NHL 18

We will puck you: the new 18th iceage delivers the best NHL game for years.

While NHL 18 still features that pristine, refined gameplay with plenty of game modes to jump into, it still needs that special something to keep itself relevant with the changing times. Despite that, NHL 18 has enough to keep any hockey fan enthused for months.

It feels like deja vu when you’re playing an exhibition game in NHL 18 because it’s very very similar to NHL 17, but that’s not a bad thing. If you’re a fan of the NHL and you buy this release annually, this review isn’t going to tell you anything to prevent you from your purchase. If you listened to my review last year and picked up NHL 17, as a casual fan who doesn’t pick up every release, this year is probably going to be a skip. There’s just not enough of a change year over year. Threes is a fantastic new mode and a way to enjoy some arcade style hockey (and would be perfect on the Switch wink wink), but it’s just not worth a $60 investment for a casual fan. Die hards will have a blast with NHL 18 and Threes is just an added bonus to what is already a tight, feature packed hockey power play.

Personally, I am still not completely happy with how the gameplay feels.

A pile of news that does not change the basics but extends the game in a way you can easily find your hockey. It's not worth the cup, but it´s worth the presidential trophy. [Issue#278]

If not for the addition of a new - and surprisingly enjoyable - game mode, this iteration of the NHL franchise would've felt exactly like its predecessor.

The gameplay feels familiar, yet revamped to address some of the issues fans have with previous iterations.

The established ice hockey series overcomes itself with new NHL18. Players get a great deal of news, such as Skill Stick for defense, 3-on-3 game mode, or the ability to build their own team. Thanks to the extensive training blocks, you can simply absorb all these new features with existing ones. The NHL is therefore an ideal opportunity for new players to enter the series. Not to mention the fact that all fans must have it.

So, in the middle year of EA’s much-ballyhooed three-year redevelopment of the NHL franchise, things are coming along nicely. New players will have to work to get up to speed, as much as the game tries to help them out, but hardcore puck nuts will find themselves going deep into overtime with this one. The almost overwhelming numbers of ways that the game can be played means that it’s one that will definitely keep you going way past the finals.

Like most US-centric sports games NHL has a reputation as an acquired taste, but really it shouldn’t be. It’s a thrilling, accessible sim of a thrilling, accessible sport, with the varied online and offline modes you’d expect from an EA Sports game, plus a real slap shot to the back of the net in the form of Threes. Bring on the Frostbite engine and an equivalent to FIFA’s Journey mode, and EA might have a classic sports game on its hands. As it is, it’s still absorbing and a lot of fun.

NHL 18 may not win every scrum in the corner or go top shelf with every shot it takes, but it still shows enough grit and hustle to earn your respect. The new offensive and defensive tools are welcome additions on the ice, and the entertaining Threes mode could become a party staple for hockey fans.

I hope that EA prepares something big for next years’ ice hockey. Because otherwise I cannot really understand why the improvements and charges are just very marginal.

New dekes, revamped defence, and a breezy Threes mode - lots to enjoy, but the clock's ticking for a revamp. [Nov 2017, p.70]

NHL 18 is a good game, but I’m biased; even I know that there is little in it that’s new, and NHL Threes isn’t enough make it worth buying. There are great details that I love. The gameplay is fast and tough and takes work to master. But hockey is in danger. It’s in danger of falling behind baseball, football, and basketball in the gaming world, just like it’s lagging behind in real life.

EA Sports delivers a great hockey game that evolves to be more and more realistic every year. NHL 18 is entertaining, fun and a must-buy for all the hockey fans.

Not all of NHL 18's additions are equally successful, with the expanded depth of Franchise Mode overshadowing the flashy but unrewarding NHL Threes. The series continues to offer a good hockey simulation, and while the hardcore and those who play online will be satisfied, there's probably not enough here to make it worth the upgrade for casual fans of last year's edition.

It's still a great hockey game, and NHL Threes is a great addition, but beyond that it's very much the same game as last year's.

There's still a lot to love about NHL 18, even if the core on-ice experience has only seen minor tweaks.

NHL 18 introduces two major modes to its solid array of dated options. The near-revolutionary Expansion Draft takes center stage and needs to be incorporated by other sports games. Hopefully, this won’t be a one-and-done for the series. NHL Threes is a solid change of pace, but ultimately lacks the feel of an excellent arcade experience. Otherwise, balance flaws and lack of innovative gameplay mechanics don’t differentiate between prior years of the game. While it’s still a solid game of hockey, you’ve skated this rink before.

I’ll be much less forgiving if the same flaws that NHL 18 suffers from remain a problem in NHL 19 a year from now, but EA Canada has done mostly right by both casual and veteran players. Big wins outscore annoying misses, and overall NHL 18 is a step in the right direction.

I have a feeling that NHL 18 suffers from its lack of competition. While, as always, its gameplay is strong, its presentation is pretty much perfect from in-game to the menus, and there is plenty of enjoyable modes for all standards of players to sink their teeth into, the lack of substantial new features and innovation mean that it is a step behind even some of EA’s other marquee sports titles.

For some, grabbing the latest hockey game annually is as habitual as picking up their daily Tim Hortons. NHL 18 does bring a great Threes gameplay mode, advanced stick maneuverability and expanded franchise functionality while doing little to address play-by-play commentary, single-player campaign and microtransaction concerns. Great to pick up for the first time in years, but not as big a step forward for year-to-year fans.

NHL 18 isn’t destined to go down as one of the greatest sports games you’ve ever played, but make no mistake about this: It is solid fun.

NHL 18 does enough to keep the lights on at the rink, but its lack of a full-blown story mode leaves the series on thin ice.

NHL 18 has plenty of content for the hockey fan, whether you play offline or online. The new skill focused gameplay is a welcome addition, as well as the party mode "Threes". But just like the previous games NHL 18 feels a little too unpolished on the ice. This series is still in need of a renovation.