In the microtransaction-based Ultimate Team, EA’s clearly profitable card-trading team-building mode, those women from IIHF teams make their first appearance. But it’s a good idea, and I could see EA expanding on it down the line to offer us more control over the festivities, and that sounds like fun.īy including full IIHF women’s team and tournaments, not just custom players, NHL 23 makes hockey video game history, even if NHL is the only option on the market these days. It’s not really meaningful, because choosing who hoists the Cup is nothing more than a bland menu selection, which adds little drama. Winning teams can take part in an interactive Stanley Cup celebration, and it’s neat to have the Cup in hand, passing it around to others, and see the names inscribed onto the trophy. The color commentary thinks this makes a difference though, and those snippets sound more like marketing than actual information. Sarah Nurse’s X-Factor, as an example, increases her shot and passing accuracy after taking a hit, but to what actual effect or amount isn’t clear. They remain a passive feature that only occasionally come into play. These receive tuning updates this year, along with fresh abilities in the mix, but amid hockey’s frantic pace their viability rarely seems obvious mid-play. Star players come with X-Factors, another cross-brand touch that – like HUT – applies to its entire EA Sports roster. Plus, the choppy commentary, inconsistent tone, and repetitive cut aways during stoppages make it harder to become immersed in the hockey than it’s been at the series’ peaks.
It’s an uneven jump into a new generation visually. This is a strong year for out-of-the-box balancing, though, and the various arcade modes have their charms, even if they’re just limited sidebars.
NHL 22 puts a lot of energy into promoting Superstar X-Factors, but even giving big-name players unique special abilities doesn’t have the significant gameplay implications you’d expect.
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