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‘NHL 17:’ The game hockey fans deserve

Vladimir Tarasenko was chosen as the cover athlete for “NHL 17” through a fan vote on Twitter (Image provided by Electronic Arts).

Andrew Sciascia
Connector Staff

Imagine running into an estranged friend or family member one day in the near future to find that they have refined and matured with age. Now imagine they have been refined beyond any expectation. For the avid, or even casual hockey fan, “NHL 17,” the latest installment in EA Sports annual line of hockey games, is that long, lost friend.

For the first time in years, EA Canada has stepped away from attempting to redefine the world of virtual hockey in order to streamline, refine and polish the rough edges of previous years. If you are looking for another complete makeover for the NHL series, this will not be your game. However, if you are looking for a crisp, smooth finish to the major overhauls of previous years, look no further.

The game still runs on the Ignite engine with a Windows 8 based menu system. The menus are shiny and reactive, crisp and clear. Those fans who were wishing to return to the old fashioned outline based menu system will be disappointed, but in transitioning over to next-gen every EA Sports title has received a menu overhaul. It is not going away.

The Ignite engine was a fantastic addition to previous titles, making play more true to life and reactive. In the previous installment, however, the engine felt slow at times. Hits were unresponsive and the one touch deking was still clunky. This is far from a problem now; the speed of play has been greatly increased and on the game’s most realistic setting, “NHL 17” feels like the fast paced, hard hitting game hockey fans love to watch. The new and improved AI react and adjust as the game carries on in the most intense fashion imaginable making the game challenging for new players and veterans alike.

Complaints relating to lack of depth in “NHL 15” and “16” did not fall on deaf ears this time around, something that typically cannot be said about EA as they currently hold a monopoly in virtual hockey and have been known to be unresponsive to criticism. This year’s game is the deepest it has been in a long time. By enlisting “Draft Champions,” a mode in which players draft an all-star fantasy team to play as through a series of multiple choice rounds, from the “Madden” series and adding a “World Cup of Hockey” mode “NHL 17” diversifies its playbook. Although some of these new modes lack replay ability and could be seen as filler, they do provide a much needed change from previous years of just Hockey Ultimate Team, Be A Pro and Franchise modes.

In mentioning Franchise mode, it would be impossible to not spotlight it, as it was a major focus for the developers this year and may just be the best mode in the game. It would seem this year, creativity was key. It is no longer just making managerial decisions for the franchise of your choosing and taking them through season after season to win championships. This year the ability to relocate, rebrand and re-establish the team of your choosing reinvigorated this game mode. As you take control of the franchise you now manage merchandising and ticket prices, team morale, marketing and promotional advertising. But once again, the biggest change here is the ability to relocate a falling franchise, design the new logo, stadium jerseys and more. Not only are you in control this time around, but you feel as though the team truly is your own. It makes every decision fun and exciting. The mode is an absolute must play – it commands your attention, imagination and mind.

Something about “NHL 17” just feels right. Perhaps the new game modes are superfluous and lacking in depth, but they add something to do when you are tired of the same old game types. Perhaps this title does not attempt to reinvent the wheel and decide that this year hockey is about big hits, or speed or player personalities; it just says it is all of the above and refines each and every focus from past years. Perhaps it is another hockey game with minor improvements, and maybe that is the best part. “NHL 17” takes every criticism the series has received to date, corrects for it and takes it one step further, adding one more dimension. The game is flowing and crisp, responsive and clean. EA Canada has proved that for several years the devil has been lurking in the details; ruining would be great years with minor pitfalls. Not only is EA Sports’ “NHL 17” worth every penny, it is worth a look from casual and die hard hockey fans alike.

Final Score: A+

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