When EA Sports announced NHL 15 for the new generation of consoles, I couldn't have been more thrilled. I'm an avid hockey fan, backing my local Avalanche any chance I can get and even cheering on the Bruins every once in a while. And the idea of the game stepping up to the next level with everything we've come to expect from the NHL franchise was really something to look forward to. Which makes it all the more awkward when I played the final game. When it comes to core mechanics, NHL 15 truly delivers, with all the excitement of a one-timer going into the net and a last-second goalie save still being completely intact. But when it comes to delivering the crucial content that fans were expecting from this series' debut on new consoles, NHL 15 can't quite finish the power play.

 

After a humbling experience on the ice in my first game, I decided to dive into some of the other features NHL 15 had to offer. My favorite had to be Be-A-Pro mode, where you create your own player, put him through the draft process and begin your career in the NHL. Completely divergent from the core game of NHL 15, you ONLY play as your player, so you have to make every second on the ice count. I found this to be an interesting change of pace from a normal game where you control all players on the ice. Spending time on the bench or in the penalty box motivates you to do things differently so you can spend as much time in the game as possible.

 

In terms of how you play and learn the game, however, the new on-ice visual trainer is the biggest revision to NHL gameplay since the league added delayed offsides and the trapezoid behind the goal crease. Turn on this optional feature, and you’ll see a new overlay during gameplay that tells you very clearly where your passes would go, where your shots would hit on the net (if at all), and even tells you what kind of check to use on defense. More experienced players, such as myself, might scoff at this idea, thinking it’s just for newcomers to the franchise. But if you choose the adaptive training option—so NHL 16 picks up on your skillset dynamically—after just a couple games it’ll focus on more advanced aspects, and I found that even I still had a thing or two to learn. Thanks to the visual trainer’s advice, I have a better than 50-percent winning percentage in the faceoff circle for quite possibly the first time ever.

 

My passing percentage is up, and while I’m not scoring so many more goals to make the game no longer entertaining (unless it’s single-player HUT), I’m definitely putting the biscuit in the basket at a better clip. NHL 16’s visuals are fantastic. Player models look excellent, with enhanced facial features and new equipment elements. On-ice animations are smooth for the most part, despite a few awkward glitches from time to time. There’s an incredible amount of depth, from small details such as marks on the glass in the penalty box, to detailed facial animations and player celebrations.

 

Even Hockey Ultimate Team, the one mode that seem like it wouldn't be touched, was hit with a cut. Players can only play against others via matchmaking instead of playing directly with friends. Everything else still stands, from the ability to form your team with trading cards to grinding things out with the team (either online or offline). It hasn't changed from previous versions, and the microtransaction system is still intact.

 

With almost every mode missing at least one thing or another, there's only one that has remained intact through the console transition: NHL Moments Live. Here, you can step into some of the more famous scenarios from the 2013-2014 season and try to re-create those pivotal moments. You also have the chance to play around with history and alter a few of those moments for a completely different outcome. For NHL fans, this is a nice bonus mode, and the promise of more moments from the upcoming 2014-2015 season ensures that the game will have new content for some time.