[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"similar-games-nhl-26":3,"game-nhl-26":5},{"similarGames":4},[],{"game":6,"hasUserReviewed":22},{"id":7,"name":8,"summary":9,"cover_image":10,"header_image":11,"trailer_url":12,"release_date":13,"avg_score":14,"igdb_id":15,"slug":16,"steam_app_id":17,"companies":18,"genres":30,"platforms":33,"reviews":36,"coverImage":10,"headerImage":11,"trailerUrl":12,"releaseDate":13,"criticReviewCount":153,"userReviewCount":154,"previewCount":154,"publishers":155,"developers":156,"userReviews":157,"hasUserReviewed":22,"steamAppId":17},226986,"NHL 26","Play like a superstar in EA SPORTS NHL® 26. That starts with ICE-Q 2.0, now powered by NHL EDGE data, so your favorite superstars think, move, and play like their on-ice selves. That includes data-informed Attributes and Tendencies which make star players perform in true-to-life fashion, with their playstyles and decision-making game-aware and impactful. A fine-tuned and enhanced arsenal of 28 X-Factors spans five different categories and is driven by unique animations, tactical gameplay outcomes, and tiers of impact, turning each into a formidable on-ice weapon. Superstars now truly feel like superstars.\n\nThe all-new Goalie Crease Control System brings an upgraded awareness between the posts with new close-range and reflex saves that allow for readjustments in reaction to puck deflections, poke checks, and improved AI positioning, giving goalies increased control over the blue paint. In a redesigned Be A Pro mode, each choice you make impacts your career, as you live out the authentic hockey journey from rookie to superstar, with fresh storylines, characters, challenges, and cut scenes.","226986\u002Fnhl_26_webp","226986\u002Fnhl_26_header_webp","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=COInNyhDBo8&pp=ygUHbmhsIDI2INIHCQmyCQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D","2025-09-12",71.25,359477,"nhl-26",null,[19,24,27],{"company":20,"developed":22,"published":23},{"name":21},"Electronic Arts",false,true,{"company":25,"developed":22,"published":23},{"name":26},"EA Sports",{"company":28,"developed":23,"published":22},{"name":29},"EA Vancouver",[31,32],"Simulator","Sport",[34,35],"PlayStation 5","Xbox Series X|S",[37,53,68,83,98,113,128,140],{"id":38,"author":39,"outlet":42,"summary":48,"review_url":49,"review_date":50,"original_score":51,"normalized_score":52},666948,{"id":40,"name":41},4699,"Kyle Foley",{"id":43,"logo":44,"name":45,"website_url":46,"score_format":47},38,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FBut-Why-Tho-Logo.jpg","But Why Tho","https:\u002F\u002Fbutwhytho.net\u002F","10","NHL 26 brings new gameplay changes that bring hockey to life in a way that is better than ever. There are still some things to be ironed out, a typical issue for yearly sports releases, but there is a lot of fun to be had for hockey fans everywhere.","https:\u002F\u002Fbutwhytho.net\u002F2025\u002F09\u002Fnhl-26-review\u002F","2025-09-11","8\u002F10",80,{"id":54,"author":55,"outlet":58,"summary":63,"review_url":64,"review_date":65,"original_score":66,"normalized_score":67},690266,{"id":56,"name":57},3751,"Dean James",{"id":59,"logo":60,"name":61,"website_url":62,"score_format":47},33,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FMP1st-Logo.jpg","MP1ST","https:\u002F\u002Fmp1st.com\u002F","NHL 25 seemingly had a lot of potential as the franchise finally left the last generation of consoles behind, leaving fans expecting big things for the series that had been on a downhill trajectory for a few years. Instead, what we got felt like little more than a roster update with a few new features sprinkled in.","https:\u002F\u002Fmp1st.com\u002Freviews\u002Fnhl-26-review-be-a-pro","2025-09-17","7.5\u002F10",75,{"id":69,"author":70,"outlet":73,"summary":78,"review_url":79,"review_date":80,"original_score":81,"normalized_score":82},759461,{"id":71,"name":72},4084,"Graham Banas",{"id":74,"logo":75,"name":76,"website_url":77,"score_format":47},63,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FPush-Square-Logo.jpg","Push Square","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pushsquare.com\u002F","Annual sports titles are generally fixated on iteration. Adhering to an annual release schedule for titles with massive scope and a general high bar for visual presentation is difficult, so the titles have to cherry-pick a few things to change for a given year and hope things improve.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pushsquare.com\u002Freviews\u002Fps5\u002Fnhl-26","2025-09-24","6",60,{"id":84,"author":85,"outlet":88,"summary":93,"review_url":94,"review_date":95,"original_score":96,"normalized_score":97},559393,{"id":86,"name":87},8159,"Steve Wright",{"id":89,"logo":90,"name":91,"website_url":92,"score_format":47},132,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FStevivor-Logo.jpg","Stevivor","https:\u002F\u002Fstevivor.com\u002F","I sat down to write this review with the realisation that I’ve been reviewing EA Sports’ NHL franchise for 15 years now. Re-reading some of my reviews, I couldn’t help but laugh at the general advice I always seem to give: you probably don’t need to buy new iterations of the franchise each and every year; one every two years should sort you. In later years, that’s been adapted to exercising some patience and waiting until this or last year’s version eventually makes its way to Pl...","https:\u002F\u002Fstevivor.com\u002Freviews\u002Fnhl-26-review-everything-old-is-new-again\u002F","2025-09-06","6.5",65,{"id":99,"author":100,"outlet":103,"summary":108,"review_url":109,"review_date":110,"original_score":111,"normalized_score":112},594119,{"id":101,"name":102},3920,"Richard Seagrave",{"id":104,"logo":105,"name":106,"website_url":107,"score_format":47},27,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FGameSpew-Logo.jpg","GameSpew","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gamespew.com","With a number of improvements such as a new goalie crease system and NHL EDGE data being used to enhance player behaviour, NHL 26 is undoubtedly a great hockey game. Be A Pro mode still has some issues, though, and you can just tell that the series doesn't get as much love as the likes of EA Sports FC.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gamespew.com\u002F2025\u002F09\u002Fnhl-26-review\u002F","2025-09-08","7\u002F10",70,{"id":114,"author":115,"outlet":118,"summary":123,"review_url":124,"review_date":125,"original_score":126,"normalized_score":127},603939,{"id":116,"name":117},5516,"Court Lalonde",{"id":119,"logo":120,"name":121,"website_url":122,"score_format":47},49,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FConsole-Creatures-Logo.jpg","Console Creatures","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.consolecreatures.com\u002F","NHL 26 takes what NHL fans have seen in real-life NHL broadcasts and lets you experience it on your console. You get to feel the intensity of a Stanley Cup final while playing as some of the game's best. ","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.consolecreatures.com\u002Fnhl-26-review\u002F","2025-09-09","9",90,{"id":129,"author":130,"outlet":133,"summary":138,"review_url":139,"review_date":13,"original_score":81,"normalized_score":82},640088,{"id":131,"name":132},15654,"Marc Deschamps",{"id":134,"logo":135,"name":136,"website_url":137,"score_format":47},69,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FIGN-logo.jpg","IGN","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ign.com\u002F","NHL 26 is a fine take on the sport of hockey, but it largely fails to offer any significant jumps from last year’s game.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ign.com\u002Farticles\u002Fnhl-26-review",{"id":141,"author":142,"outlet":145,"summary":150,"review_url":151,"review_date":152,"original_score":111,"normalized_score":112},2802656,{"id":143,"name":144},2241,"Fraser Gilbert",{"id":146,"logo":147,"name":148,"website_url":149,"score_format":47},67,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FPure-Xbox-Logo.jpg","Pure Xbox","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.purexbox.com\u002F","Free trial available now via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.purexbox.com\u002Freviews\u002Fxbox-series-x\u002Fnhl-26","2025-09-05",8,0,[21,26],[29],[]]