NHL 13

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 89 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 89
  3. Negative: 19 out of 89
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  1. simondaustin
    Sep 11, 2012
    9
    Anyone who plays hockey would know that this game is a great leap towards realism. I can't believe people say it's not worth $60... (I mean, people buy map packs all year for COD????). The EA NHL series has been one of the most innovative and consistently improving sports games around. Let's look beyond the menus and see what's really happening here... The skating, goalies, AI, GM Brain AIAnyone who plays hockey would know that this game is a great leap towards realism. I can't believe people say it's not worth $60... (I mean, people buy map packs all year for COD????). The EA NHL series has been one of the most innovative and consistently improving sports games around. Let's look beyond the menus and see what's really happening here... The skating, goalies, AI, GM Brain AI and presentation have received massive overhauls and they've added in the biggest online dynasty mode in sporting game history. In Australia (where I live, born in Canada though) this game costs us $99 and I still think it's worth every cent. I've read through lots of reviews and I think a lot of the reviewers either haven't played the game in depth or haven't played NHL 12 or they have never played hockey...… Expand
  2. thelivingendx
    Sep 11, 2012
    9
    Any of the reviews saying that this is just a couple tweaks away from being NHL 12, never really played NHL 12 that much. Smarter GM AI, a puck that doesn't get sucked into the gravity of a player as it passes them, the puck chop, smarter, more fluid goalies, and a new way of skating... that's all I've discovered SO FAR! I will agree that most of the games have just seemed like it couldAny of the reviews saying that this is just a couple tweaks away from being NHL 12, never really played NHL 12 that much. Smarter GM AI, a puck that doesn't get sucked into the gravity of a player as it passes them, the puck chop, smarter, more fluid goalies, and a new way of skating... that's all I've discovered SO FAR! I will agree that most of the games have just seemed like it could have been NHL 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, but I find that this iteration of the NHL franchise is the biggest leap forward since the addition of the skill stick!… Expand
  3. Grapp621
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    If you
  4. Turk15
    Oct 31, 2012
    9
    When an annual franchise can manage to fundamentally change a players strategy year-over-year it is definitely a sign of developers striving to provide the user with a unique experience that warrants a purchase every year. In NHL 13 the physics behind player
  5. dontblink
    Mar 1, 2013
    4
    This game is by far the worst game of NHL released since NHL 09. There is so many new things in this game such as anticipation A.I. or the true performance skating. This all is a great idea but so poorly executed. The anticipation A.I. is not what it says it is. It doesn't anticipate what is going happen but it knows whats going to happen. Ever pass for a one timer and it gets blocked?This game is by far the worst game of NHL released since NHL 09. There is so many new things in this game such as anticipation A.I. or the true performance skating. This all is a great idea but so poorly executed. The anticipation A.I. is not what it says it is. It doesn't anticipate what is going happen but it knows whats going to happen. Ever pass for a one timer and it gets blocked? Guess what the goalie knew you pressed RT and in which direction. He's already set up for the shot on the receivers end. How about just the new teammate A.I. Probably the worst thing implemented into this game right next to true-performance skating. The computer on your team is absolutely retarded. How about battling for position? Another smart idea but once again a poor way of making it fit with the game. Countless times there will be an empty net waiting for someone to poke it in. Your closest guy, he's battling for position for some unknown reason. You switch to him, and guess what, he's still battling for position. By the time you get control of him your opportunity has already been lost. True-performance skating by far ruined this game the most. Yeah it was a great idea, absolutely great but once again poorly executed. Being able to skate faster after striding for so long is cool. But then if your max speed and go to turn, You have to make this rink width and a half turn that is not realistic at all. This ruined skating all together, most of the time when i pick up the puck in the neutral zone and go to skate, my player is super slow and i get players have to accelerate but this is just over-exaggerating on how much acceleration you need to get up to a decent speed. Then comes hitting and passing in this game, hitting was perfect the way it was in NHL 12 but for some reason they messed it up in NHL 13, Every. Single. Play. There is a HUGE hit and thats not realistic at all. I dont know how many goals i scored where i got labeled seconds after i shot the puck. Which brings up another problem, no matter what the game mode, online versus, GM Connected, or Be A GM Mode. A shot is a shot, numerous times, i would take a shot or pass it for that matter but I got checked or bumped which canceled either one. I dont know about this but you can get checked and still take a shot or pass it. Thats why its a sport, its physical. Passing is again terrible. Passing through a defenseman? Forget about it, dont even bother, RT or RB (saucer pass) that will get blocked 10 out of 10 times. Then theres the little things wrong with this game like a slapshot thats saved by the goalie blocker (stick side) and is rebounded into the air, You cannot and i repeat cannot grab it out of mid-air, you must wait for the puck to come back down to try to regain control. These are the things that are wrong with this game, I will say Hockey Ultimate Team is amazing. I most likely will get NHL 14 but I hope so much that this major problems will be resolved… Expand
  6. BADS
    Sep 11, 2012
    7
    The game is good. But the fact that I have to pay 60$ a year for incremental updates is kind of dumb. They need to change a lot more and really make it a true sequel. So far the game is good, but feels a lot like NHL 12. They did do some tweaking with multiplayer though for the better. Overall this game gets a 7.
  7. Khaby
    Sep 13, 2012
    5
    Heres the down and dirty. Some improvments, but over all EA blew it again, they just dont care. Everyone should realize that now, they have the monopoly and know they dont need to make quality anymore, because they're the only game in town. On to the review....

    Passing: Still flawed, big time. Opposing team can thread the needle through everyone of your team mates legs and sticks,    Heres the down and dirty. Some improvments, but over all EA blew it again, they just dont care. Everyone should realize that now, they have the monopoly and know they dont need to make quality anymore, because they're the only game in town. On to the review....

    Passing: Still flawed, big time. Opposing team can thread the needle through everyone of your team mates legs and sticks, and your team will barely respond. You will be intercepted regularly, have it bounce off opposing players skates and legs, and have your saucer passes knocked out of the air. You will also randomly pass in the wrong direction or to the other team...and the computer will NEVER do that.
    Shooting: You're shooting is solid, but there seems to be accuracy issues sometimes. The computer though, will score on you three times from the same spot, just across the blue line, to the same spot on your goalie, if your playing perfect D and not giving them the chance to get in close. Skating: Its great, and more realistic..for you. The computer can still seem to play by whatever rules it wants. They're whole team will rush and none of yours will be able to maintain with them. You'll rush with your best skater, using boost, and they're defender will skate backwards and keep up. They'll have a shooting frenzy while skating circles around you.
    Checking: Computers forwards will still take a full blast check to the boards by your D, not fall down, but also skate away with the puck..they even do it three times in a row, skate around your goal and score on you. Your forward will be grazed going for the net and end up on his ass.
    AI: Great AI for the opposing team, really makes you work for your goals. The AI for you team...these guys probably shouldnt have sharp blades on their feet. Unless you switch to a player, dont expect him to do anything. They will only chase the guy with the puck, wont check, wont poke check, wont use boost to catch him. They wont eve pursue the puck most of the time, when it comes loose...they'll just sit there and stare at.

    Some improvements, computer AI strategy wise...awesome. But still to little to make the game a good buy. Rent it, or buy an older year, dont be a dope like me and buy it because you snapped NHL12 in a fit of rage because of its flaws, just to be duped again. If no one buys, EA loses money, and eventually has to start caring about the actual content they are trying to sell.    … Expand
  8. Kamikaze211
    Sep 13, 2012
    7
    I am fan of ice hockey and I love to watch it. Last year NHL 12 was totally same like 11,10 etc.. From this year there are some changes, but for this price its not worth it. The new movements from goaltender are good, but its enough? I guess so not. What I like in this year is skating, seems like real. But .. when you hit player, he is going sooooo far from you, like if he has wings ...I am fan of ice hockey and I love to watch it. Last year NHL 12 was totally same like 11,10 etc.. From this year there are some changes, but for this price its not worth it. The new movements from goaltender are good, but its enough? I guess so not. What I like in this year is skating, seems like real. But .. when you hit player, he is going sooooo far from you, like if he has wings ... yep its ea sports. Online game is better than against cpu. So far, its still better than 12 and finally, you can recognize players, faces are good!… Expand
  9. ncgriff
    Feb 7, 2013
    0
    Worst game ever made. They physics are complete crap, the goalies are random as hell. NHL 12 is 20 times better, and I am not exaggerating. EA is a complete joke. Only buy it if you like to get gauged in the eyes.
  10. jhickok7
    Apr 7, 2013
    8
    Realism, realism, realism. That is the absolute direction that Electronic Arts went with in their development of NHL 13. The game is incredible and nearly flawless with its physics engine.

    The gameplay itself is fast-paced and extremely well-crafted. One complaint that I have made myself is the AI however. To be successful while playing this game, it is imperative that you control    Realism, realism, realism. That is the absolute direction that Electronic Arts went with in their development of NHL 13. The game is incredible and nearly flawless with its physics engine.

    The gameplay itself is fast-paced and extremely well-crafted. One complaint that I have made myself is the AI however. To be successful while playing this game, it is imperative that you control the player nearest the puck at all times. AI is extremely unreliable.

    Skating is flawless, and the only hiccups that I find with the actual physics are occasionally with some of the bigger hits on the ice. Sometimes the players have been known to "bug-out" and it appears unrealistic. If that's the worst I can complain about, then I'd say it's a great game.

    The online play is often good with good servers for most of the time. Occasionally I will come across a game that is a bit laggy, but that typically is a result of my own poor Internet connection or my opponent's. You are able to use guests online in NHL 13 and many online players take advantage of this ability creating a more diverse and fast-paced game.

    Hockey Ultimate Team is a fun game mode however I find it marred by the fact that you are able to purchase the packs of cards with Microsoft Points which takes away from the novelty as some individuals have taken advantage of this aspect and created unstoppable all-star teams. Also, the ability earn the currency (EA Pucks) by playing single player games makes this a difficult one to take seriously.

    Be a Pro and Be a GM modes are both well-done in this year's version of NHL. Be a Pro allows the user to take full advantage of either starting in lower-level hockey such as CHL or OHL and moving up the ladder until you get drafted by an NHL team. All aspects of your Pro's career are at your disposal.

    Similarly, Be a GM mode allows the user to take full advantage of the organization's tools and capabilities. User also has control over the organization's farm system and drafting.

    Overall, very polished game and deserves to be tried by hockey fans around the world. Please be aware that EA has taken the liberty of forcing the user to purchase a new copy of the game in order to have the online capabilities, or you have the option of purchasing a $20 online pass if you get your hands on a used copy.    … Expand
  11. Mattyice
    Oct 5, 2012
    2
    Being a previous owner of NHL 12, I will absolutely not buy this game. After playing the demo, the game was EXACTLY THE SAME as NHL 12. No new format, no new gameplay, no new...anything. Also, the fact that there will likely not be an NHL season, there will be no new rosters. For previous owners of the games, do not buy! For new owners, buy NHL 12. You'll be happy you did.
  12. TheFlyingV
    Oct 3, 2012
    1
    NHL 13 looks pretty, and that's about all it has going for it.
    Most of the game modes are broken. Be A GM introduced a new "GM Brain" that likes to send star players through waivers, and put any old but still serviceable player is on the trade block. Be-A-Pro still is basically the same game mode that it was when it was introduced and now features your team's GM not signing any of your    NHL 13 looks pretty, and that's about all it has going for it.
    Most of the game modes are broken. Be A GM introduced a new "GM Brain" that likes to send star players through waivers, and put any old but still serviceable player is on the trade block. Be-A-Pro still is basically the same game mode that it was when it was introduced and now features your team's GM not signing any of your team's free agents rendering the mode useless after a year or two, that is if you can stand the tedious 82 game season. Hockey Ultimate team has been redone and is worse off. The only players that are worthwhile are NHLers as training cards only last one game. Not to mention the only way to actually make pucks in HUT is to buy and sell cards, as packs are 99% garbage. NHL moments live is cool...for about five minutes You will recreate several legend based moments as the legend plopped on the current roster of the team. The Winter Classic is still only available in its own stand-alone mode and hasn't been integrated into things like Be-A-GM. Not to mention the Flyers and Rangers uniforms from the 2012 Winter Classic are only available in that mode. The All-Star Game hasn't been updated to reflect its current formant. There are no new retro NHL jerseys. Create a Team has essentially been the same since this gen started, excluding new logos. Several areas haven't been redone to account for Atlanta moving to Winnipeg (Winnipeg shows up between Anaheim and Boston for retirements in Be-A-GM, the color pallet for Winnipeg in custom gear is Atlanta colors)Many arenas are missing their actual name or are filled with fans who need to be updated to reflect uniform changes. The Legends selection is terrible compared to last year. The rosters are terribly out of date and haven't been updated since the game came out except for one junior player who tweeted about how he wasn't in the game. The player ratings are not even close to reality and also likley contributes to unrealistic simming results. Not to mention there is no roster sharing feature to fix these problems, it probably wouldn't help as you're not even allowed to change the players preferred number anymore. The game play reminds me of NHL 3v3 arcade, especially when it comes the the CPU. The CPU can send any player flying by delivering a crushing body check whether they are behind your play or standing still next to your player. The goalies couldn't play their way out of a paper bag. These are made worse by turning the difficulty. None of my HUT goalies have a save percentage higher that .890%. The new skating engine is a good addition in theory, but as usual the AI cheats and can back skate as fast as Mason Raymond or turn as you're skating by and beat you to the puck. I've experienced more freezing with NHL 13 then any other game on the Xbox 360.
    In-between the lockout and the mess that is NHL13, this is a tough year for hockey.    … Expand
  13. InboardPG
    Sep 12, 2012
    6
    I don't feel any difference to the game except for a few skating and momentum tweaks. Some nice new editions to the game is good. Just not worth 60$. I think people should wait until the price lowers in a few months.
  14. Jimbro84
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    This game is so overrated I have to give it a 0 to lower its score. Here are my main critics. Number 1: Settings = Headaches
    You have to set them for each game modes!
    And you can't avoid that because they don't make sense. (everything is too slow and you can dominate a game and yet loose because the AI doesn't shoot enough or your goalie sucks too much, depending how you see it).    This game is so overrated I have to give it a 0 to lower its score. Here are my main critics. Number 1: Settings = Headaches
    You have to set them for each game modes!
    And you can't avoid that because they don't make sense. (everything is too slow and you can dominate a game and yet loose because the AI doesn't shoot enough or your goalie sucks too much, depending how you see it). Anyways, you will likely spend hours in the settings if you want the game to be serious. Number 2: You can't play GM mode with your own player. At least, I haven't figured out how. In other words, if you create a custom player, he can't play in your team if you want to control all players. You have to play with him (or his position) only, which is stupid. Number 3: One timers are almost inexistent. For some reason, even if you lower the interceptions of the AI to 0, even if you raise the one timers accuracy to the maximum, one way or the other you will not be able to pass in front of the net to another player for a goal. It's way better just to keep the puck for yourself.

    Number 4: You can't create a custom team. Well yes you can but the name has to be in capital letters (?) and you can't write your own name!! WTF? You have to choose in what's available and of course, they can't let you choose the name of a former team (ex: Whalers, Nordiques, etc.). Finally, the logos that you can pick are just ridiculous. So no, you can't create a custom team.    … Expand
  15. thegrave
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    I love this game because I love Hockey. However, being abused by EA is so grossly upsetting that I can't in good conscious recommend this game nor give it a good review.
    There are so many bugs in this game its insane. Furthermore the customer support is extremely lacking and unacceptable. Many of us in the HUT side of the game have not received packs we paid $$$ for and in turn over    I love this game because I love Hockey. However, being abused by EA is so grossly upsetting that I can't in good conscious recommend this game nor give it a good review.
    There are so many bugs in this game its insane. Furthermore the customer support is extremely lacking and unacceptable. Many of us in the HUT side of the game have not received packs we paid $$$ for and in turn over the past month nothing has been done to make restitution. Its funny however, because it appears that there is no bugs that ever give away packs for free on accident.
    The pull rate is also extremely degrading to ones sense of well being as well. As you can rip 12000 MS points and get virtually nothing.
    I hope the NHL licence is sold so that we have an option of what company to go with as far as Hockey is concerned.
    I will admit I have fun playing this game because it is Hockey, but it is truly unfair how EA treats its customers. I can't see how they aren't going to get sued for taking so many peoples' money and not giving them anything in return. By my definition that is usually perceived as theft.
    They have also managed to hack apart different play settings as well such as removing GM connected from HUT so that people have to spend the maximum amount of $$$ to have a chance.
    How much more greedy can these game companies get?
    We already have to pay an extra $25 for most games to get the entire thing.
    I truly believe these games should be advertised as starter packs or intro packs of the game, because the $60 price tag doesn't include the whole game.    … Expand
  16. camagun
    Sep 11, 2012
    6
    good game but the new improvements weren't worth the 60$ upgrade from nhl12.i know Chris Munro really liked this game but it has under 82 meta critic score so by definition that would make this game bad
  17. K_Phil
    Sep 18, 2012
    4
    NHL 13 is a step backward for EA this year. No matter how you customize it, the new player momentum engine makes you feel like you
  18. nightsharks23
    Feb 28, 2013
    8
    There is not really much to say about NHL 13. Its the same mechanics from the previous games, EA doesn't improve much on the control, and it seems that the worst teams in the NHL are actually the toughest teams in the game. Honestly, If you are playing as the San Jose Sharks and you face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets the worst team in the NHL with a goalie (Steve Mason) that's aThere is not really much to say about NHL 13. Its the same mechanics from the previous games, EA doesn't improve much on the control, and it seems that the worst teams in the NHL are actually the toughest teams in the game. Honestly, If you are playing as the San Jose Sharks and you face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets the worst team in the NHL with a goalie (Steve Mason) that's a one year wonder and he plays like Patrick Roy in his prime? Give me a break. It seems like the NHL franchise is getting worse each year. EA doesn't add anything new, there is little graphical changes here and there, and updated rosters. Even though I mentioned some of the bad things in NHL 13, the reason why this game deserves an 8 is it still manages to be entertaining, the player movement feels smooth, and the game is trying to be realistic as possible, but sometimes I feel NHL 13 is trying too hard to be realistic. If you play hockey like I do, get the game, play it with your friends and have some fun with it no matter how much you suffer when you play the game.… Expand
  19. TurtleLove
    Sep 18, 2012
    10
    good game the new feature in this game are awsome the new player type and the goalie game play is pretty cool and the stanley cup edition box is very great
  20. DarrkHawk
    Mar 22, 2013
    8
    One of the best sports games I've played, A complete revamp of NHL 12. Better mechanics, better gameplay, better goaltending... urgh, better goaltending. My only problmis this. The goaltenders are like acrobats. Diving from left to Right to make ridiculous saves. Not too bad once you get a pattern down. Despite this, I love NHL 13. The realism (except the checking) is outstanding. TheOne of the best sports games I've played, A complete revamp of NHL 12. Better mechanics, better gameplay, better goaltending... urgh, better goaltending. My only problmis this. The goaltenders are like acrobats. Diving from left to Right to make ridiculous saves. Not too bad once you get a pattern down. Despite this, I love NHL 13. The realism (except the checking) is outstanding. The passing is precise, the shot direction is precise, the true performance skating is precise, It's all pretty much perfect. It also holds some comic value I have to admit. Delivering a check in the corners only to have your opponent so a full 360 back flip and land on his behind, or a simple half somersault and land head first, It is amusing to watch. Needs to fixed definitely but funny non the less. The only play is extremely irritating though. Not because of the game mechanics at all but games are completely dominated by lagg. It gets frustrating when going to check an opponent and have them warp through you or go for a poke check and nothing happening when clearly you make contact. All this topped off by unskilled players just spamming the RB when on defence kinda kills the online experience not enough to effect the game as whole. An amazingly fun game and can't wait for NHL 14.… Expand
  21. BGYeti
    Jul 18, 2013
    6
    The issue that I am having with NHL 13 is the fact that each year the franchise is taking a step backwards when it comes to gameplay. Don't get me wrong what they are trying to do with controls is a great improvement from previous titles but the issue is that the controls are janky. Passes that go off in random directions shot that are not taken even with the proper input on the controls.The issue that I am having with NHL 13 is the fact that each year the franchise is taking a step backwards when it comes to gameplay. Don't get me wrong what they are trying to do with controls is a great improvement from previous titles but the issue is that the controls are janky. Passes that go off in random directions shot that are not taken even with the proper input on the controls. For a company that has so many developers you would think that a polished game would be standard but in the case of NHL 13 it looks like the developers couldn't care less about putting time and effort into their game. Another glaring issue is the physics and AI. When someone is taking a shot and another object interferes with the players stick the shot should reflect that interference but instead the shot is perfect since the stick can magically phase through objects. And finally with the AI who are the demi gods of NHL 13, whoever was in charge of balancing AI over at EA should be fired. To put my opinions on NHL 13 more bluntly, I am having more fun playing Fifa 13 than I am NHL 13, and I played hockey my entire life and hated soccer.… Expand
  22. McFungus
    Nov 11, 2012
    8
    Just when you thought barrel rolls were only available in flight simulators, out comes NHL 13 to prove that man does not simply fly, he performs aerial tricks.
    Leonardo di Vinci would be ever so proud to see the grace and form of these graceful aerobic powerhouses.
    This is as close as I'm sure to get to a Cirque de Soliel game but damn it, I'm going to enjoy every second it offers!
  23. packinballs13
    Dec 27, 2012
    10
    This game is absolutely AMAZING! It is a must buy for all hockey games out there, and a real big improvement from NHL 12. For people who say that they can't spend 60$ on the game are just haters. It is well worth the 60$. MUST BUY!!!
  24. gover151
    Jan 25, 2013
    3
    Being a huge hockey fan I can appreciate the gameplay and realism, with how the goals are scored and such but this game is still extremely frustrating to play. The realism, skating, gameplay etc is better than ever but still some major flaws.

    -Puck control, I can steam roll one of there players with a body check ut they still get up and get the puck before mu defender can, yet if I go    Being a huge hockey fan I can appreciate the gameplay and realism, with how the goals are scored and such but this game is still extremely frustrating to play. The realism, skating, gameplay etc is better than ever but still some major flaws.

    -Puck control, I can steam roll one of there players with a body check ut they still get up and get the puck before mu defender can, yet if I go anywhere near there players they take the puck away
    -Loose pucks, same issue, can't seem to get the puck no matter how much closer I am than they are
    -One timers, I guess they tried to fix the glitch from last year with it being so easy to score on one timers, however not it is pretty much impossible to score on a legitimate one timer no matter how good the set up is. -Passing, the CPU can seem to make unreal passes all night long, intercept all mine and any pass I seem to make in there end gets intercepted.
    -Even with all this I would love the game except for this one thing that has been pissing me off for ever in the EA games, when the CPU wants to score/win, it does, I have had games where I dominatem outshooting them quite badly and still lose, just outshot Edmonton 33 - 9 and lost 1-0, one playoff game I had I outshot Carolina 43-5 and lost 3-1. Totally retarded how you can dominate and still lose and get scored on.
    -Last but not least is the trade expectations of the CPU, it went from making easy trades in 12 to having to drastically overpay to get anyone decent in 13, not realistic at all.    … Expand
  25. cstrickland
    Mar 20, 2013
    10
    My love/infatuation with hockey and EA's NHL games continued when I bought this game, I saw the trailers and was tortured for months till it's release. I wanted soooooo bad to get this game and I did, it drives me crazy at times but there's moments I find myself screaming at an awesome goal I've scored.

    The HUT mode is a wonderful thing where you open packs of cards and try to build    My love/infatuation with hockey and EA's NHL games continued when I bought this game, I saw the trailers and was tortured for months till it's release. I wanted soooooo bad to get this game and I did, it drives me crazy at times but there's moments I find myself screaming at an awesome goal I've scored.

    The HUT mode is a wonderful thing where you open packs of cards and try to build your ultimate team, I find myself playing that mode more and more just trying to build my favorite team (GO BRUINS) but the other players make it nearly impossible to buy your favorite players so it leaves you hoping you pick up that goalie who's 10,000 pucks in a HUT pack.

    The graphics are amazing and my favorite mode is the winter classic just to see the snow fall on the open ice rink as you skate past defenders and head towards the net trying to deke out the goalie and make him flail to try and stop your momentum.

    The online is fun with friends but if you're meeting random people they sometimes use glitches to help their team win.

    The BE A PRO mode is back and improved once again as you try your hand at becoming an NHL legend, I just wish they had the game face importer like madden 13 does so you could feel like it's really you battling your way to the top.

    PICK THIS GAME UP!    … Expand
  26. greene_8
    Jul 20, 2013
    4
    I'm surprised so many people here who claim to know hockey can enjoy this game. The clear difference in ability between the A.I. team and the teammates on my team was enough to ruin this game for me alone. There is no logic to the physics/hitting. You can take a bigger player with all the momentum in the world into a small player on the other team and not only fail to knock him down,I'm surprised so many people here who claim to know hockey can enjoy this game. The clear difference in ability between the A.I. team and the teammates on my team was enough to ruin this game for me alone. There is no logic to the physics/hitting. You can take a bigger player with all the momentum in the world into a small player on the other team and not only fail to knock him down, but watch your player go down instead. The opposite is true for the AI, which can knock down any of your players regardless of size difference or the momentum being carried by the hitter.
    Another huge problem for me was the passing. Passes are extremely difficult to complete, even when the receiver of the pass is wide open. The passes just don't seem to go where you want them to go. In addition, the poke check has been made to be WAY too powerful. You can't come within 10 feet of an opposing AI defenseman without him swooping in and knocking the puck away with the poke check or just knocking your man out. And if you try to make the quick pass, like I said, its usually not getting through. On the flip side, you will watch with frustration as the opposing team AI executes its passes almost flawlessly.
    There is no logic to the goal-scoring. I can get stoned on 5 breakaways on a row and then throw a wrist shot in from the point with no traffic and have it go in. Odd-man rushes rarely result in goals even if passes are succesfully executed. The goal outcomes often have no bearing on who outplayed who in the game, its hard to feel any sense of accomplishment for scoring or preventing goals when they seem to just go in by random luck. I had many games where I would outshoot the AI by a 4-1 margin but the score would always stay even. I could hold the AI to 10-15 shots for an entire game but they would still score 2-3 goals just from throwing the puck at the net as soon as they got into my zone. I know things like this can happen in hockey but when you thoroughly outplay the AI in every game, improve from game to game, and the scores don't reflect that, it starts to become frustrating and unrewarding.
    Overall I'd give this game a 4/10, positives being the graphics, presentation and fluidity of gameplay. My biggest problems were the disparity in ability between the user's players and the A.I.'s players, the completely screwed-up hitting, the over-powered poke check, lack of ability to execute passes, and the unrewarding and nonsensical goal-scoring.    … Expand
  27. Gamer4
    Dec 21, 2014
    6
    It is on the edge of fun because it just isnt enough gameplay and I hate the game because any loser can just play it and win and the AI pisses me of a lot
  28. Serotam
    May 11, 2018
    8
    This game may or may not be fully acceptable to certain gamers. It depends on what they're used to and how flexible they are for how the gameplay feels and goes. What I'm getting to is the main addition to the game which is an all new skating engine called "True Performance Skating". Most gamers and critics probably perceive this as the most innovative addition to the franchise since theThis game may or may not be fully acceptable to certain gamers. It depends on what they're used to and how flexible they are for how the gameplay feels and goes. What I'm getting to is the main addition to the game which is an all new skating engine called "True Performance Skating". Most gamers and critics probably perceive this as the most innovative addition to the franchise since the skill stick in NHL '07 that was independent of a player's body. The gameplay may take a little while to get used to, but in the end, it'll hopefully end up making the game feel and look much more like an authentic NHL playing experience. Like other sports games or video games in general have done with newer or altered controls, the game has a tutorial right from the start after a personal thank you from cover athlete Claude Giroux. It tells you all about the aspects of this new skating engine, including acceleration, turning and momentum and overall speed. You'll probably find yourself skating too hard or too fast and wind up skating into defenders and getting stripped of the puck, but this can gradually be adjusted to as you become more aware of just how fast certain players can skate. It's so realistic, it's even like real life driving physics in that the faster you’re driving, the harder it is to turn in. Another thing you'll probably notice eventually is that it becomes noticeably harder to accurately pass or even shoot the puck once you at least come close to reaching full speed. This makes for an incredible experience as it brings a con or drawback to reaching toward your player’s top speed, just like in REAL HOCKEY. it's like driving a car with tighter handling than that of those in the past. It takes some getting used to, but will ultimately provide more control than ever before once you get the hang of it.

    The addition of the Winter Classic mode is nice for something different and it's also nice to still see some of the remodeled or retro jerseys in the game as well. I can't speak of much more than these two new features considering that I don't have nearly enough time on my hands to play online or even a franchise/season mode, but I couldn't imagine these are disappointing either.

    What seems to bother some gamers the most about this game is how unrealistically challenging it is on the default pro difficulty. It is true that some gamers may feel somewhat embarrassed or under rewarded when playing on too easy of a difficulty such as rookie, but NHL 13 takes this concept a bit too far. The AI learning bar/meter is turned up all the way for at least the default pro difficulty which probably explains how superior the CPU is as far as making that perfect pass or reading the mind or playing style of the player. Even with a compromised AI learning meter which is only halfway full, you still have to be careful when it comes to at least positioning whether it be your own or one of your CPU controlled teammates. The opposition can likely make you pay for nearly every mistake your team makes and thus makes this significantly more challenging than games in year’s past but rewards you for preventing these mishaps from happening at times so it makes up the difference. I highly recommend you compromise and turn the AI learning meter down so it's only 50% full and you should enjoy a far more even playing experience, provided that you have taken the time to feel out the new skating engine either in free skate or the skating drill at first before playing a game.

    A crucial aspect of the game is missing in the interactive tutorials and practice modes. As previously mentioned, the faster you are skating, the harder it is not only to turn in but also to accurately pass or shoot the puck. This will cause the player to be frustrated not only because of missing your teammate's stick or the net but also because you ultimately could have potentially missed out on a good scoring chance to extend your lead, tie the game or trim the lead of the opposition. The game is also missing national anthems and interviews.

    There is arguably only one other downside to this game and that is the replay value. It would have more of this if you could put certain skills to the test offensively or defensively with mini-camp drills as many gamers have done in the older Madden NFL games to practice and achieve medals. However, It's so much of an improvement over a few of the last installments that it would be hard to noticeably top this game for years to come anyway. The main thing EA was seemingly boasting about in the NHL 14 trailers was the '94 anniversary mode, which kind of implies the new fighting engine and additional checking physics are nothing special which is why I don't buy the games every year. You'll probably be torn between choosing whether to buy NHL 14 or 15 if you happened to miss out on NHL 13 but you shouldn't expect anything as impressive as the true performance skating just yet.    … Expand
  29. jianoman
    Nov 20, 2013
    8
    I spend probably hundreds of hours playing these games every year. This one was no exception. All of the game modes from the previous games are present and really, this game hasn't changed since NHL 11. The amount of glitches can be hilarious and make this game more enjoyable. I really only spend my time playing my friend in this game because he got so frustrated playing this game. TheI spend probably hundreds of hours playing these games every year. This one was no exception. All of the game modes from the previous games are present and really, this game hasn't changed since NHL 11. The amount of glitches can be hilarious and make this game more enjoyable. I really only spend my time playing my friend in this game because he got so frustrated playing this game. The game feels kind of inconsistent with the hits, shooting, saves, and CPU's 'trying' to help you, but instead take a stupid penalty. This game can be fun, but it's defiantly not worth $60 every year for a roster change.… Expand
  30. ITZZZPERRY
    Aug 18, 2014
    8
    NHL 13 is a great game. The gameplay feels so realistic and is a blast to play. The best way to play is versus friends, as it creates some serious tension. A hockey fan's dream game.
  31. Skycraft489
    Dec 22, 2014
    10
    I'm a big fan of hockey, I didn't get that much in NHL 12, I got this Game Yesterday. I't is the best NHL game to date till NHL 14. The New Physics engine and New skating engine is amazing. I will play this game till I get GTA 5 or COD advanced Warfare

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
68
#68 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Jan 24, 2013
    70
    It's the ability to check opponents that is the real highlight of the violence. [Feb 2013, p.80]
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Nov 16, 2012
    80
    Still strong, but starting to show its age. [Dec 2012, p.103]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 29, 2012
    90
    Finally the major changes come to the ice-hockey simulation and we have got quite a lot of improvements after last year's stagnation. [Oct 2012]
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