EA Sports, specializing in sports game “simulations,” offers new features for its NHL game in 2024 that will appeal to franchise fans. The latest EA Sports hockey series is NHL 25, the 34th installment in the NHL video game series. The game is promising, with innovative advancements and improvements. New Sapien and Ice-Q technologies and enhanced Franchise Mode features were positioned to elevate the franchise in ways that had never been seen before. Here’s a look at the most notable gameplay improvements in NHL 25.
Sapien and ICE-Q
When NHL 25 was revealed in a trailer, EA showed many new gameplay features. First up, let’s talk about Sapien. This was one of the most anticipated features in NHL 25. With the introduction of this technology, all in-game characters in NHL 25 have received a major visual overhaul. Even though you can’t control Wayne Gretzky for a long time now, you can still play with hockey legends like Quinn Hughes with new updates to cloth and hair strands that provide authentic, lifelike models.
ICE-Q
At the same time, a new AI system is introduced to improve the arena atmosphere and interactions with the environment. Powered by an all-new logic animation system, ICE-Q responds to contextual events on the ice with unprecedented authenticity. The result? The game is more realistic, and you will have more control over the action than ever before. The computer-controlled players better position themselves on the ice and react more naturally to your actions thanks to the major upgrade to the reliability and accuracy of AI. This makes beating the computer much more difficult than it was just a year ago.
Game Modes
NHL 25 features many of the series’ classic modes, including Franchise, Be a Pro, Hockey Ultimate Team, and World of Chel. Let’s examine each of these modes to see what’s new in NHL 25.
Franchise Mode is Enhanced
Franchise Mode got a makeover in NHL 25. Before the launch, EA Sports let on about a completely revamped Franchise Mode, and once again, they hit the mark.
The new main menu is more efficient and faster. You won’t have to wait for the game to react when you press a button — it’s not instantaneous, but almost.
The integration of player conversations during contract negotiations is a major addition. Gone are the days of randomly offering contracts and hoping the player will say yes. Now, you have to convince a player to lower his salary demands, and it adds a lot to the realism of negotiations. The downside: it becomes repetitive. Kind of like real life, but that’s a manageable feature adding a level of realism. The same goes for recurring end-of-season conversations and those that allow us to set goals for our players.
You can also convince a player to change positions. However, according to our tests, not all players agree to this.
One downside to Franchise mode is that the players generated by the game in the drafts still have a gray silhouette instead of a photo in their profile. We might be able to get clear images of rocks on Mars, but we’ve yet to get a preview of what a player will look like.
Become a Pro
‘Be a Pro’ mode, the single-player career mode, follows the usual format. You create a player and work your way up from the minor leagues to the NHL. The decision-making and off-ice interactions are similar to those in previous games. This year, there are more cinematic moments that make the game feel more real and enjoyable, but that’s about it. While these presentation updates add to the entertainment value, the lack of significant changes to the gameplay can be disappointing.
HUT Gameplay
Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) returns to the familiar card-based format, where you build teams by collecting cards in packs or at the auction house. One of the biggest new features is the Ace Four mode. It introduces different rules that keep you on your toes and force you to change strategies on the fly. Additionally, all the experience points you earn in modes like Squad Battles and Rivals are now combined into a single progression track, making it easier to track your progress and rewards.
Oddly enough, some features have been removed from Hockey Ultimate Team. For example, you can no longer view highlights at the end of games. In NHL 24, it was good to review the match to see where the player could improve. Now, it is not possible to do that anymore. The fact that this feature is missing from NHL 25 is quite disappointing.
Overall, the core of Hockey Ultimate Team remains the same, with a few features missing. If you enjoy building fantasy teams and competing online, this mode remains one of the main reasons to play.
World of Chel
World of Chel is one of the favourite modes for most players, and it returns with some updates aimed at improving the player experience. This mode focuses on improving your player and customizing their appearance. The Live Event structure has been updated, with a new scheduling system and competitive tournaments, adding some variety.
While World of Chel offers a fun arcade-style hockey experience, it doesn’t make any significant changes from previous versions. You can still practice, play versus mode online and offline, and play NHL Threes with NHL teams. Online matches are still as chaotic and fast-paced as ever.
Graphics
Visually, the game is beautiful. Electronic Arts uses the Frostbite engine, the same as for Madden. However, there is a clear difference between the two, and we can see that the budget allocated to the NHL series is lower. Does this mean that we should not be interested in the NHL? Absolutely not.
The presentation of the players, the menus, and everything else is up to par. The NHL’s top players look more realistic, capturing the nuances of each athlete — for example, sweat, facial expressions, and jersey physics all feel authentic.
However, it becomes difficult to identify or recognise all the players. So, for the most part, yes, but others could use better modelling.
A Real New Game
The 2024 edition of NHL is a real game-changer that outclasses previous versions! However, players must relearn many aspects and invest time in mastering more complex controls. The upside is that with the new upgrades, hockey enthusiasts have more options than ever to bring their gameplay styles to life on the screen with effective strategies. NHL 25 is a welcome addition to the EA series, and players are likely to enjoy it.
