NHL 19

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 120 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 120
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 120
  3. Negative: 49 out of 120
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  1. CataBull
    Sep 17, 2018
    10
    Love it!
    The updated skating system in this year's edition is the most noticeable new feature, and it brings a massive upgrade to gameplay.
    One of the coolest additions to this year's game is "World of Chel." Although I still cringe at the name, the new hub brings a bit of freshness to game modes in NHL 19. To enter World of Chel, you create a playable character that can be dropped into    Love it!
    The updated skating system in this year's edition is the most noticeable new feature, and it brings a massive upgrade to gameplay.
    One of the coolest additions to this year's game is "World of Chel." Although I still cringe at the name, the new hub brings a bit of freshness to game modes in NHL 19. To enter World of Chel, you create a playable character that can be dropped into a variety of game modes, the popular EASHL online team play mode, the arcade-style NHL Threes mode that was introduced last year, and an awesome new mode called NHL Ones.Playing Ones ( 1v1v1 free-for-all where you race to outscore your other two opponents on the ice ) may bring experienced NHL gamers back to the days of NHL 2006 and the very similar "Free For All" game mode. Either way, it's very welcome addition to NHL's collection of game modes, as it's an addictive and fun way to hone your one-on-one game.Along with World of Chel comes pond hockey venues and a massive upgrade in the player customization department. Users can outfit their playable characters in a wide variety of clothing and equipment, ranging from wacky jackets, sweatshirts and pants to NHL team-branded merchandise and jerseys. You'll rarely see two online characters take to the ice in the same loadout.

    The customization and breadth of drop-in options brings a bit more depth to the gameplay options and that's a good thing.

    For offline players, Franchise Mode appears to be largely similar to the product rolled out last year, but with one exception.
    EA Sports has overhauled the mode's scouting system from top-to-bottom. When you take over a franchise, you're tasked with assembling a team of 20 scouts that will evaluate both pro and amateur talent, meaning the quality of your scouting will likely affect the quality of drafting, trading, and free agency decisions. I didn't get too much of a chance to play around with it (at least not over a long period of time ), but it's something that may be valued by those who invest enough time into franchise mode to play across multiple seasons.    … Expand
  2. TheTruthofit
    Sep 14, 2018
    10
    Great game! Just finished playing it and had a blast. Movement of skaters has improved so turning is quicker and smoother than ever before. There were a lot of penalties called, but majority were justified since I was rattling the poke check at inappropriate times causing tripping of opponents. The old time controls is awesome and one timers are much easier to execute this year. The newGreat game! Just finished playing it and had a blast. Movement of skaters has improved so turning is quicker and smoother than ever before. There were a lot of penalties called, but majority were justified since I was rattling the poke check at inappropriate times causing tripping of opponents. The old time controls is awesome and one timers are much easier to execute this year. The new modes are awesome too. Highly recommend to any sports gamer.… Expand
  3. LoveMusic69
    Sep 17, 2018
    10
    EA did a great job this year. The gameplay is greatly improved, much better than NHL 18, dekes and dangles are much more realistic and also the World Of Chel mode offers a lot of new cusmotizable gear for your pro.
    They also introduced Ones where you can play 1v1v1 games, and a new Pro-Am future.
    The Auto-Player switching needs more attention but still is way better than the last year.    EA did a great job this year. The gameplay is greatly improved, much better than NHL 18, dekes and dangles are much more realistic and also the World Of Chel mode offers a lot of new cusmotizable gear for your pro.
    They also introduced Ones where you can play 1v1v1 games, and a new Pro-Am future.
    The Auto-Player switching needs more attention but still is way better than the last year. Had a great time playing it and i can say that after some time this game becomes really competitive.
    They literally introduced a LOT of new content, so the game feels like it was redesigned completely.
    I strongly recommend it to NHL fans or any sports gamer.    … Expand
  4. SharpShooter87
    Sep 14, 2018
    8
    With the release of this years EA Sports NHL 19 you can definitely start to see the game is coming into full stride, however there are still minor trip ups that stop this game from realizing it's true potential as one of the tops sports games today.

    The development team at EAintroduced a brand new Real Player Motion so the gameplay feels alot cleaner than previous years iterations,    With the release of this years EA Sports NHL 19 you can definitely start to see the game is coming into full stride, however there are still minor trip ups that stop this game from realizing it's true potential as one of the tops sports games today.

    The development team at EAintroduced a brand new Real Player Motion so the gameplay feels alot cleaner than previous years iterations, crossovers, stopping and they added an insanely robust scouting system in franchise mode, and added over 200 NHL Legends and a bunch of other details and improvements to the game. Obviously, the reason why (and it is clear as day) as to why so many people say the game is the same as last year is because it looks the same. The presentation (and a reviewer who had played a previous iteration of NHL games since NHL 14 or 15 would know this lol) is pretty much the exact same. The same NBC style layout, the same announcers (albeit they don't seem as annoying this year, definitely not as much repetition) and even though there have been minor upgrades to the crowd and how they react it's fairly similar to years past. Would be nice to see some major improvements when it comes to presentation. The two main announcers for the game are already not scheduled to be in the NHL2020 (you can research for yourself it was announced earlier in the year) so now seems the perfect time for EA to step it up. Bring in some Canadian announcers. Give us some intermission shows or clips whether it's pre-game, post game or like I said during intermission. Also, during whistle stoppage bring in some more commentary about players or teams on a more personal level. I haven't played the Be a Pro mode yet but they definitely need to add more depth to it. Maybe make it like NBA 2K19 MyCareer (Not Madden Long shot lol). Where you can customize your player, have an actual storyline. Have us interact with known hockey reporters after a game etc. Cutscenes at the draft and when we get selected. Being drafted is the biggest day for young hockey players so they need to make us the players feel like it is. They could even go as far as implementing this new world of CHEL into the Be a Pro mode. If they created a HUB world with outdoor rinks and you can bring your player on the ponds and play against other players online. The stage is yours EA. 2019 is good but not great with alot of under the hood improvements. I'll hope 2020 is the year the real magic falls on the ice. Score: 8.0/10    … Expand
  5. DarrMunny
    Sep 14, 2018
    9
    Love this years version, player control is way better this year finally you don't float away like trying to turn a semi truck. The New trait upgrade system is a good inclusion. NHL 19 for me is a better game all round.
  6. Ryko616
    Sep 29, 2018
    9
    I just read metacritic’s negative reviews to see the consensus. I do agree with some of the negative reviews, but to think about it, when would NHL-game be perfect?

    My first touch to NHL-series was back in ’98 and ´99. Since then I skipped many years of playing, but started again on PS3. I played NHL 2015 quite enthusiastically on- and offline. Later on I’ve played 18 and this new 19,    I just read metacritic’s negative reviews to see the consensus. I do agree with some of the negative reviews, but to think about it, when would NHL-game be perfect?

    My first touch to NHL-series was back in ’98 and ´99. Since then I skipped many years of playing, but started again on PS3. I played NHL 2015 quite enthusiastically on- and offline. Later on I’ve played 18 and this new 19, which gives a reason to write a positive review.

    Of this new I know the season mode and actual playing, which has improved; skating and shooting, playing against computer is more realistic than ever, there are no ”forced” goals by AI, it’s a fair win-lose-draw, which feels real compared to previous titles, difficulty level is just spot on. I played season mode in 18 for a while just before 19 and though there are no major changes, minor adjustments to AI behaviour in my opinion makes it a 9+.

    If you like NHL and hockey, I definitely recommend this, playing only gets more real if you put on skates and head to ice to shoot some real pucks.    … Expand
  7. perryperri
    Sep 17, 2018
    10
    full improvement on last year. best hockey game on the market. satisfies online and offline modes. the only negative is the slow updates on new rosters as players transfer.
  8. colin1465
    Dec 14, 2018
    8
    'Nuff said......................................................................................
  9. nikita19942
    Oct 11, 2019
    10
    VERY GRAND GAME HOCKEY!!!!!! 15/10 !!!!!!!! oh god i finished seeing the graphics
  10. drewbrees9
    Nov 12, 2020
    8
    CONTENT: 8
    GRAPHICS: 8
    GAMEPLAY: 8
    It's definitely one of the best sports games availables, a must have for NHL fans.
  11. Hscoa
    Sep 1, 2020
    8
    One of the games that EA made that is actually good. The Madden team needs to look at this and try to make their game like this. Best modern sports game.

Awards & Rankings

64
#64 Best PS4 Game of 2018
68
#68 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2018
63
#63 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. CD-Action
    Feb 13, 2019
    85
    Kaleidoscope of available modes guarantees that everyone interested in hockey will easily find a way to enjoy NHL 19, whether they crave 15 minutes of accessible fun or prefer to dig into statistics and play whole seasons. Learning basics is easy, but if you want more (e.g. success in online modes) you will need patience and a lot of practice, as controls are deep and some tricks require uncommon skill. [12/2018, p.72]
  2. Gameblog.fr
    Oct 15, 2018
    70
    EA Vancouver increased the realistic motion effect experience in NHL 19, and implemented a diversity of changes in the game modes.
    Read full review
  3. God is a Geek
    Oct 4, 2018
    85
    For one of the first times in recent years, the NHL series feels much more improved, with the World of CHEL mode proving to be a resounding success.
    Read full review
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