NHL 18

 PlayStation 4
User Score
3.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 105 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 105
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 105
  3. Negative: 58 out of 105
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  1. Ptrac
    Nov 3, 2017
    5
    The game takes NHL 17 and adds a Threes mode as well as a Challenge mode against the CPU. Challenge mode is similar to Maddens "Gauntlet" mode. Only a lot less fun, more of a grind and difficult to obtain decent rewards from. Three's mode is a nice novelty that gets pretty boring after a bit. Otherwise its the EXACT same game as NHL 17. The commentary has not changed. be a pro has notThe game takes NHL 17 and adds a Threes mode as well as a Challenge mode against the CPU. Challenge mode is similar to Maddens "Gauntlet" mode. Only a lot less fun, more of a grind and difficult to obtain decent rewards from. Three's mode is a nice novelty that gets pretty boring after a bit. Otherwise its the EXACT same game as NHL 17. The commentary has not changed. be a pro has not changed. EASHL has not changed, etc. etc. There are some new facial likenesses added but there is still a plethora of obvious ones missing. The online components are filled with bugs, crashes and issues. NHL needs a serious revamp at this point. While Threes mode comes across as a nice refreshing addition it isn't enough to garner positive reviews for this 80% rehash of NHL 17. Ultimate team mode is a fruitless grind that is simply a pay to play mode. If you want to build a good team, you simply have to pony up the real world cash needed to do so. Madden seems to balance this aspect much better. If EA isn't willing to put the money into this game they need to either stop making it altogether or turn it over to a new studio. Its been a yearly case of Deja Vu that is getting really tiresome.… Expand
  2. BSDShoes
    Nov 8, 2017
    0
    One of the worst to date, I have been playing since NHLPA '93 on PC (and NHL 94 on Genesis) and I thought NHL 15 for XB1/PS4 was the worst followed closely by NHL 07 for XB360/PS3 but no.... NHL 18 is by far one of the worst. EA just aren't listening to our feedback at all, EA are underfunding the NHL dev team and Sean Ramjagsingh doesn't know wtf he's doing.

    I love hockey, I love    One of the worst to date, I have been playing since NHLPA '93 on PC (and NHL 94 on Genesis) and I thought NHL 15 for XB1/PS4 was the worst followed closely by NHL 07 for XB360/PS3 but no.... NHL 18 is by far one of the worst. EA just aren't listening to our feedback at all, EA are underfunding the NHL dev team and Sean Ramjagsingh doesn't know wtf he's doing.

    I love hockey, I love playing hockey games, but I really need to break off from this.    … Expand
  3. MightySpaceTree
    Nov 12, 2017
    2
    Essentially the same game as NHL 16, the last in the series that I purchased. Hockey Ultimate Team is just another excuse to drain your wallet and the Frostbite engine continues to be the buggiest thing since A Bug's Life. If only the PS store worked like Steam did and you could return games that you only played a couple hours of. Don't buy, you'll be disappointed.
  4. Galwayer
    Nov 29, 2017
    1
    NHL16 was quite OK, NHL17 felt not so good but it was nice to play a pair of matches online or in franchise mode.
    I try to do the same in NHL18 (franchise+online) and it is a disaster. This is what happens when you take NHL17 and make "improvements". Glitches, unresponsive controls, strange AI, broken penalties, freezy online play... Once in a week I try to return and play again, but    NHL16 was quite OK, NHL17 felt not so good but it was nice to play a pair of matches online or in franchise mode.
    I try to do the same in NHL18 (franchise+online) and it is a disaster. This is what happens when you take NHL17 and make "improvements". Glitches, unresponsive controls, strange AI, broken penalties, freezy online play... Once in a week I try to return and play again, but well.. 5 min is max I can tolerate this game.    … Expand
  5. jimmog52
    Jan 29, 2018
    1
    Don't be fooled by casual NHL gamer. I'm a hardcore fan from all previous years and this year, NHL18, is one of the worst. The realism in this game is gone. All the good thing from the previous has been scraped off and replaced with a sub-par physics. It looks nice visually and it is a nice arcade game, but it is far from a simulation like EA claimed to be. The online gameplay, the AI, theDon't be fooled by casual NHL gamer. I'm a hardcore fan from all previous years and this year, NHL18, is one of the worst. The realism in this game is gone. All the good thing from the previous has been scraped off and replaced with a sub-par physics. It looks nice visually and it is a nice arcade game, but it is far from a simulation like EA claimed to be. The online gameplay, the AI, the poke, the lift stick are all terrible. In summary, this year NHL game is the worst yet. So worse that it is the first time I make many reviews so EA can feel the pressure of making a real simulating game, instead of NHL Arcade 18.… Expand
  6. wapakalypse
    Nov 1, 2017
    0
    First of all, any Critic or User review above a 3 is a complete lie. It is. There are lots of fan boys who are in on the scam that i am sure have vested interested in keeping EA sports above water but it is a sinking ship.

    Do you like paying $80 plus for a broken game, full of bug and glitches? Then look no further. This game DEDUCTS goals. Its removes them, legit goals just    First of all, any Critic or User review above a 3 is a complete lie. It is. There are lots of fan boys who are in on the scam that i am sure have vested interested in keeping EA sports above water but it is a sinking ship.

    Do you like paying $80 plus for a broken game, full of bug and glitches? Then look no further.

    This game DEDUCTS goals. Its removes them, legit goals just disappear from the score board...you will lose games because of it, and if you like winning games because of it you are probably part of the problem.

    It will add time to the clock. As if it was not frustrating enough to hold a lead working against the games momentum programming and trying to prevent a last minute free EA pity goal, well its gonna give your opponent more time as in OH LOOK AN EXTRA MINUTE ADDED TO THE CLOCK.

    Do you like when the game loops? As in takes you back to the same face off draw every 10 seconds until the game crashes? Then you will love this game.

    How about when your AI scores on your own net? Do you like when that happens? Buy this game then cause it happens more than you think it would.

    Do you like playing HUT? well guess what? The IP booters and cheaters aarrreee baaaaaaack and they have zero consequences facing them. Those top competitive season prizes go to them every time.

    It is impossible to call this game a competitive experience. It is no more competitive than those rigged carnival games. If you play EASHL you are going to see goals deducted every second game LOL they just POOF vanish LOL so fun!

    This game is either broken or intentionally designed to cheat. Take your pick its gonna screw you. EA is scamming people. You will have to fight tooth and tail to get your money back and if you buy it through the PSN store YOU WILL NOT GET A REFUND. I have a BBB case open against EA and Sony right now and with some luck and if enough people file against them it will at least damage their reputation.

    So, a broken game that cheats and zero customer support. You will be referred to the EA forum where if you criticize the game in any capacity, you get banned... actually banned for expressing concern or criticizing a severely flawed and broken game. There are numerous fake accounts or plants on the forums claiming that the game works fine blah blah and its all in our heads blah blah but I have evidence and I have a lot of it so if you want to see some hilarious sh*t please watch the links below.

    https://youtu.be/TSQf4UKEt7o

    https://youtu.be/acCghQic2i8

    https://youtu.be/ulARcdLWt80

    https://youtu.be/RQrLLTIzRaA

    https://youtu.be/iPuoKSTezjs

    https://youtu.be/70onWxzIEIE

    https://youtu.be/L_ggUSBJ-vk

    https://youtu.be/vjXsV4Aef2s

    Six of my accounts have been banned from the EA NHL forum for posting these videos and asking questions to the @NHLDev's regarding their broken game. They do not address these issues. These issues happen multiple times a day and I pretty much play this game to capture this footage. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME IT IS BROKEN LOL

    It does not matter how good the graphics are or how many mascots you can create, if the game deducts goals; loops until it crashes; adds time to the clock; allows cheaters to claim top prizes i.e incentive to play; and works against you, there is zero point in putting any time or effort in to a product that has zero effort put into it by the developers. This is the last time I give EA my money. If you want to play this game then i suggest buying it cheap and used.

    I do not have anything positive to say about this game because like I said, graphics are irrelevant when the game does not work. It is broken, buy it and you will find out. At the release of the game it felt like a new game however the above issues were still present, they then patched it multiple times with zero fixes to the problems they just made it more scrubs friendly. Hockey plays and sense are not rewarded, what is rewarded is skate in across the blue line and take any old shot or circle around down load and try for short side free EA pity goals.

    Try it and see ;)    … Expand
  7. domingo00
    Sep 16, 2017
    6
    I understand the fanbois wanting to love the game, but overall its not even a lateral move here, they removed otp , instead of dealing with the issues. Im an NHL fan and though 17 was going in the right direction, but this game is mediocre at best.

    The game play is very glitchy at times, the 3's is fun if your new to the style, but reminds me too much of hit the ice. They attempted to    I understand the fanbois wanting to love the game, but overall its not even a lateral move here, they removed otp , instead of dealing with the issues. Im an NHL fan and though 17 was going in the right direction, but this game is mediocre at best.

    The game play is very glitchy at times, the 3's is fun if your new to the style, but reminds me too much of hit the ice. They attempted to create a better sim, but came up short. The defensive stick is a major plus, but now the poke check is just way too powerful and easy. Games turn into a poke marathon 1-0 games. The same glitch goals still work, and with the lack of decent ai goalies, the same deke works every time. NHL 17 had these but not as bad as this one. Wrist shots right under the crossbar go in 90% of the time... and the goalies don't adapt. It's almost like they don't understand hockey, and aimed to try and cash in heavily on eashl and hut micro transactions. I agree that maybe sticking with NHL 17 or waiting for this to hit the EA vault is he best bet.

    Online team play is one of the features missed the most. Now it's very difficult to get people together to play a game, only your friends can join an "otp" style game, don't know about you but getting 12 friends online at one time is a hell of a task. They seemed to have played this down for the kids and microtransactions crowd... I feel like I wasted $80 on this one. Hope this helps some one save some cash.    … Expand
  8. johnnyhockey
    Oct 3, 2017
    0
    Nhl 18 has lots of bugs, many disconnections, scores not working properly. wrong point totals, had a hatrick in a few games, but score only showed our team with 2 goals, but even after checking showed I did indeed have 3 goals myself, lots of bugs in NHl 18, also still no custom camera, and also the PS4 systen itself has lots of troubles, I would avoid ps4 and nhl 18 altogether, dont giveNhl 18 has lots of bugs, many disconnections, scores not working properly. wrong point totals, had a hatrick in a few games, but score only showed our team with 2 goals, but even after checking showed I did indeed have 3 goals myself, lots of bugs in NHl 18, also still no custom camera, and also the PS4 systen itself has lots of troubles, I would avoid ps4 and nhl 18 altogether, dont give ea sports all your hard earned cash for creating JUNK, or sony for that matter… Expand
  9. Hockeyfan10
    Oct 17, 2017
    0
    Easily the worst NHL game I have ever played. They did add a couple cool features but overall the online gameplay which I normally love is god awful. The poke checking is ridiculously over powered. I don't think I can stress this enough about how over powered poke checking is. Everyone online just hits R1 the whole game which I can't blame them since it works but it's not how the gameEasily the worst NHL game I have ever played. They did add a couple cool features but overall the online gameplay which I normally love is god awful. The poke checking is ridiculously over powered. I don't think I can stress this enough about how over powered poke checking is. Everyone online just hits R1 the whole game which I can't blame them since it works but it's not how the game should be played. Also the goalies are extremely inconsistent. NHL 17 had 100 times better online gameplay.… Expand
  10. MachineGunniner
    Sep 20, 2017
    0
    Without a doubt significantly worse than NHL 17. Terrible AI, and I mean veeeerry terrible. Broken, unresponsive controls. Constant glitches. Freezes too often. The only "new" thing in gameplay is one handed dekes (which we already had in previous game). We really need to come together and stop buying this over priced garbage, so maybe EA can actually try to pump out a half decent hockeyWithout a doubt significantly worse than NHL 17. Terrible AI, and I mean veeeerry terrible. Broken, unresponsive controls. Constant glitches. Freezes too often. The only "new" thing in gameplay is one handed dekes (which we already had in previous game). We really need to come together and stop buying this over priced garbage, so maybe EA can actually try to pump out a half decent hockey game. They're relying on idiots buying this crap every year. So please, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.! It'll save you money, frustration, and disappointment… Expand
  11. djh11001
    Sep 18, 2017
    7
    My feelings are a bit of a mixed bag on NHL '18. I so badly want to love this game, but I feel as though the developers are focusing too much on the fluff and fillers than on the actual game itself. For example: there are little nuances in the game of hockey that make it, well you know... hockey. Such as: If you are overly aggressive in the face-off circle, in real life, the officialMy feelings are a bit of a mixed bag on NHL '18. I so badly want to love this game, but I feel as though the developers are focusing too much on the fluff and fillers than on the actual game itself. For example: there are little nuances in the game of hockey that make it, well you know... hockey. Such as: If you are overly aggressive in the face-off circle, in real life, the official would toss you out, but not here. Pucks do not go into the stands nearly enough in this game. You can jab away at a goalie freezing a puck, with little to no response from his teammates. This physics engine needs to go. The puck physics are pretty solid, but the physics that govern how the players interact with each other is really starting to get stale. We still have no real excitement surrounding the on ice players when you score a goal. Meaning, still NO 5 MAN GOAL CELEBRATIONS!!! I cannot figure out how the FIFA developers can pull off goal celebrations like they do, but it seems to be of no importance to the NHL developers. Seems crazy, considering that this is supposed to be a true hockey simulation, but we still are left with the awkward 2 man canned animations after a goal is scored, while the other on ice teammates skate away like the puck just got shot out of play. So weird that this continues to be ignored by the dev team. Like most sports games, the atmosphere is the key to creating that illusion of realism. But since there hasn't been much emphasis placed on the subtleties of the sport, that realism factor really suffers. Sure, the new 3's mode is fun, but I really feel like that is something that could have been added down the road or even as a DLC option, so that more time could have been spent on improving the overall simulation package. Don't get me wrong. NHL '18 does have better gameplay than NHL '17. However, so far, 18 feels more like NHL 17.2. I am starting to feel as though the NHL dev team might benefit more from doing what the NBA LIVE team just did, and take a season off. The annual installments are beginning to feel more like $60 patches than completely new versions. Unfortunately, without a competitor title being produced, this will most likely never change. Although, as consumers, we deserve more for our hard earned money. In closing, here are a few bullet points to help improve the series:
    -we need a real time physics engine, no more canned animation BS.
    -post whistle scrums in the crease
    -kick players out of the faceoff circles if they are overly aggressive.
    -more loose pucks please
    -more pucks getting deflected out of play
    -too many men on the ice penalties
    -player suspensions for illegal hits and game misconducts.
    -players losing an edge when trying to make quick turns
    -goalie mask customizations, along with putting the actual goalie masks for all the star goalies in the game.

    Overall, I scored NHL '18 a 7 out of 10. Is this game better than NHL '17? Yes, but just slightly, Graphics: looks the same as previous years '16 & '17.
    Gameplay: slightly improved (still missing basic nuances of the game)
    Sound: about the same
    Replayability: Moderately High.
    Buy/Rent/Wait for Sale or Take a pass?: I almost took a pass this year after I played the BETA, however, I sold my copy of NHL '17 and needed a Hockey game to play, so I reluctantly picked it up.
    I would rent this if you can, or hold off for the Black Friday doorbusters, as the EA titles usually are close to half price during that time. I hope this review helped.    … Expand
  12. lizardking420
    Sep 21, 2017
    3
    Absolute trash as usual. Absolute trash as usual. Absolute trash as usual. Absolute trash as usual.Absolute trash as usual. Absolute trash as usual. Absolute trash as usual.
  13. dwayner
    Feb 26, 2018
    0
    Worse game ever without a doubt! Not sure how EA does it however every update the game just gets worse! in EASHL you can only pass, shoot, skate faster, hit, control or pick up pucks, make plays if the momentum is with your team otherwise none of this will work.

    In GM Mode it is very slow in simulating and unrealistic with garbage contracts based on a rating rather then their seasons    Worse game ever without a doubt! Not sure how EA does it however every update the game just gets worse! in EASHL you can only pass, shoot, skate faster, hit, control or pick up pucks, make plays if the momentum is with your team otherwise none of this will work.

    In GM Mode it is very slow in simulating and unrealistic with garbage contracts based on a rating rather then their seasons point production....so in otherwords if you have a player rated a 90 lets say a center, he is automatically gonna be hard to sign with the salary cap even though he might be a 20-30 point player... garbage! Also in GM mode it takes 10 years to set up lines for players to return after simulating 1 day to having to start all over again because you cant save lines! you should be able to edit attibutes in gm mode, over-ride trades (its a video game should be fun to stack teams), should be able to pick the 8 exhibition games of any league you wanna play, should have rookie tournaments, rosters should be larger and should have ECHL affiliates and option to play that league, should even have the world championships every year in gm mode by now! it isnt 1990 anymore!

    EASHL is the worse gameplay i have ever seen in my life and the fact that there is no D to D passing i just had a feeling right there of how bad it was gonna be!, players cant pass 5 feet to a player beside them! I dont know how nobody realizes that when momentum is against you in EASHL EA will slow down your defenceman flat footed everytime! all the skaters skate like zombies!, Your USER and teammates cant control loose pucks, will constantly lose pucks from poke checks 15 feet away from the players! The computers A.i just skates near you and takes the puck away without any effort at all as if he's a magnit! Your USER and Teammates will lose pucks for no reason at all just cuz they held onto the puck 3-5 seconds or itll force him to make an awful pass. EA skates your user away from loose pucks when wide open nets and hits! 1-2 second delays to get shots off however the others team reaction time is perfect, A.i are completely retarded on your team however the other teams is perfect making perfect backhand passes every time right through USERS! You cant take passing lanes away or anything! why bother diving to take passing lane away when the puck just goes through your USER as slow as it does (plus you are more likely to get a penalty anyways as a player will just stumble over you!) Your A.i never plays in the right position and skates into the way of your USER every rush or everytime we have the puck! There are shields around hits, the puck physics are pure horseshiit! players and teams who play hockey right will more then likely lose! EA will skate your USER right into teammates, hits and a crowd of players on purpose! When you do finally give off a hit or whack the puck off of the opponents stick the puck somehow always land on that opponents stick for open nets or break-aways. There is 200 by 85 feet of open ice however this game acts like there is only 2 directions to pin point anything! example is killing a penalty so you skate behind your goal to let the opponent chase and forcheck, but for some reason when the pressure is on my USER opponents will somehow always pick off that puck before we clear it...since my player cant make a pass or use the glass to clear if or icing or %90 of the time you dump the puck out it'll go over your own glass for a penalty as well! This game is just way to slow, choppy, glitchy. garbage!

    Until the ea fan boys who suck ea's ass stop waisting money on this broken game which is sold at $80 canadian, this game will never be fixed! if the gameplay sucks the game will always suck! EA only cares about the coin they make in hut while its the same for the garbage game of fifa with its money grab fut! Anybody who has ever played ice hockey will know that this game will suck! this isnt hockey at all! More like a bunch of zombies skating around at the same speed! EA needs to learn that NHL players do avoid collisions! They can make passes! 5 foot passes or 45 foot passes, they can hit any time, they can forcheck any given time! This game is simply the worse pile of shiit along with nhl 17 to nhl 10! thats right...every game in which Sean Ramjagsingh has takened over! Get rid of your garbage prestige passing! learn that players can control the puck longer then your 2-3 seconds without losing the puck! players can go at full speed, medium speed or even slow speed to trail plays! Man fix this garbage game! Us Canadians try so hard to love this game but how so when you play your first game and 20 seconds later you are ready to smash controllers! Get rid of your garbage ice-tilts and momentum which has ruined these games for the pass 10 years! this game should be fun! Like they used to be not like this garbage in NHL 18 with stupid garbage puck physics! Brutal game and Sean you should be fired! just quit while you are ahead    … Expand
  14. SuomiSoldat
    May 7, 2018
    1
    I love hockey, but I hate this game with all my heart. Every few weeks I give it another go, but after two games I remember why I hate it so much. Everything is sluggish, not just the menus but in-game also. Friendly AI is terrible in so many ways, and the opposing AI is basically a heat-seeking missile which never fails in board plays or other free puck contests. Pokechecking the opposingI love hockey, but I hate this game with all my heart. Every few weeks I give it another go, but after two games I remember why I hate it so much. Everything is sluggish, not just the menus but in-game also. Friendly AI is terrible in so many ways, and the opposing AI is basically a heat-seeking missile which never fails in board plays or other free puck contests. Pokechecking the opposing AI is also useless as 95% of the time the puck just goes to the next player almost like the AI just passed to itself.… Expand
  15. mycarisorange
    Nov 30, 2017
    0
    Get better, EA. You haven't done a thing to address troll goalies or AFK skaters in EASHL and the years have added up. The loyalty you earned in the late 2000s and early 2010s is all but dead amongst the players who used to buy it every year.
  16. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    6
    EA is not a very popular company among gamers right now. With the Battlefront debacle, everyone is finally getting on board that EA is a **** company. This is something I realized 5 years ago after they eliminated their competition in hockey video games. After 2K stopped making NHK 2K, the EA NHL series has either stagnated or just gotten worse.

    My two greatest passions in life are    EA is not a very popular company among gamers right now. With the Battlefront debacle, everyone is finally getting on board that EA is a **** company. This is something I realized 5 years ago after they eliminated their competition in hockey video games. After 2K stopped making NHK 2K, the EA NHL series has either stagnated or just gotten worse.

    My two greatest passions in life are video games and hockey but when they’re combined together I just hate it. It’s so frustrating to watch a company year after year put out the same product with the same issues. They make little changes but for the most part, the game is plagued by issues that have been there for the last 10 years. The game is too slow, you’re too reliant on the games poorly written AI and there are times where the game feels more random than Mario Party. Every time I sit down to play the game, I have the same reaction. At first its fun but after an hour, I need a break from the game.

    Where the game does truly shine is the offline component of the game. Specifically the franchise mode, they have improved the mode and even added to it. Right at the start, you have three options, you can take control of an existing team, you can take control of the Vegas Golden Knights at the expansion draft or you can create a brand new team and do an expansion for them. Personally, I had a lot of fun doing the expansion for a new franchise. Where I have the most fun with these games are building from the draft and drafting has been getting better every year. Now in later rounds, you can occasionally find a gem. Most people buy these games for the online, I buy this game for the franchise mode and it doesn’t disappoint.

    Another new mode EA has introduced is 3’s which is an arcadey 3 on 3 game mode. Its fun but the announcer is bad. It’s trying too hard and its kind of like Kevin James, its “cringey”, awkward, not funny but really trying to be.

    My recommendation, if you’re a hockey fan. Just wait, get it on sale for $20 and avoid the offline. It’s more headaches than its worth. If you don’t like hockey then don’t bother.    … Expand
  17. Iggyshow4351
    Nov 23, 2017
    6
    Thumbs in the middle. The game was more fun in the ps3Thumbs in the middle. The game was more fun in the ps3 days.666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666… Expand
  18. mircopetruzzell
    Nov 25, 2017
    0
    When you play above pro level the game is scripted. The AI decides who wins before the game starts; the decision is made upon how much money (real money) you spend on players.
  19. DaveCoyote442
    Aug 20, 2018
    7
    This game really didn't do much to expand on NHL 17, besides adding the Vegas Golden Knights. The 3 on 3 mode grew old pretty quick. They really should have just named it Arcade mode instead. The gameplay is pretty similar to an arcade game with nothing else really special about it. Even NHL 19 is looking more promising with its pond hockey mode. I sure hope it delivers on making sure itThis game really didn't do much to expand on NHL 17, besides adding the Vegas Golden Knights. The 3 on 3 mode grew old pretty quick. They really should have just named it Arcade mode instead. The gameplay is pretty similar to an arcade game with nothing else really special about it. Even NHL 19 is looking more promising with its pond hockey mode. I sure hope it delivers on making sure it feels like its own game and not what is essentially a carbon copy.… Expand
  20. LudwigBeefoven
    Sep 22, 2017
    8
    I do not understand why people claim that this game is a rehash of last year's game. It is not. It is sufficiently distinct to warrant a purchase. If you play against the CPU, it is quite different. The CPU is much smarter this year. You can really feel the difference from last year's edition.
  21. Kyle_Katarn92
    Oct 10, 2017
    8
    The game didn't change much compared to NHL 17, the stick handling feels a little stiff, the developers brought back some of the old stick moves featured in NHL 13. EA added new leagues this season, the Champions HL tournament is a nice feature too. My main grudge with the game is the Ai's inability to pick up the puck in some situations. The selected player will often have troubleThe game didn't change much compared to NHL 17, the stick handling feels a little stiff, the developers brought back some of the old stick moves featured in NHL 13. EA added new leagues this season, the Champions HL tournament is a nice feature too. My main grudge with the game is the Ai's inability to pick up the puck in some situations. The selected player will often have trouble scooping up a free puck, in some cases they will skate right past it.… Expand
  22. HockeyGamer69
    Sep 20, 2017
    10
    great game............................................................................................................................................................
  23. Greenwood0
    Sep 19, 2017
    10
    NHL Threes is the best new mode ever made on a sport title. It's simple and a lot of fun! You can also play as mascotts. New gameplay moves are also greats!
  24. TheTruthofit
    Sep 14, 2017
    10
    The fact that this game is getting low scores BEFORE IT'S EVEN RELEASED makes sites like this useless or unreliable. Is it NBA fanboys trashing the other big sports title being released the same time as the NBA games? Is it people who hate how NHL is considered one of the best sports titles year after year? I have played evey NHL title EA has ever made and NONE of them was deserving of aThe fact that this game is getting low scores BEFORE IT'S EVEN RELEASED makes sites like this useless or unreliable. Is it NBA fanboys trashing the other big sports title being released the same time as the NBA games? Is it people who hate how NHL is considered one of the best sports titles year after year? I have played evey NHL title EA has ever made and NONE of them was deserving of a failing grade. Click on each reviewer to see if thier biased towards certain systems, sports titles, etc before blindly listening to them. This is great game, threes and sim modes both. Best sports game this year PERIOD!!… Expand
  25. Diabolicjet
    Dec 8, 2017
    9
    Im giving this game a 9 not that it dosent deserve a 10. I had NHL 17 and i was just introduced to this franchise in july i hated it at first but after i learned the game i loved it. I got NHL 18 and yes poke check is overpowering however i never even notice it because i actually KNOW HOW TO GET AROUND IT thats it figure out how to work around it. The game is good tho and i believe all theIm giving this game a 9 not that it dosent deserve a 10. I had NHL 17 and i was just introduced to this franchise in july i hated it at first but after i learned the game i loved it. I got NHL 18 and yes poke check is overpowering however i never even notice it because i actually KNOW HOW TO GET AROUND IT thats it figure out how to work around it. The game is good tho and i believe all the negative reviews are people who suck at the game and have no patience simple as that. Buy it take time with it and learn it.… Expand
  26. superpyro296
    Aug 11, 2018
    6
    J'ai des sentiments assez mixtes par rapport à ce jeu mais ça resterait injuste de donner moins que 6/10. Objectivement, le jeu est "correct" et l'expérience est en général assez plaisante. Toutefois, je peux nommer ici plusieurs aspects négatifs:
    1. Pour pouvoir gagner régulièrement des matchs, je n'ai pas eu le choix de modifier beaucoup de paramètres si je voulais conserver la    J'ai des sentiments assez mixtes par rapport à ce jeu mais ça resterait injuste de donner moins que 6/10. Objectivement, le jeu est "correct" et l'expérience est en général assez plaisante. Toutefois, je peux nommer ici plusieurs aspects négatifs:
    1. Pour pouvoir gagner régulièrement des matchs, je n'ai pas eu le choix de modifier beaucoup de paramètres si je voulais conserver la difficulté "Pro". Avec les paramètres originaux, c'était hyper difficile pour moi (j'ai un niveau intermédiaire). Je m'attendais pas à ce que "Pro" soit difficile comme ça. Je pense que les joueurs expérimentés, de leur côté, se sont plaints de la difficulté "All Star"

    2. Le jeu est parfois très frustrant et j'ai souvent eu l'impression que mon gardien de but n'arrêtait pas beaucoup de tirs et ce, même si c'était Carey Price qui avait des stats assez élevées...

    3. Les graphiques, pour un jeu conçu en 2017, ne sont pas du tout impressionnants. J'avais joué à Nhl2009 à la Xbox 360 avant et j'ai vu peu de différence. On dirait que le jeu n'a pas beaucoup évolué graphiquement avec les années contrairement au début des années 2000 où l'évolution était beaucoup plus marquée.

    En guise de conclusion, je dois avouer que j'ai passé beaucoup d'heures sur ce jeu et que l'expérience reste plaisante malgré le côté assez frustrant du jeu.    … Expand
  27. FTProtocal
    Oct 27, 2017
    4
    Every so often one must admit when they are wrong ... oh so very wrong.

    Originally I gave this game an 8/10, but had yet to experience the full online "experience" - most notably the EASHL mode. At first I thought it was just a little buggy, but with over 100 games in the bag now I can safely say ... this game has SERIOUS (game breaking) problems. If I only played offline, and if    Every so often one must admit when they are wrong ... oh so very wrong.

    Originally I gave this game an 8/10, but had yet to experience the full online "experience" - most notably the EASHL mode. At first I thought it was just a little buggy, but with over 100 games in the bag now I can safely say ... this game has SERIOUS (game breaking) problems.

    If I only played offline, and if you only play offline, or 1v1, you're probably fine, it's a great game, and that could be an 8/10 ... but not so much if you play EASHL.

    I don't eve know where to begin, Johnnyhockey's review is actually pretty accurate, but I can't give it a zero because despite all the bugs and glitches, I still enjoy the game enough to give it a 4 (see my update below).

    TLDR (even for me): EASHL ... I spend 99% in this mode, and just wow ... wtf.

    - if a fight is triggered during the game, there's about a 70% chance the game just 'resets' itself back to the face off prior to the fight. **UPDATE OCT 27*** This bug is GAME BREAKING, in my opinion.

    - Upon scoring a goal there's about a 10-20% chance that the game 'resets' itself back to the face off prior to the goal scored.

    - If someone quits the game any other way than via the menu it seems to trigger a long delay for everyone, and you just sit at a screen showing people in voice chat, then the game comes back, sometimes up to 5 minutes later.

    - As previous years' releases ... during a face off the game sometimes just starts to 'reset' once the face off has taken place and it's entirely possible that the game just loops at this point. Face off, reset, face off, reset ...

    - Stat tracking definitely appears be completely coked out, at least certain stats - shot blocks specifically. You could get 6 blocked shots in a game and it won't register on your career page; however, stats like goals, assists and penalty minutes do seem to be accurate, unless you're in one of those games where you scored a goal and the game 'reset' back to a prior face off

    All in all ... this game is buggy as hell, and is not worth the full price. Don't waste your money unless this is a game that you buy annually ... even then.    … Expand
  28. hamiltonreview
    Aug 12, 2018
    1
    The reason I give this a 1 is because I'm comparing it to NHL Legacy for PS3. It's not a zero because it exists, so is something. The gameplay that made NHL so fun on the legacy systems PS3 and Xbox 360 is not there. The game isn't fun to play, despite good looking advertisements. For me, NHL Legacy HUT is where the action is to be found.
  29. ShadowCaster
    Aug 27, 2018
    1
    Over twenty years of EA programming 3D NHL-games and they still haven't gotten rid of the way the AI cheats. In addition to that, the career they've now had ten years to work on the career mode and the only thing they've managed to change on that over the years is that you can simulate the game when you're on the bench - a feature that is broken in itself as it might give you a simulationOver twenty years of EA programming 3D NHL-games and they still haven't gotten rid of the way the AI cheats. In addition to that, the career they've now had ten years to work on the career mode and the only thing they've managed to change on that over the years is that you can simulate the game when you're on the bench - a feature that is broken in itself as it might give you a simulation of 1 second and the situation on ice will likely have changed in an impossible fashion.

    Continuing on that career, the player team's AI is completely broken, leaving most if not all the responsibilities of picking loose pucks, defending, shooting and other offensive rushes in the player's shoulders while he's capable of controlling only that one player instead of being able to switch them around while actively hindering the player's movement and having to deal with the worst passing game the AI can come up with - Or what do you think of them passing you mostly when you're surrounded by two to three opposing team's players? The coach also blames player for things he didn't do or couldn't have done such as missing a body check that was never attempted or marking his man the moment the player came out of the bench.

    Something that EA has been doing for the last 20 years in terms of the AI cheating, the full-AI teams still get those cheap, sloppy, lazy goals blockable by a toddler who's unaware of what ice hockey is. The opposing AI also gains possessions on loose pucks 95% of the time even if the only one of their players - possibly knocked down by a body check - is surrounded by the whole human controlled team. And as you try to fix it with sliders, there is virtually no difference to how anything works out during career mode, whether or not you have the sliders all the way down or play at the highest preset difficulty - don't forget the face-offs where winning it is a mere formality as the player's teammates have a general tendency of losing the puck immediately afterwards. The opposing goalie is vastly less likely to drop the pucks and their team rarely, if ever makes the mistake of passing a puck straight at the other team's players. The game also seems to possess that Mortal Kombat -esque input reading when the AI doesn't even try to steal the puck until that very microsecond there's pressure on the right stick or R2 to initiate some kind of movement. Not to mention that one-way rubberband if you get too far ahead in a match! All of this results in the player's need to rely on exploits, all of which makes this feel less like hockey in all regards and makes NHL as an institution look bad when they allow something like this to go on in their name for years.

    Controls are vague at best, the passes might go 90 degrees off from the direction you aim at and the game might not respond to even several button presses. As for general overall realism, this game doesn't offer much of it. If you take a look at 2K Sports NHL 2K5 for example, they did everything better (sans career mode) when it comes to the feeling of having a hockey match out there, the injuries and events were actually calculated based on contact points and they had the skill stick system years before EA - and after almost 15 years it's still better than anything EA came up with.

    We can always hope for a change, but this company's history with what they have here proves that nothing will happen apart from roster updates, which they could well implement on existing games as DLC but instead decide to rip off a full price from our backs by releasing "new" games like Activision did with Guitar Hero.    … Expand
  30. Hasa
    Jan 30, 2018
    3
    NHL 18 continues the same trend previous EA's NHL games have, a rushed game with the main focus to make the most of micro transactions.

    The same problems are still in this game that were in the last 10 installments of the series, sticks go through players and pucks, connection issues, freezes, glitches, passes sometimes lock to a completely wrong player, unpredictable AI (sometimes    NHL 18 continues the same trend previous EA's NHL games have, a rushed game with the main focus to make the most of micro transactions.

    The same problems are still in this game that were in the last 10 installments of the series, sticks go through players and pucks, connection issues, freezes, glitches, passes sometimes lock to a completely wrong player, unpredictable AI (sometimes makes retarded decisions uncontrollable by the player and sometimes the AI is OP as is witnessed by so many players letting the AI play defense).

    These same problems have haunted NHL games for about a decade now and there has been little to no attempts to fix them why?

    The only game mode EA really focuses on is HUT and the reason is the obvious revenue from micro transactions from that game mode but even that one is far from flawless because it has the exact same weird problems as the rest of the game modes, but at least that one keeps getting updated but mostly only with new card packs to buy...

    It's not all bad tho. The graphics and animation are great, 3 on 3 game mode is fun as hell (granted, it also has the very same problems).

    If i was new to the series i would have given the rating of 7 but since i have played NHL games hardcore since NHL 07 i can't set aside the very same problems this game series has had since that game. They have had 11 years to fix these errors, yet they never do the only things they add are like new skating physics etc. which is nice as well of course but skating was never the problem anyway... Things like that should be the last thing to fine tune in a mess of a game like this.

    The regular gamer wouldn't give this harsh review but even a new player would notice some of these issues after a few hours of playing.    … Expand
  31. PlaystationRyan
    Apr 13, 2018
    0
    Wanna know what it feels like to play robots on ice? This is robots on ice. It’s clunky, awkward, lifeless, and unrealistic. There are glaring gameplay issues all over the place and it seems their collision system was designed for a game where you actually have control over your players. What a sad excuse for a game franchise, this is the most disappointing and broken game they’ve releasedWanna know what it feels like to play robots on ice? This is robots on ice. It’s clunky, awkward, lifeless, and unrealistic. There are glaring gameplay issues all over the place and it seems their collision system was designed for a game where you actually have control over your players. What a sad excuse for a game franchise, this is the most disappointing and broken game they’ve released yet. Shame on you, EA Sports. I support a full boycott of EA games.… Expand
  32. Lanceuppercut51
    Dec 15, 2017
    0
    Same game different year fellas. Don't waste your money on this **** house of a company. I hope EA rots in hell. DOWN WITH EA. DON'T BUY THEIR GAMES!!
  33. DrummBumm
    Aug 14, 2018
    1
    First off, let me state this game is really fun sometimes when playing together with friends. But that is pretty much where the fun ends. Single player mode settings are either too easy or too difficult. I shouldn't have to experiment with 20 different multiple slider settings to find an acceptable difficulty. The online player base is the CRINGIEST out of any I've ever seen or witnessed.First off, let me state this game is really fun sometimes when playing together with friends. But that is pretty much where the fun ends. Single player mode settings are either too easy or too difficult. I shouldn't have to experiment with 20 different multiple slider settings to find an acceptable difficulty. The online player base is the CRINGIEST out of any I've ever seen or witnessed. Literally 9 out of 10 drop in lobbies I'm sitting there for 2 minutes straight and one person quits before the match starts and everyone follows him out! Its laugh out loud funny. Another awesome drop in thing that happens a lot is a club team with go into drop-ins expecting to beat up on unknowing newer players or scrubs, so if you're playing a drop-in, you are most likely 80% going to end up on the scrub side and get waxed because the club side are too afraid to have an even match up. Truly a sad and cowardly way to game, pathetic. And when they get called out for it, its nothing but a bunch of Canadian teenagers getting worked about their cowardice, swearing at you and laughing like in they're in the right lolll. So, to sum it up, fun with friends, but its immature, trashy, unnatentative, cowardly fan base is the worst of the worst in terms of intelligence and honor, truly the dregs of the earth come out for this one, lol. If there was better matchmaking for non-club players this would be a higher score, but as a drop-in player this game truly reveals the horror in how low intelligence and personal responsibility is for modern Canadian millenials.… Expand
  34. Ivairus
    Dec 10, 2017
    0
    Thanks for:
    "After a hot start to the season, 100 NHL players are getting brand new Ice player items in NHL® 18 Hockey Ultimate Team™!"
    R. I. P. Market...
  35. darryl_lives
    Dec 30, 2017
    0
    virtually unplayable, would get my money back if i could..def last one i buy. the ai has not really changed that much, the most major difference in the game (at respectable difficulty) is you can be perfect, and they will win every puck battle, loose puck retrieve, and poke from waaay further than u possibly can. all without getting the penalty that you WILL.
  36. jstar89
    Jan 6, 2018
    1
    I'm not sure what they thought they accomplished with this game. Honestly, at this point, we should be getting paid to play these instead of us forking over a minimum of $60 to own something that is mediocre at best. It's quite clear and obvious that they only focus and care about HUT, which I will never play. Because all they want is money, money, money. If you really want to boost HockeyI'm not sure what they thought they accomplished with this game. Honestly, at this point, we should be getting paid to play these instead of us forking over a minimum of $60 to own something that is mediocre at best. It's quite clear and obvious that they only focus and care about HUT, which I will never play. Because all they want is money, money, money. If you really want to boost Hockey to younger generations of people stop making garbage games, That is not an insult to the individuals who programmed this. Only toward those who had a hand in deciding to first; consider this a finished product, and, second, pushing it over on us like a heaping pile of manure. I'm not sure what EA pays the "Critics" to say this game is "Great" let alone barely enjoyable, but, I hope it's worth it.

    Now, as for the game-play; sure, that shiny just scraped ice, with the blade tracks looks nice. But, that's almost like smoke and mirrors. The AI is bad, teammates always skate into your way in BaP. Back Skating is almost unreal at times, as if they are literally sprinting while facing you. CPU has godly puck pick-up skills, You skate over the puck, **whifff**, they skate past the puck, it morphs into their being and boom they're down ice with a break away. Also the Coach Feedback is a bit stupid as well. If it tells you to shoot for a rebound and you try to but you magically whiff on the shot and flutter it to the goalie, which results in a "Bad Shot" even if your teammates cleans up the trash.

    Be a Pro (BaP):

    BaP seriously lacks any and all depth. You're basically a paid slave. No customization really, yeah, brands and colors, sure. But, other than that? Nothing. Horrible quality beards, almost why bother. Heads, but no ability to modify them? I just love having a normal looking face for my BaP only to see he has a 7 inch nose that I'm not quite sure could fit inside the required visor in real-life. There's no personal side to your BaP, except that they tell you when you reach a milestone. Why is there no audio or ability to select "First Name" is my player like "Bono" or "Neymar" just one named? All in all BaP is not even a shell of what it should be.

    Franchise/Owner:

    While this is the mode that I play the most (aside from BaP) there are many issues with this as well. With owner mode on, everything is sluggish and slow, seasons take forever if you want to simulate. If you try to go to any screen (i.e. budget, prices, maintenance) from the "Owners Overview" menu (by clicking R3) the game freezes. Lack of full strategies, scouting is a joke. No control over your front office even though you're the GM? Why can't we hire and fire personnel? Arena maintenance is a joke and should only be required in emergencies and the end of the season, not constantly ruining Fan Happiness. It would also be nice, if lawyers and such weren't allowed to dictate things either. There needs to be more Licensing, maybe not as many leagues as "Franchise Hockey Manager" but if you are able to include the "Champions League" get the rest. Free agents, terrible. Submit one contract and have no meetings or interactions with the player you are trying to sign, FIFA 18 has the interactive negotiations, why can't this? You have no idea if they're even interested in joining your team or if your offer is even close to what would be able to sign them. The only way to guarantee you sign them is by offering them way over what they're actually worth.

    I hope NHL 19 is a lot better than this steaming pile of crap, or I'm going to find it hard to give them a dollar, let alone $60+. The only reason I gave this game a ONE and not a ZERO is simply because I'm assuming there were people who worked on this and were not happy with it's "Final" product either.
    Maybe one day EA will come back to its roots and not be terrible anymore, but I'm not holding my breath either. Good Job, money-grabbers,    … Expand
  37. Frosby
    Oct 28, 2018
    10
    This game is great for relax and chill, if you getting realisting simulator you must waiting any next years
  38. 1_Jones_10x
    Feb 15, 2020
    3
    This Game False Advertised everything about it. EA removed many dekes and replaced them with original and useless new dekes. The game is far too unrealistic. The AI is terrible, Body Checking sucks, and stick checks are overpowered. Skaters are skating like peewees, and goalies are swiss cheese. unless you have a stacked team like I do( I.E. 99 overalls) then your players will let youThis Game False Advertised everything about it. EA removed many dekes and replaced them with original and useless new dekes. The game is far too unrealistic. The AI is terrible, Body Checking sucks, and stick checks are overpowered. Skaters are skating like peewees, and goalies are swiss cheese. unless you have a stacked team like I do( I.E. 99 overalls) then your players will let you down. This was probably the best year for hit, since everyone had 90 overalls and higher by January. Overall, this series does not resemble hockey whatsoever. It's the EA Sports Monopoly that targets these young generations to get them to spend more on this game. Don't give in to EAs Demands. They're the worst company Twice for a reason.… Expand
  39. CDannyZ
    Nov 22, 2019
    5
    One of the worst NHL. Missing international championships. The only new thing Is NHL trees, but Its not As long as we can expect
  40. Chibgaming399
    Jul 10, 2022
    8
    This game is great. Just revisited and the graphics aren’t great.but that being said the threes was great and new franchise mode was super good. But they got careless with ratings. Lowest was an 88 in the nhl
  41. rurtu
    Jul 15, 2022
    6
    it's too much of a grind and time spent for some decent stuff. kinda disappointing
  42. Austin36Ween
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    I am an owner of NHL 12, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, and I don't understand why people trash the new NHL games. I'm writing this in 2023, and while I can still see why people pretty much hate NHL 23, the PS4 generation of NHL games are great. I don't know if it's the nostalgia of being my first NHL game, or the new modes, but something about NHL 18 just hits different than others. TheI am an owner of NHL 12, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, and I don't understand why people trash the new NHL games. I'm writing this in 2023, and while I can still see why people pretty much hate NHL 23, the PS4 generation of NHL games are great. I don't know if it's the nostalgia of being my first NHL game, or the new modes, but something about NHL 18 just hits different than others. The old skating engine is a ton of fun, even now. The older roster is a great time, every time for nostalgia purposes. The new dekes make shootout mode instantly 10 times better. I keep praising this game for everything great about it, but I can't even mention this game without acknowledging the greatest game mode in NHL video game history, that being NHL Threes. I have had an un-godly amount of huge laughs, victory yells, and saved replays in this game. Enough said.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Games Master UK
    Nov 2, 2017
    77
    New dekes, revamped defence, and a breezy Threes mode - lots to enjoy, but the clock's ticking for a revamp. [Nov 2017, p.70]
  2. New York Daily News
    Oct 14, 2017
    60
    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.
    Read full review
  3. 4Players.de
    Oct 13, 2017
    79
    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.
    Read full review
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