NHL 25’s gameplay revamp is the boost the series needs

It’s already August, which means the NHL season is less than two months away, which means that it’s time for players to start counting down the days to the upcoming NHL 25. We were invited to preview the game, getting a first look at some of the new features that are coming to the game, and with some big overhauls to key systems adding in some much-needed new features, there’s a lot to get excited about in this year’s game.

The flagship feature of NHL 25 is ICE-Q, a brand-new system encompassing player control and AI intelligence to deliver the most realistic hockey experience yet. The next gen vision control gives players far more control over their players, making it possible to move around on the ice more precisely, both on and off the puck, emphasising the agility of the game, and letting players make small adjustments when moving through tight spaces. With vision control active, you’ll now lock onto the net, so wherever you’re dribbling, you’ll be able to seize the opportunity for a quick shot when it comes along, and hopefully rack up more goals.

ICE-Q also massively overhauls how the AI works in games. Your teammates will now recognise where you are and how you’re moving, and in turn will make their own runs, opening themselves up to passes and drawing away opposition players. Playbooks have also been refreshed, giving you more tactical options and a real influence on how your team plays, and how you score goals.

Both of these features are tied together by the new Reactive Actions feature, an update of the game’s animations led by motion capture. New animations have been added to offer more obvious visual cues, letting both you and your opponent parse what’s going on in the middle of the action more easily.

The new features don’t stop at ICE-Q, though. One of the biggest new gameplay mechanics is the addition of Skill Based One-Timers. In certain situations, finding an open teammate while in the attacking zone can give you the chance to smash in a one-timer, a powerful shot that requires precise skill and timing to pull off, but will often end up in the net if you do, rewarding skill and adding a bit of added tension to games.

Graphics are getting the update treatment too, with massive improvements to the way players look. Improvements to hair and beards makes players look far more distinct, while an upgrade to the cloth system gives jerseys a clean look that moves realistically in accordance with player movements. These might not be particularly important changes for some, but it brings the NHL series in line with the graphical quality of other modern sports titles.

While that was all the developers wanted to share for now, EA are keen to ensure players know that more content is on the way. Franchise mode is set for a huge revamp, bringing in a sea of community-requested features and improvements. New features are also set to be added to HUT, including a Wildcard Mode and better XP progression systems. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait to find out more about that, but based on what we’ve seen so far, it feels like an exciting year to be a fan of the NHL series.

NHL 25 releases on October 4, 2024 for PS5 and Xbox Series X.