anyone get NHL 14 yet?

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
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I was planning on buying it via xbl marketplace, but apparently MS is still choosing to live in the dark ages. What is their end game? Wtf do they gain by not releasing games on day one digitally? I mean - they want to put an end to used games sales, this seems like the way to do it.......

Anyways, the demo was really great and I think improved on a lot of what 13 was missing. The Retro mode looks really fun too. I usually just play vs people online, have never really played any of the other modes despite hearing great things about them. What's your favorite game mode?

Can't wait to get this, not sure if i wanna pick it up at BB, or wait until its available to download.

EDIT: Just to clarify why I would prefer digital over physical, I play on 3 separate xboxes: the one in my room, one in our living room, and one at my friends house. Rather than having to take the DVD with me everytime I go somewhere, and sometimes have to worry about my roommate taking it out of the xbox and scratching it up, I can just install it on all three systems, and as long as im signed in on xbl im able to play it. A lot of times ill be on my way home from work, and if my friend call me and tells me to grab NHL and lets play at his house, ill have to drive home, grab it and then go back out, whereas if it were digital, I could just go there and play - no problem.
 
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smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
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It is not MS living in the dark ages, it is the whiners that cry "but I want a disc because my internet might go out once a year!"
 

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
2,846
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It is not MS living in the dark ages, it is the whiners that cry "but I want a disc because my internet might go out once a year!"

well no reason not to offer both, which is what they will eventually end up doing. Still makes no sense.

Well at least I see that madden is now available to download, which is promising for NHL. Im not sure if the same thing happened with madden though.
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
It is not MS living in the dark ages, it is the whiners that cry "but I want a disc because my internet might go out once a year!"

You always say the same damn thing. shut up with that crap...it's incorrect and insulting. Nothing stops MS from releasing day one digital like Sony does too.
 
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Nemesis13

Golden Member
Jun 7, 2006
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i skipped this years version, i dont like having to fight everytime i lay a big hit
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
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i skipped this years version, i dont like having to fight everytime i lay a big hit

I was wondering why many of the reviews put the fight mechanics front and center. If it is like you say, it isn't really a hockey game anymore. Hmm...
 

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
2,846
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Im guessing if your going by the demo, im sure they had the fight frequency turned all the way up so you could try out the new fighting system, so im really hoping the actual game isnt like that.

I play mostly online versus, so im hoping that the other person will at least have to initiate, and you both wont end up fighting every two seconds when neither of you wants to fight. But I 100% agree that would be pretty dumb if it were the case. Every time i tapped one of their star players I would have to fight, am I supposed to avoid that?? Its a damn video game, and every time I have the chance, im going to knock patrick kane's head off.

Im eventually going to buy - and hopefully soon, so ill report back if this is the case.
 

codyray10

Senior member
Apr 14, 2008
854
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I picked it up last night and got in a best of 3 series with my brother (I won 2-1 btw). While it is definitely fun, I feel like they simplified too much. The gameplay feels faster than last years game, which imo is a good thing, and I do like the new checking system. You can use your momentum to check players by just running into them, as opposed to having to use the right analog stick every time. The hits can be pretty brutal, it never gets old laying someone out a few seconds after a whistle.

However, as stated above, I think they focused too much on the fighting system. Just about everytime you lay a big hit on someone, a computer controlled player will come rushing out of the blue and try to start a fight. Also, I dont particularly care for the 1-button deke and spin moves. I think last years game took a bit more skill to be good at. All in all, it's a good game. If you skipped last years game this one is worth the purchase.
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
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Can you turn down the fight frequency or something like that? I remember an option for this way back on an old version.
 

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
2,846
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However, as stated above, I think they focused too much on the fighting system. Just about everytime you lay a big hit on someone, a computer controlled player will come rushing out of the blue and try to start a fight. Also, I dont particularly care for the 1-button deke and spin moves. I think last years game took a bit more skill to be good at. All in all, it's a good game. If you skipped last years game this one is worth the purchase.
This is really bad news. All this means is that im always gonna have to play with chara or lucic in the box. Have you checked to see if there are any sliders to adjust this? I wouldnt wanna turn fighting completely off, but cpu initiated fights has to go. Hopefully online versus play isn't like this.

congrats on whooping up on your brother btw
 

Tweak155

Lifer
Sep 23, 2003
11,448
262
126
I haven't bought an NHL game since Wayne Gretzkey's hockey on Dreamcast...

I've played some of the recent ones but felt like they tried to make it too complicated. I just want to sit back and hit a button to check, a button to pass / steal and a button to shoot. First game I played was NHLPA 93 on SNES or maybe Blades of Steel not too much earlier, I'm just too old maybe :(
 

codyray10

Senior member
Apr 14, 2008
854
4
81
This is really bad news. All this means is that im always gonna have to play with chara or lucic in the box. Have you checked to see if there are any sliders to adjust this? I wouldnt wanna turn fighting completely off, but cpu initiated fights has to go. Hopefully online versus play isn't like this.

congrats on whooping up on your brother btw

Yeah, I actually played with Boston one game. Chara was in the box 2-3 times because of fights from checks where I thought he may have actually killed the guy he hit. I haven't checked the game settings to see if there are any sliders for the fight frequency. I would like to think they would be there
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
452
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This is really bad news. All this means is that im always gonna have to play with chara or lucic in the box. Have you checked to see if there are any sliders to adjust this? I wouldnt wanna turn fighting completely off, but cpu initiated fights has to go. Hopefully online versus play isn't like this.

congrats on whooping up on your brother btw

There were sliders for fighting in 09 and 10, so I assume they didn't take it out. Those were the last I played
 

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
2,846
4
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I haven't bought an NHL game since Wayne Gretzkey's hockey on Dreamcast...

I've played some of the recent ones but felt like they tried to make it too complicated. I just want to sit back and hit a button to check, a button to pass / steal and a button to shoot. First game I played was NHLPA 93 on SNES or maybe Blades of Steel not too much earlier, I'm just too old maybe :(

This actually might be the one to buy then with the inclusion of nhl 94 mode, which is apparently just old school style gameplay.

You can also set your controller to classic (or maybe it's called 94 controls), which is what we end up doing for some of our friends. The default mode actually isn't that bad, and most of the people I play with who have never played before get it down in a game or two (the basics at least).

There's also nhl 3 on 3 which you can buy as a download that is a lot of fun playing with friends. It's basically nhl blitz but for hockey.

I would say give a newer nhl game a shot though. I'm sure you can pick up an older version for next to nothing just to get the hang of it. I'd recommend 11 and 12 over 13 for just learning the game. It's one of my favorite games, and most people who don't even like hockey usually end up loving it. Perfect game to be able to just pick up and play, and not have to have much commitment - which is great for someone like me who really doesn't have time for video games anymore.
 

Tweak155

Lifer
Sep 23, 2003
11,448
262
126
This actually might be the one to buy then with the inclusion of nhl 94 mode, which is apparently just old school style gameplay.

You can also set your controller to classic (or maybe it's called 94 controls), which is what we end up doing for some of our friends. The default mode actually isn't that bad, and most of the people I play with who have never played before get it down in a game or two (the basics at least).

There's also nhl 3 on 3 which you can buy as a download that is a lot of fun playing with friends. It's basically nhl blitz but for hockey.

I would say give a newer nhl game a shot though. I'm sure you can pick up an older version for next to nothing just to get the hang of it. I'd recommend 11 and 12 over 13 for just learning the game. It's one of my favorite games, and most people who don't even like hockey usually end up loving it. Perfect game to be able to just pick up and play, and not have to have much commitment - which is great for someone like me who really doesn't have time for video games anymore.

2013 is your favorite? Also the 94 mode sounds interesting... maybe I can redbox it.
 

swanysto

Golden Member
May 8, 2005
1,949
9
81
Im guessing if your going by the demo, im sure they had the fight frequency turned all the way up so you could try out the new fighting system, so im really hoping the actual game isnt like that.

I play mostly online versus, so im hoping that the other person will at least have to initiate, and you both wont end up fighting every two seconds when neither of you wants to fight. But I 100% agree that would be pretty dumb if it were the case. Every time i tapped one of their star players I would have to fight, am I supposed to avoid that?? Its a damn video game, and every time I have the chance, im going to knock patrick kane's head off.

Im eventually going to buy - and hopefully soon, so ill report back if this is the case.

Show a little respect to the Conn Smythe winner. :p
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
According to the advertisements in the Madden loading screen, this uses the new Fifa engine, so the gameplay should be pretty good. Hockey is pretty much soccer for real men anyway. >_>
 

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
2,846
4
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2013 is your favorite? Also the 94 mode sounds interesting... maybe I can redbox it.

No I meant you're better off picking up 11 or 12 to learn the game. 13 IMO is harder for people at first. Not to mention 11 and 12 are probably super cheap now.

From playing the demo of 14 it seems to be my favorite so far. 11 and 12 were almost identical to me. I would go as far as to say 12 is the same as 11 with minor improvements, and 14 is very similar to 13 with minor improvements.

Ive never rented from redbox - how long do they usually take to get new games?

Show a little respect to the Conn Smythe winner. :p
haha I actually love watching him play, im just a little bitter at the moment.

Doesnt get enough credit for being one of the best players in the league. IMO top 5-10 and better than Toews. His rating in this game is way too low. Should be at least a 90.