NHL 18

NHL 18 has a ton of great features and modes for both hardcore enthusiasts and casual fans alike!

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.

Threes is definitely the star of the show in NHL 18 with only marginal improvements made to the rest of the franchise's modes.

NHL 18 is a predictable step forward for Electronic Arts' ongoing hockey series, but that's not to say that that's necessarily a bad thing. The gameplay feels familiar, yet revamped to address some of the issues fans have with previous iterations. While the implementation of three-on-three overtime hockey in the real-world NHL has lead to one of the more engaging modes in recent memory through Threes. Every minute changeup in the formula shows that EA is listening to fan feedback, and while there is still work to be done, gamers will be hard-fought to not be entertained by what's present in th...

Speed and skill are a given in the modern NHL, but those traits alone don’t anoint Stanley Cup champions. Beating the best in the world takes more than tape-to-tape passes and wicked slappers. The little things like short shifts, back checking, and never giving up on a free puck can make the difference when the skill gaps are marginal between great teams. EA Sports’ NHL 18 may not have the cutting-edge features and talents of its FIFA and Madden brethren, but this year’s edition starts doing a lot of the little things correctly, which results in a more competitive experience.

As always, there can’t be given any clear recommendation whether you should buy yet another NHL game or not. If you already own NHL 17 and are more of a casual solo-player, then the new features will not give you enough reason, so it comes down to the well-known question if the updated teams are worth the money for you or not. As fun as NHL Threes might be, it definitely is not reason enough on its own. If you missed a couple of incarnations and your last game is NHL 15 or even an earlier o...

I'm glad that, in NHL 18, EA continues to seek out new players for the NHL series with smart upgrades to the training system and the exciting and accessible NHL Threes mode. Those are positive strides, but the rest of the modes and features are starting to feel too familiar. If you're someone who's been following the NHL series for years, you aren't getting anything drastically new here to alter the balance or restore excitement. The EASHL is still enjoyable with a great group of buddies, and the other offline modes are decent, but this series is in need of some new approaches to gameplay and ...

NHL 18 does a lot of things better than NHL 17, though, and is an improvement on that iteration of the series in more ways than it isn’t. Franchise mode has been given new life with the ability to create your own team and take part in the expansion draft, and NHL Threes is an excellent change of pace. On the gameplay side, the Defensive Skill Stick looks like it could play a major role in changing the meta of online play, and I imagine that’s no small task when your yearly game is about a sport that’s remained largely the same for more than 100 years.