NHL 20

NHL 20 again leads the way for pro sports on PS4 and Xbox One, strengthened this year by shooting improvements and presentation upgrades.

Overall, people just consider these games a roster update and that’s it. There’s so much more here than meets the eye. With the new Eliminator feature for Ones and NHL Threes, plus the character customization of your own CHEL character NHL 20 is a great game. Some of the graphical changes are hard to get used to at first though and while I like there a new approach to the broadcast in-game, I can tell that it’s going to go through some growing pains. That’s fine though as I feel that it’s a step in a good direction. If you’re a newcomer or someone who has been engulfed into the franchise for a while you’re going to enjoy it.

In terms of technical achievements, the game is almost flawless. Animations are fluid and natural, without the small stutters from the NHL 19 edition. Nevertheless all the new modes and details are not a revolution or even major changes. [12/2019, p.69]

NHL 20 is the best the series has been this console generation. Improving upon the changes made in NHL 19, the game has never felt better. The changes may seem subtle, but they really tighten up the gameplay enough for it to feel better than its predecessors. Besides the distracting scoreboard, the presentation has received the same treatment, truly immersing you in the action on the ice.

Don’t expect a revolution. Yet, it is a very good episode with a lot of improvements, which will be noticed when playing regularly. Whether it's a better puck shooting model, a more detailed manager mode or arcade gaming in CHEL mode. [Issue#300]

If it doesn’t differ much from its predecessors, NHL 20 refines its tuning and sets its « World of Chel » as the main mode of the game, the one any ice-hockey fan will play forever.

One new, and exciting, addition to the World of Chel is the Eliminator mode. This brings Battle Royale (one of my favorite game types) to Ones and Threes.

NHL 20 is a nice addition to the NHL franchise, with engaging gameplay and great visuals. The multitude of game modes will keep you occupied, even if several are very similar to one another. It gets as repetitive as the typical sports game, but that can be good or bad depending on your interests.

As usual, EA Sports tries mostly to upgrade the previous edition instead of trying to revolutionize. NHL 20 has some strong new animations, a new visual identity, game modes that feel better than ever and the whole feels smoother. It's solid but lacks some unforgettable feature to be a true star.

This year’s outing has plenty of incremental improvements that deliver a superior experience to what you would’ve played twelve months ago. Allow your level of fandom to dictate if this purchase is right for you. Ultimately, regardless of where you land, you won’t be disappointed.

EA Canada took NHL 20 all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals this year but fell just shy of the perfect season. Unlike the Boston Bruins, though, there is no reason for EA Canada to mope. NHL 20 is close to the best video game hockey experience ever made, and that should be celebrated.

NHL 20 balances out the fun with the competitive better than any previous entry. It has some excellent modes in Ones and Threes, a staggering amount of content, and a solid set of mechanics. It does feel like multiplayer has received the lion’s share of the attention, but there’s still something enjoyable for all sorts of hockey fans.

Depending on the mode you like to play, NHL 20 is a winner or a loser. The on-ice action improves thanks to the reworked shooting system, and the World of Chel arcade modes gain a little more depth. However, the frustrating lack of changes for EASHL and Be A Pro undermine the popular modes.

NHL 20 finally offers some forward momentum for this sports franchise, and though it's not all smooth as ice, at least fans have a variety of good reasons to lace up the skates again this year.

NHL 20 is an uneven experience. One minute I’d feel the high of setting up an awesome play and seeing the puck land in the back of the net, but then I’d slam my stick into the ice frustrated by disappointing aspects across its modes. Seeing similar issues continually bleed over year after year is getting harder to forgive the longer they go on, but it’s still the only way you can really experience the thrill of being on the ice, and at the very least, it captures that well.

At its core this is still a good hockey game. But it is streamlined too much towards arcade-action while offering basically the same content as last year.

NHL 20 is a good hockey game that would have been even better if it had more new and brave features. EA is taking the comfortable road again this year, and frankly we're starting to get a little tired of that approach.

NHL 20 is a sharp, polished game that has become more fluid and fun to play in recent years, but most of what is new this season will depend heavily on the modes you prefer to play. Fans of the multiplayer experience will have more to chew on, while those who tend to grind away at the single player modes might come away feeling somewhat neglected. The presentation has received a welcome facelift both in the audio and visual departments, and those are welcome changes for everyone. This year's iteration of the long-running NHL series is a solid if unspectacular offering that hockey fans will enjoy.

NHL 20 made some noteworthy changes that were much needed, but the game feels mostly dated. The gameplay is faster, but the AI still can suck the life out of the fun. The focus is on the arcade multiplayer aspects as it seems that EA Vancouver is leaving the NHL experience behind. There are plenty of modes here, but it’s the same story. The presentation creates a new feel to each game and it was much needed. The NHL series is still a great hockey series, but it set expectations high early in this generation. NHL 20 packs a lot for players that don’t pick it up yearly, but others may want to wait on the bench.

NHL 20 is an enjoyable hockey game with great core fundamentals and new player movement to fall back on, but it’s definitely not a must-buy entry if you are currently happy with the version you own.

NHL 20 isn't a huge update over last year's version, and its graphics continue to lag behind the competition. Still, it brings with it plenty of solid refinements, and its franchise mode continues to stand out as a strength. Returning players may be disappointed by this year's features, but if you're a hockey fan who hasn't picked up the series in a while, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

NHL 20 is a great package if you skipped out on last year’s entry. However, if you already own NHL 19 there isn’t enough new to recommend picking this one up.

If video games were cars, NHL 20 would be a modest update to last year’s model that looks shinier while functioning and operating better as a whole. Video games are not cars, however, and the lack of new gameplay modes, as well as core functions remaining sadly untouched, hold it back from greatness.

As a whole, NHL 20 is still NHL like it always was. There are incremental changes, but there's still a lot more to be done. Be a Pro remains completely untouched, and the minor additions to other offline single-player modes are sobering. The presentation and animation take a small leap, and HUT seems slightly less grindy with the addition of Squad Battles and a more transparent model to receive card packs without being forced to spend real money. The new eliminator modes in CHEL are equally fun, but at the end of the day, this year doesn't feel as significant as the last. I'm curious where the franchise goes next year with the prospect of several new consoles on the horizon, but it has to step up things more than it currently does.