leagues. With no real NHL on television or in our arenas, the next best option besides actually going out and playing the sport on our own would be playing with our friends online.

While the gameplay has improved, the changes aren’t as drastic as one would have hoped after playing Madden 13.

The hope is that the same physics engine used in the Madden series can now be altered and used in the NHL series next year. If the physics in the hockey game were as good as the Madden game this year, I wouldn’t be able to put the controller down.

This game is well worth the price, but if there is no NHL season, it will be even more valuable.

Check back for more on the National Hockey League as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s NHL page to get your fill of all things hockey.

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