NHL 16

 Xbox One
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 86 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 86
  3. Negative: 26 out of 86
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  1. greene_8
    Sep 21, 2015
    3
    The problems with this franchise usually center around the unpolished game modes but I can never get over how unbalanced the actual gameplay is. When I play on Pro my players seem competent and the A.I. Is defendable, when I switch to All-Star the A.I. has the puck glued to its sticks and my players stop using basic common sense, such as skating into the offensive zone when your teammatesThe problems with this franchise usually center around the unpolished game modes but I can never get over how unbalanced the actual gameplay is. When I play on Pro my players seem competent and the A.I. Is defendable, when I switch to All-Star the A.I. has the puck glued to its sticks and my players stop using basic common sense, such as skating into the offensive zone when your teammates are attacking or picking up the puck when it's sitting at your feet. I played 10 games in season mode and my goalie (Varlamov) has an .854 save percentage, despite the fact that I've beat my opponents in shots and attack time in every game. If you don't know about hockey, an .854 save percentage simply doesn't happen in reality, it's ridiculously bad. I hit and knock down opponents, and they get up and get the puck back before my player makes any kind of move to get the puck. 9 out of 10 of my poke checks result in the puck going straight to the opponent's teammate, and the exact opposite happens when the A.I. Is poke checking my players. There are certain points where I can stand right in front of a guy poke-checking him and lifting his stick and the puck will float right back to him 3-4 times in a row. I can have 15-20 point blank snap shots per game with quality players and end up getting shutout. How can people possibly enjoyable a game that is so unbalanced?… Expand
  2. PierreDu
    Sep 21, 2015
    4
    It's basically NHL 2015 + the features that should've been there last year. Oh yeah, they added mascots and growing beards...

    I play mainly versus AI, and the advantage the other team has is simply ridiculous: defence is useless in your own zone; lifting the opponent stick is useless 90% of the time; Checking would be useful, but the opponent gets up SO FAST that most of the times, you    It's basically NHL 2015 + the features that should've been there last year. Oh yeah, they added mascots and growing beards...

    I play mainly versus AI, and the advantage the other team has is simply ridiculous: defence is useless in your own zone; lifting the opponent stick is useless 90% of the time; Checking would be useful, but the opponent gets up SO FAST that most of the times, you end up with the puck (even with huge hits)... and you don't get up as fast when you get hit. I could go on with examples all day. Instead of adjusting the defence/offense system of the team when you raise the difficulty level, EA decided to weaken your players... and your goalie.

    So I'm stuck: if I play at a lower level, I'm crushing the other team, but I feel cheated playing All-star... And what about all those players stumbling when they cross a player on the ice. It's stupid!!!

    EA were lazy once again. They know people are gonna buy the game because there is nothing else available. They even kept the images of the cities in the game presentation.

    I'm pretty sure they're gonna do the same next year.    … Expand
  3. FootCreem9
    Oct 13, 2015
    0
    I am offically changing my score from a 1 to a 0, the ice tilt is unbearable, had 40 shots and 4 goals, he had 12 shots and 5 goals, this game is completely unplayable and EA refuses to listen to their customers (huge suprise I know) even though they claimed to have listened to them to make this game, I call **** the #1 thing always asked for is to get rid of the ice tilt, or theI am offically changing my score from a 1 to a 0, the ice tilt is unbearable, had 40 shots and 4 goals, he had 12 shots and 5 goals, this game is completely unplayable and EA refuses to listen to their customers (huge suprise I know) even though they claimed to have listened to them to make this game, I call **** the #1 thing always asked for is to get rid of the ice tilt, or the scriptedness, but nope that would make it acctually fun and fair and EA only likes making steaming piles of scripted ****, and this game take the crown for most scriped EA game available, I would say you have the best chance of winning a game in NHL16 when you are down by 2 goals, because then it forces the other guys team (whos been playing better the whole game most likely) to play like complete retards, they refuse to pick up the puck, every single pass is just awful, and your shots will miss, no matter what, no mattter how close you get, it just forces your guy to miss. If by some miracle EA actualy takes 5 hours to fix one of their games instead of just touching themselves over their big piles of money, I may change my score again, but I don't expect that will ever happen. I sincerely hope every person who had a part in this game dies slowly.… Expand
  4. worstgameever
    Oct 31, 2015
    0
    I just finished up my 2 year tenure playing NHL 15 for the Xbox 360. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had playing with friends and in online. I absolutely loved the HUT and EASHL features. You were able to customize so much about each player from their face off skills, to hitting, to stick curve!

    I just recently made the switch to Xbox One and I feel like I    I just finished up my 2 year tenure playing NHL 15 for the Xbox 360. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had playing with friends and in online. I absolutely loved the HUT and EASHL features. You were able to customize so much about each player from their face off skills, to hitting, to stick curve!

    I just recently made the switch to Xbox One and I feel like I just stepped in dog feces. It is the feeling when you know your day is ruined. I have been playing this game for two days and I want to break my console into 1000 pieces. This is by far one of the worst games I have ever played. The only customization you get is what colour skin your player is and how long his beard is. With that feature, every single player I have seen has the same ugly beard. You get no rewards in playing anymore and there are no attributes to look forward to. You get to select one of five lousy playing abilities in the pre-game lobby.

    I feel like I am looking at a beginner power skating class. These guys have no skating ability. However, they have the best hand eye coordination on planet earth. Every single player can stick check from 20 feet away and the RB button on every controller will wear out faster than I can eat a bag of popcorn.
    The AI in this game is incredible. I think Crosby and Stamkos would get crushed playing against these computer wizards.

    On top of this disgusting piece of trash they call NHL 16, you cant even watch the debacle because the camera angles are either in the rafters, or a worm cam that looks like it is attached to your stick. You will find yourself watching the wrong player since your camera angle does not know where on earth your bearded dragon player is.

    I would rate this game a -1030392039 but the scale only goes to 0. If EA Sports paid me 1000 dollars a week to play this game for 40 hours, I would take the disc and tie it to a bag of bricks and sink it to the ocean before I played even another 13 seconds.

    I think I am going to find a N64 console and find Gretzky 98 and enjoy a real hockey experience. Hopefully on the next edition of NHL for XB1, the creator doesn't design the game in 90 seconds after he drinks 37 beers on a Wednesday night. My 19 year old cat could have put in a better effort than this disgusting piece of trash game.

    I am going to now play checkers with my grandma and have a way better time.    … Expand
  5. Critic_001
    Oct 15, 2015
    0
    First off, I have been playing EA NHL series games since the Super Nintendo. Once EASHL was introduced, I played with a group of friends every year. We skipped NHL 15 for obvious reasons (no EASHL) and we were pumped for NHL 16. I also played HUT, when not playing EASHL. After buying NHL 16 over Xbox Live, I wish I had a physical disk to send to EA in pieces or at least use as aFirst off, I have been playing EA NHL series games since the Super Nintendo. Once EASHL was introduced, I played with a group of friends every year. We skipped NHL 15 for obvious reasons (no EASHL) and we were pumped for NHL 16. I also played HUT, when not playing EASHL. After buying NHL 16 over Xbox Live, I wish I had a physical disk to send to EA in pieces or at least use as a coaster for my beverage. I feel so strongly about this, I created an account on Metacritic just to review this game.

    NHL 16 is horrible. The higher the difficulty level the more stupid the AI gets. I cannot count how many times my own player bumps into me and makes me lose the puck. The players are constantly spinning in an awkward fashion that you end up taking a weak backhand shot because you lack the time to wait for your player to spin to his forehand. Sometimes the passing is so horrible, you are almost better off hanging onto the puck and trying to deke around people. The AI has the puck glued to their stick, yet it can be knocked off a player stick with little or no effort. I also love how a full power slapshot can hit a skate and stop dead at the opponent's feet, which gives him a great chance to skate by for a breakaway. Even if I am directly between the shooter and the goal, I am lucky to block a shot. If I do block the shot, it usually bounces back to the opponent and they get a quality scoring chance on their next shot. The puck physics are horrible. I cannot be the only one that has the dreaded bouncing puck in the corner that you just cannot seem to pick up. Speaking of picking up the puck, it's like a coin flip if you actually gain control of it. I have skated over pucks laying flat on the ice so many times, even though I am not checking. Even gliding it is far from a guarantee you will pick up the puck successfully. Yet, the AI will reach a stick 10 feet behind them and grab a loose puck with ease. Okay, enough with the AI. So much for the next-gen console capability. Puck physics are laughable, the AI is horrible, and the skating feels sluggish. I feel like I am fighting the controller to get my player to do what I want them to. I spend more time in instant replay trying to figure out what / how that just happened than actually playing the game.

    So... EASHL is good right? WRONG. The lag / input delay totally breaks any online mode. Having a second or more delay in hitting a button and actually seeing your skater perform this action on the ice is a game-breaker. The EA forums are flooded with posts about input delay and lag. This never happened in a any of the previous EA NHL games for me or my friends. Even if you do 6 vs 6 club games, you still have to deal with the horrible skating, puck physics, and your player spinning for no good reason or not listening to the actual inputs on your xbox controller.

    In conclusion, if you wanna tear out all your hair, raise your blood pressure, and scream profanities at your TV, by all means buy NHL 16. Hopefully, EA will read these poor reviews, NHL 16 will have weak sales, and the EA NHL Team will focus on creating a more polished product next year.    … Expand
  6. pmr122
    Mar 24, 2016
    1
    Let me start off by saying I have been a big fan of EA's NHL series but NHL 16 changed that.
    I have bought the last 10 NHL titles from EA (NHL 07-NHL 16) and NHL 16 is by far the worst one. They focus on presentation over gameplay by adding team mascots instead of focusing on things that need fixing like the AI, passing, puck pick ups, etc.
    In GM mode and Be a pro the game has frozen    Let me start off by saying I have been a big fan of EA's NHL series but NHL 16 changed that.
    I have bought the last 10 NHL titles from EA (NHL 07-NHL 16) and NHL 16 is by far the worst one. They focus on presentation over gameplay by adding team mascots instead of focusing on things that need fixing like the AI, passing, puck pick ups, etc.
    In GM mode and Be a pro the game has frozen numerous time on me where i have lost my progress on my saved file.
    EA does not care about how bad their product is because people will just buy HUT packs constantly making EA money on something that takes little to no effort on their part    … Expand
  7. did
    Nov 24, 2015
    0
    Let me start by saying I WAS a huge fan of the franchise. NHL 16 is a huge step behind. Does not feel like hockey whatsoever. I have no fun playing. Coming from a huge hockey fan and player. If by any chance you haven't put your hands on it yet, DON'T. Please save your self the pain and frustration of "trying" to play hockey. As it feels in NO way like hockey plays. It shouldn't be callLet me start by saying I WAS a huge fan of the franchise. NHL 16 is a huge step behind. Does not feel like hockey whatsoever. I have no fun playing. Coming from a huge hockey fan and player. If by any chance you haven't put your hands on it yet, DON'T. Please save your self the pain and frustration of "trying" to play hockey. As it feels in NO way like hockey plays. It shouldn't be call NHL and NHL should withdraw all association with this game. Give me back my money. Shame on EA.… Expand
  8. Zacho666
    Mar 29, 2016
    0
    JUST LET THIS KILL ITSELF
    I love hockey, I'm british and a Leafs fan so you can imagine I live for this sport. so I wanted to be a goalie and save my beloved Leafs all the way to the playoffs. On ROOKIE difficulty...THAT'S ROOKIE DIFFICULTY.
    I thought it wouldn't be that bad. MAN WAS I IN FOR A BAD TIME. every single shot is a rebound from the opposing team and my defence is useless,    JUST LET THIS KILL ITSELF
    I love hockey, I'm british and a Leafs fan so you can imagine I live for this sport. so I wanted to be a goalie and save my beloved Leafs all the way to the playoffs. On ROOKIE difficulty...THAT'S ROOKIE DIFFICULTY.
    I thought it wouldn't be that bad. MAN WAS I IN FOR A BAD TIME. every single shot is a rebound from the opposing team and my defence is useless, offence is worse and then the opposing goalie is some kinda magician who just stops everything why it looked like I have pads the are 50 times to small for me, I make great save but then it just rolls on in, it bounces off my glove to a opposing player and he just slots it in because my movement is too slow and then I get benched and its just the worst ting imaginable. average scores are as follows:
    My team:3
    opposing team:8
    not because I'm not trying its because every single one is a rebound.
    Do not buy this game if you enjoy hockey in anyway.
    They should give this to prisoners at guantanamo bay its that torturing, you hug the post the AI score on your outside, you leave a slither between you and the post the AI finds a way,
    AI shoots for five hole, I butterfly and its always scored with "high blocker"
    I genuinely think its easier to just get drafted into the NHL instead of play this.    … Expand
  9. workingman12
    Sep 24, 2015
    1
    I give ea customer support a 0 and the game a 2. Nhl 16 would be fun if it actually worked more then 50% of the time. Many people are not receiving extras they are paying for. Game play seems lop sided. If you are lucky enough to get your gold packs you pay for only 1 out of every 500,000 packs has anything rated over a 85. Game seems like it was released to early. The graphics areI give ea customer support a 0 and the game a 2. Nhl 16 would be fun if it actually worked more then 50% of the time. Many people are not receiving extras they are paying for. Game play seems lop sided. If you are lucky enough to get your gold packs you pay for only 1 out of every 500,000 packs has anything rated over a 85. Game seems like it was released to early. The graphics are extremely good but mean nothing because half the time the game dose not work properly.online team play is a little better then 2015.just over all wish I did not buy the game yet and most of all wish I did not buy the delux rip off. Thank you for reading good luck… Expand
  10. hockeyfan
    Dec 24, 2015
    8
    Designers/Programmers of NHL 16. Please tell me you’ve learned from the embarrassment that was NHL 15. What I mean is: (1) Stop having our players miss passes for no reason. If the puck is coming right at them, ALLOW THEM TO RECEIVE THE PASS. Don’t have them ignore the pass. (2) Don’t have my goalie all of a sudden become blind and not stop even the easiest of shots. (3) Don’t all of aDesigners/Programmers of NHL 16. Please tell me you’ve learned from the embarrassment that was NHL 15. What I mean is: (1) Stop having our players miss passes for no reason. If the puck is coming right at them, ALLOW THEM TO RECEIVE THE PASS. Don’t have them ignore the pass. (2) Don’t have my goalie all of a sudden become blind and not stop even the easiest of shots. (3) Don’t all of a sudden have the other team turn into a bunch of Gretzky’s and Crosby’s. (4) Stop having the players do stupid things such as falling down two or three seconds after the whistle is blown, or have our player who is about to receive a pass fall down for no reason(No one was around him to knock him down. He actually fell down on this own and ended up missing the pass.) (5) When the opposition is checked and knocked down, stop slowing down our players to allow the guy who’s been knocked down, time to actually get up AND recover the puck. That’s not realistic in any way. Watch a hockey game and tell me if you ever see that happen. (6) If my slap shots from the blue line can’t get through the crowd in front of the goalie, I understand. But, when the opposition is at my blue line and takes a slap shot, don’t have the system move everyone out of the way. Again, that’s not realistic (and not fair.) (7) Stop having 99 % of poke checks go back to the opposition. (8) Stop having 99% of bounces go to the opposition. (9) If I have two players behind the net trying to get the puck, stop allowing one player from the other team come in and take it before my TWO players can take it. (10) Stop having my goalie pass the puck to the opposition. Too many times I would try to pass the puck to my player on the left or right of me, and the system would send it in the opposite direction to the opposition. (No goalie will do that. That’s stupid programming.) (11) If I’m coming up to the blue line, but not past it yet, if I take a shot, don’t have my player make a turn to his right or left and shoot it at the boards. Let it go down the ice. I’m not asking to let it score. The few times I tried that, I was just trying to shoot it into the opposition’s zone. But for you to take the time to actually program that in was stupid. Again, watch a game and tell me if you ever see that happen. You won’t.

    Don’t misunderstand me here. I know all of the above will happen from time to time. The problem was it was happening game after game. I once had six consecutive passes bounce off of my player’s sticks and go directly to the opposition. Cost me four goals within two minutes. I went from a five game winning streak to an 11 game losing streak because each game, all the above kept happening, and with each game, it would happen more and more. That’s not me not knowing how to handle plays. That’s incredibly stupid programming. I look forward to trying NHL 16. I just hope someone at EA thought of everything I mentioned above.    … Expand
  11. MovieVerdict
    Sep 17, 2015
    10
    Great game, don't let the haters get you. Totally improved from last year with next gen. I would've given it a 9, but I'm giving it a 10 to counteract the 0's. No game deserves a zero.
  12. tbagurdrumset94
    Jan 22, 2016
    5
    Consider this a review of NHL 16's offline features. I have played NHL online in the past, but I've always prioritized the offline modes, as I prefer managing teams alone and playing Be a Pro mode.

    First, the good: - The game feels more realistic than previous games. It's not perfect (honestly, it never will be), but of all the NHL games I've played, it has the fewest glitchy goals and    Consider this a review of NHL 16's offline features. I have played NHL online in the past, but I've always prioritized the offline modes, as I prefer managing teams alone and playing Be a Pro mode.

    First, the good:
    - The game feels more realistic than previous games. It's not perfect (honestly, it never will be), but of all the NHL games I've played, it has the fewest glitchy goals and weird physics moments (though they are still present)
    - Everything looks real purdy
    - NBC presentation is solid; commentators can get repetitive, but I find that I enjoy it more often than not
    - Scoring is a satisfying experience; in previous games (I skipped NHL 15), I sometimes felt like I was cheating the game when I was scoring, since there were certain plays that seem to work every time; with the difficulty up higher, you have to earn your goals and your victories
    - The concept of the goaltending controls is admirable

    The bad:
    - The execution of the goaltending controls is not so good. The game has a general input delay that can be tolerated in every other facet except for this one. Reacting to quick shots and one-timers is unreasonably difficult and moving side to side is far more challenging than it should be. Also, when the puck goes behind the net, the goalie becomes relatively unresponsive or moves incorrectly
    - The AI can't break out to save its life
    - You can't consistently save different settings for different modes. On-ice trainer can only be seemingly modified globally, if you want it on for Be a Pro, then it will be on by default for Be a GM.
    - No create a team
    - No Be an NHL Pro
    - No legends
    - Though it technically has more modes than NHL 15, the developers have masked the fact that many things are still missing

    Frankly, EA has made the game in such a way that they can only just provide enough modes to stem the complaints aimed at NHL 15 without expending too much energy. I've been saying for years now that they would really be doing the fans a great service by allowing us to modify our own offline experience to whatever degree we wish. I want:

    - Unlockable legendary teams (unlocked by gameplay, not by purchase; 2K simply provided full teams with fairly accurate overalls, correct heights and sizes, and correct nationalities and then left it up to the player to rename the templates into their corresponding real-life player; they avoided legal problems by doing this and people like me were willing to take the time to name these players)
    - Comprehensive enhanced stats
    - A comprehensive log of my Be a Pro player's career regular season and playoff stats, and, at the bottom of the table, I want to see my CAREER TOTAL... this was mysteriously omitted from the game
    - Get rid of bad line changes in Be a Pro; tired of simming to my shift and then going on the ice while the enemy team is on the rush into my zone
    - Bring back Be an NHL Pro and Legends mode... should go without saying
    - Make a game that is truly tailored to hardcore players, stats geeks and NHL historians: GIVE THE FANS WHAT THEY WANT.    … Expand
  13. Jspotter89
    Jan 28, 2016
    7
    Let me start by saying that NHL 16 is not a bad game, on the whole. There are a whole lot of modes to play, both online or offline, depending on your preference. I steered clear of the fiasco that was NHL 15 last year, and by all accounts it appears to have made a significant bounce back this year. But sadly, there is a long way to go to attain greatness for a franchise that once had it.Let me start by saying that NHL 16 is not a bad game, on the whole. There are a whole lot of modes to play, both online or offline, depending on your preference. I steered clear of the fiasco that was NHL 15 last year, and by all accounts it appears to have made a significant bounce back this year. But sadly, there is a long way to go to attain greatness for a franchise that once had it.

    Be A Pro Mode is where I spend most of my time in NHL 16, so I will speak to that and leave others to cover the other modes available.

    In this mode, you create a player and play as them in game situations from their draft year until they retire (if you are persistent enough). The mode is good at first glance, but once you play it for more than a season, you will find that it is hopelessly broken...unless you play it the way the developers intended you to play it, that is. Allow me to explain with my own experiences.

    I created a player who is a 5'9", 172 lb Sniper, who played 1st line Center for the Halifax Mooseheads in his draft year. I played the whole year, simming two periods of each game and playing the third. In this fashion, my player got 96 goals and over 200 points in 68 games. These are stats not seen since Mario Lemieux's days in junior. Any player with that resume would go 1st Overall in his draft year. But what happened to my player? Well, he was drafted 33rd Overall by the Buffalo Sabres and then sent back to the minors after a preseason in which he lead the league in scoring with 20 points in 7 games. This is patently ridiculous! No team is going to send that kind of a performance back to juniors!

    It turns out, this is by design. The new system emphasizes your coach's evaluations of you over the course of a single game, and over the course of every 5 games during the season. Perform well in those, you get a high draft position. Don't perform well, and your draft ranking suffers. The problem is that the coach often assigns you impossible tasks, like tying up an opponent on a faceoff when you play on the wing. Offensive standards are impossibly high, expecting you to put up 3 points a game consistently in order to get A grades. In reality, for a player of this game to get drafted 1st Overall, they would need to play every period of every game in their draft year. This is far too demanding and destroys the immersion factor for casual players. Not to mention that the player's standing with his junior coaches would mean little if not nothing to NHL teams looking for prospects...

    And if you think this goes away after your draft year, you'd be incorrect. Sim a period of 20 games as a 5th year veteran and you could find yourself sent down to the AHL directly from the 1st Line, even though you might be the leading scorer on your team or in the league.

    As a result, the mode is virtually unplayable unless you are willing to play every game fully, which is something not many players are willing to do. And why include simming games as a feature if it is going to be held against the player for doing so?

    EA has improved this franchise this year, no question, but they still have a long way to go before we get back to the glory days hockey fans used to enjoy.    … Expand
  14. gamernorcal
    Dec 3, 2015
    8
    Graphics are excellent. They finally added back HUT Single player. The arena's are much better and have some personality where you really feel like you're playing at different places. Gameplay after 5 tweaks seems to be better. Online is the only place where it seems the game plays a little different. Overall Fun Factor is A+ and that is what counts.
  15. aredneck92
    Oct 28, 2015
    7
    This is a much better improvement than NHL 15. Played it on the EA Access Trial and was upset when my time ran out. Looking forward to buying and playing this version. The graphics are good and the game play is great especially the Be A Pro.

    Only bad part is still with the shooting of the puck needs to be worked on a bit. Would go to aim and shoot the puck to an open spot but it    This is a much better improvement than NHL 15. Played it on the EA Access Trial and was upset when my time ran out. Looking forward to buying and playing this version. The graphics are good and the game play is great especially the Be A Pro.

    Only bad part is still with the shooting of the puck needs to be worked on a bit. Would go to aim and shoot the puck to an open spot but it would overshoot the net on multiple occasions. The checking could be a bit better also.    … Expand
  16. prinzmichi
    Sep 19, 2015
    8
    Jetzt wird das Eis geschmolzen! Im realen Leben fluscht der Puck in Deutschland bereits und in der nordamerikanischen Eishockeyliga NHL startet die neue Saison in Kürze. Damit auch die virtuellen Menschen Bodychecks und Slapshots durchführen können, bringt EA Sports mit „NHL 16“ den neuen Teil seiner Eishockeysimulation auf den Markt.Jetzt wird das Eis geschmolzen! Im realen Leben fluscht der Puck in Deutschland bereits und in der nordamerikanischen Eishockeyliga NHL startet die neue Saison in Kürze. Damit auch die virtuellen Menschen Bodychecks und Slapshots durchführen können, bringt EA Sports mit „NHL 16“ den neuen Teil seiner Eishockeysimulation auf den Markt.

    http://igamezone.net/2015/09/nhl-16-im-test-jetzt-hat-ea-sports-es-geschafft/igamezonenet/    … Expand
  17. LeBlanket
    Sep 18, 2015
    5
    Very good game, they didn't add much compared from last year, but I find that the game looks much more realistic. Goalies are better and you don't lose a game because of the opposing goalie. Game should be slightly faster though. They added a lot of things that were in NHL 14 but not in 15 (EASHL, being to sim to your next shift in Be a Pro, Shootout mode). They say that they improvedVery good game, they didn't add much compared from last year, but I find that the game looks much more realistic. Goalies are better and you don't lose a game because of the opposing goalie. Game should be slightly faster though. They added a lot of things that were in NHL 14 but not in 15 (EASHL, being to sim to your next shift in Be a Pro, Shootout mode). They say that they improved skating a lot but I found that they didn't because it feels a lot like last year.… Expand
  18. vinnymack77
    Sep 26, 2015
    6
    This game has many improvements like club or drop in mode is better and no one can buy boosts of features to make there guy better than someone else's which is great. But online versus mode took a huge downward spiral for me and it gives favor to offense rather than defense. The poke checking is too easy to avoid and almost invisible, same with dogging hits.which makes it too unrealisticThis game has many improvements like club or drop in mode is better and no one can buy boosts of features to make there guy better than someone else's which is great. But online versus mode took a huge downward spiral for me and it gives favor to offense rather than defense. The poke checking is too easy to avoid and almost invisible, same with dogging hits.which makes it too unrealistic for me Needless to say NHL 15 vs mode was much better for me and I won't even play it in NHL 16 it makes me too mad. If EASHL didnt improve this game would suck for me… Expand
  19. raztaman420
    Oct 27, 2015
    7
    Comparing to NHL 15 for Xbox One~

    The good: Faster game load times. Mascots and facial hair (who cares). A tad easier to score on the goalies. The bad: Still stupid AI especially on D (they let one timer passes float right by them), same team players running into and blocking each other, skating through stick poke checks, collision jars the puck loose but opposing guy gets it while    Comparing to NHL 15 for Xbox One~

    The good: Faster game load times. Mascots and facial hair (who cares). A tad easier to score on the goalies.

    The bad: Still stupid AI especially on D (they let one timer passes float right by them), same team players running into and blocking each other, skating through stick poke checks, collision jars the puck loose but opposing guy gets it while your standing player is looking around, "frozen man" player doesn't go after loose puck just holds his position or backs off, SLUGGISH skating..feels like your players are in quicksand, blocked passes really annoying (even when opposing player is behind you), slow passing so very hard to do tic tac toe passing, just basically a feeling of a slower more frustrating game.

    EA is trying to make the game super realistic in feel, but that does not result in it being fun to play. NHL 15 is more comfortable for me and this new game not much better in gameplay. Menus look sleeker and I have not tried the other game modes. Still, not happy with this version but I'm stuck with it after shelling out so much money. Will keep playing regardless.    … Expand
  20. isaacbobin
    Nov 6, 2015
    7
    NHL 16 is simply what NHL 15 should of been. The extra modes are welcomed although game play has barely changed. The score I give this game highly depends on the extra game modes that are playable in the game. The -3 on the score is due to the lack of change in NHL 16 's game play and overall re-skin of NHL 15. This game however is an alright addition to next-gen's sport library.
  21. Maqus
    Feb 7, 2016
    6
    While improving the graphics and including some of the modes that were lacking in NHL 15, EA has managed to improve the NHL franchise finally this generation albeit ignoring some major flaws with the gameplay itself. As of writing this review I have solely played the "Quickmatch" mode and over 150 games in the singleplayer version of hockey ultimate team.

    The main problems I encountered    While improving the graphics and including some of the modes that were lacking in NHL 15, EA has managed to improve the NHL franchise finally this generation albeit ignoring some major flaws with the gameplay itself. As of writing this review I have solely played the "Quickmatch" mode and over 150 games in the singleplayer version of hockey ultimate team.

    The main problems I encountered with the game involved "floaty" player controls and terrible friendly defensive/offensive AI. Floaty player controls mainly involve situations where you should have control of the puck but for some reason the player you control loses his ability to play hockey. This involves passing the puck to a player to only have him lose it within his feet, laying down a heavy check on an opposite player to only have the player you just demolished regain control of the puck, pushing a player against the boards to hold him there only to receive a penalty for interference for some reason, having 2 players flounder around/behind the net when the puck gets stuck back there, having difficulty switching between players, and difficulty in putting down backwards passes. Now when difficulty is at pro or even all-star these situations can largely be ignored, but when you get to superstar mode it makes the already overpowered computer at an even greater advantage.

    Add the floating sensation to the terrible computer AI that is provided for your team and superstar mode becomes a pain. Frequently in superstar mode the computer will enter "super hockey mode" where you'll get to see goals off faceoffs that are in the net before you can even switch players, insane powerplay possessions, and it's practically impossible to get the puck if they are in possession of the thing. Poke check (gets you penalties), body check (creates uneven defensive situations), and block shots all you want but that opposing AI will still kick you down. Meanwhile the AI provided to your team is pretty much a joke. I've had the goaltender go out to retrieve pucks when the opposing forwards was already bearing down on it, there is a lack of offensive/defensive pressure no matter what I turn the settings towards, and defensive AI is completely lacking in front of the net and everywhere in general. There will be 3 players on defense with a single forward bringing the puck into my zone (with the rest of their team doing a line change) yet my defense lets him skate into the zone uncontested while they skate backwards. I've blocked shots with a player only to have the rest of my defense stand around mindless while their player slams it midair into the back of my net. Goalies can't stop anything no matter what their ranking is in H.U.T. I was excited to finally get a level 85 Eddie Lack as my goalie only to realize he can't stop a beach ball and ended up just sticking with my level 80 silver goaltender. Offensive possessions are extremely hard to maintain as your offensive players tend to stand around while the opposing defense bears down on you nonstop leaving very little decision making time. Try to make a tight pass and the computer will disrupt the pass no matter how hard or saucer pass it.
    There are also weird line changes that occur. Numerous times I have passed the puck up the boards out of my defensive zone only to have my player enter the bench and the opposing team scoop up the puck. There are so many more terrible instances of AI in this game that I can't possibly place them into 5000 characters.

    So overall I find myself thoroughly enraged anytime I try to play HUT mode with the terrible A.I. that I am stuck with. As for H.U.T. mode, it's really cool to be able to build your own roster via packs of cards however there is no way I will ever spend real $ on these useless cards. If you don't plan on spending real money you will struggle to maintain a roster. Injuries are the most frequent issue that I have encountered and they never provide you with enough cards to resolve them. I have a ton of players that I can no longer play due to "Leg Injuries". I never pull "Leg Injury" cards when I open packs so most of my players are stuck in the collection. Contracts are somewhat of a problem but I have felt that they provide you with just enough cards to maintain an active roster. If you want a roster full of "Gold" NHL players then you can forget it if you don't spend any real dollars on this game. I also do not understand why the premium bronze and gold give you 24 cards yet the premium silver pack only gives you 12 cards.

    Therefore, as a singleplayer only game experience I am overall dissatisfied with my purchase of NHL 16. While I can manage to hang in there sometimes on the most difficult settings the A.I. in this game is just too questionable to recommend to anyone. Now if you are into the multiplayer aspects and have no issues blowing money on digital hockey cards that will become useless once they move on then this game might be for you.    … Expand
  22. Butinho
    Feb 24, 2016
    10
    The world would never think of a South African guy who loves Ice Hockey . Well I am one and I must say that this installment is a lot better compared to its predecessor , all the missing content has been added back , the gameplay is excellent and the graphics are great
  23. Deejaymn
    Apr 16, 2016
    2
    I've been playing nhl in some form since the Sega genesis and this version is the least fun version I've ever played, it's so infuriating and frustrating it's hard to put into words especially when I've loved older versions so much. There's no flow, the AI sticks to you like glue, you lose most puck scrums, passing is so over sensitive, deking has lost its fluidity, my thumb hurts fromI've been playing nhl in some form since the Sega genesis and this version is the least fun version I've ever played, it's so infuriating and frustrating it's hard to put into words especially when I've loved older versions so much. There's no flow, the AI sticks to you like glue, you lose most puck scrums, passing is so over sensitive, deking has lost its fluidity, my thumb hurts from pushing down the left stick to get any speed cuz otherwise your guy is too slow, online vs. games usually have a very slight almost invisible lag that effects quick plays, moves, shots etc. I could go on but you get the point. Where is the evolution, this should be the best, powerful console, HD TVs, C'mon EA. Put some actual hockey players on staff and figure out THE FEEL OF HOCKEY, it needs a smooth poetic flow to create, where what you envision for a play can happen. It's depressing cuz my winter months are meant for playing this with my buddies gaming dudes online, instead we leave angry and frustrated even when we win games it feels like we lose.… Expand
  24. dwayner
    Aug 22, 2016
    0
    NHL 16 is by far the **** game ever made! I have never played a video game in my life and I have played video games since the sega genisis in which I wanna smash my controllers as much as this game! Its not even fun when you win. it amazes me that these paid off critics rate these games 8-10 everytime, but its quite ovbious that these critics never played a real game of hockey in theirNHL 16 is by far the **** game ever made! I have never played a video game in my life and I have played video games since the sega genisis in which I wanna smash my controllers as much as this game! Its not even fun when you win. it amazes me that these paid off critics rate these games 8-10 everytime, but its quite ovbious that these critics never played a real game of hockey in their life to noticed the flaws anyways! These DUMMIES cant even make simple breakout passes! if the GAMEPLAY sucks, then the GAME sucks...plain and simple...
    * - PASSING - Makes you wanna punch walls! WTF was EA thinking in this game, players cant even pass 5 feet! %40 of the passes go into completely wrong directions that you know you bloody well never aimed at! just awful and makes you wanna smash controllers because without half-decent passing the game will suck! I have NEVER in my life seen passing so BAD in any level of hockey! not even in kids hockey!
    * - SKATING - god awful, these dummies skate as if the ice is 500 by 250ft! it isnt smooth and they take 25ft to make a simple quick stop. Skating in this game isnt FREELY, you can only skate into certain area's or the computer will fling you back like an elastic, on EASHL the skating forces all the skaters to skate into the cluster zone infront of the net! (example - ill be playing D and ill be watching the play in the offensive zone corner but then all of a sudden ill look at my skater and he's stuck in the middle of the pile infront of the net laying on the ice - brutal!) Most of these defencman skate as if they are 355lbs...
    * - HITTING - hitting is useless in this game, dont even bother to use the hit button.... even if you are lucky enough to give off a nice hit, the computer will always manage to skate away with the puck....
    * - PHYSICS - god awful physics in this game. Since when do you take a 90-100+mph slapshot and gets blocked and stopped dead on the players stick %90 of the time? They players can amazingly take perfect back hander passes and shot without setting up! wtf is that about? skating 5-10ft ahead of players but get somehow taking into the boards, players on pure breakaways by atleast 10ft hit the blue line and slow down everytime while defencemen catch them at mega speed.... this game is garbage... Not to mention that players in NHL ( or ANY level of hockey) do AVOID collisions, I know they happen but not at this retarded rate! I dont see too many teammate collisions in the beer leagues either...but in NHL 16 this just skate into each other with ease and take 5 days to get up!
    * - MENU's - gotta push buttons 3-4x's just so the game responds! and if you dont videos will pop up to make you wait even longer.
    * - ONLINE VS MODE - ICE-TILT is unbearable. nothing is worse then outplaying opponents consistently by 25-10 shots, 10 minutes attack to their 1-2 minutes and lose regulary because of garbage glitch goals! This is pretty much every game I play online. The passing in this mode also ruins game play %101.
    * - EASHL - I thought this was suppose to be fun? its nothing but a cluster zone pile of ****. Its pure goal sucks, no sence of playing defence because they are usless on this mode at both ends of the ice (since there is no hitting or intercepting passes or even making a half decent pass), Goalies are plug and ruin this mode as well! its choppy hockey and I dont know why but why is the hockey totally DIFFERENT GAMEPLAY on this mode then playing in GM mode or ONLINE VS mode? wtf is that about...
    * - AL SlIDERS - ruin this game completely. SUPERSTAR is just stupid hockey in which you have no defence once so-ever as they cant intercept passes, hit, they dont rush, cant pass...but if you play on ALLSTAR the game is somewhat realistic although computer will score on will. It doesnt matter if you adjust sliders because they dont work anyways. Settings on GM-Mode may seem perfect for the first 5-6 games then the game cheats and becomes stupid hard...
    I DONT KNOW WHY EA WOULD MAKE A GAME WHERE YOUR PLAYERS WILL OVERSKATE PASSES ON PURPOSE, SKATE OFFSIDE ON PURPOSE, GIVE OFF GOD AWFUL PASSES ON PURPOSE, SKATE INTO OWN TEAMMATES ON PURPOSE, CREATE A MILLION ICINGS ON PURPOSE... THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE TOP NOTCH WITH THIS WHOLE NEW CONSOLE HOCKEY IT SHOULD BE PERFECT BY NOW, ITS BEEN 25 YEARS BUT ITS BEEN 25 YEARS OF MAKING GARBAGE HOCKEY GAMES! SICK OF LOSING CONSTANT GAMES BECAUSE OF GARBAGE GOALS SUCH A WEAK WRISTERS FROM BLUE LINE WHILE I WORK FOR MY GOALS.    … Expand
  25. Ghostface2k
    Jul 23, 2016
    5
    Gone are the days of fun NHL games (NHL 04). Defense is no fun to play, imo the game was all catered to offense. The spike in difficulty levels needs fixing. You play on Rookie, you win 12-0, then you move onto Pro and lose 5-2. It felt more like a hard mode. Less "realism" and wonky control and more of an arcadey feel.
  26. deltago
    May 11, 2016
    5
    How can a franchise regress so much in such a short period of time? Nothing makes me more frustrated these days than loading up NHL 16, yet I still almost do it every day to waste an hour or two so the game does have its benefits.
    I usually play in off line mode and usually be a gm. This is where the game use to shine as you took a gutter team and transformed it into a powerhouse dynasty.    How can a franchise regress so much in such a short period of time? Nothing makes me more frustrated these days than loading up NHL 16, yet I still almost do it every day to waste an hour or two so the game does have its benefits.
    I usually play in off line mode and usually be a gm. This is where the game use to shine as you took a gutter team and transformed it into a powerhouse dynasty. Scouting, trading and line juggling were fundamental in building a truly epic team. In NHL 16, all three of these things are a clunky, confusing and time consuming.

    Editing lines hasn't been more difficult as you have to navigate two menus with the trigger buttons to change ONE player at a time. Want to change up your PK? First you have to left trigger and then slide the menu over to Special Teams, then you have to Right Trigger and slide over to Penalty Kill. Select the player you want to change out (usually having to hit the A button a couple of times before the game responds to it) and then select a new player. But if you want a player out of position (say a LW in the RW slot) You have to Left trigger again, select the Left Wing Menu, then select the player you want in the line. The game then gives you three options Change in Current Line, Change in All Lines or Back. If you select Change in All Lines, then the player being taken off the line will be replaced by the new player in every line the old player was on.
    If the spot was blank due to injury or you scratching the player prior to the line up change, the game then brings you back to the first screen of the current Left Trigger Menu (in this case Special Teams) for you to redo all the steps again. It's time consuming and a large step back from the simplicity it was in the past.

    Scouting is also clustered. Before, you had nice little list of players from different areas of the world that was sortable in many different ways. Wanted to see what rookies had the best potential in a geographical area to narrow your search? Just click the list and scroll through the different regions to see which one would be more suitable. The lists are now replaced by an oversized world map with tiny little icons pointing to regions with a little pie graph stating how many forwards, defencemen and goalies there are. You choose, using these numbers only what position you want to scout and for how long. You do not have access to the skaters in the region until after you confirm the assignment. If you don't like what is there, you have to repeat the entire process over again. Frustrating and time consuming.

    The game also removed the "start in pre-season" mode where you can redo the draft and attempt to sign (or not sign) unrestricted free agents before the first season. This is a hindrance, especially if you want to play Buffalo and are now short an Eichel as he wasn't included in the release of the game but was part of their marketing strategy of the game (go figure).

    In the Trades, there is a bug that keeps players highlighted green as you switch trading partner teams. No longer can you select a player, and scroll through the teams to see if anyone would be interested in trading for him by having him highlight to red or green. You methodically have to take every player off a trade request before switching teams. Also, No Trade and No Movement clauses are not in the game and make for some very unrealistic situations. Not to mention budget teams such as the Ottawa Senators are free from their small market payrolls.

    And I am not even in the actual game play which, contrary to what others have said, has not changed since 2011. There are still odd puck physics, moves the AI can do but the player cannot (for example, try to have a defenceman stop a puck on his stick in front of the goaltender without it hopping over the stick, or worse deflecting into the net), poor goaltending (goaltenders will let in 1 in every 5 shots if you are regardless of skill) and either one end of an extreme or another (minimal penalties or injuries unless you use the slider where both become unbearable in a game) or having player AI characters not skate with their stick on the ice, or in circles always facing in the wrong direction).

    What is even worse, is that I am finding the buttons unresponsive through out the game (and it isn't the controller since it is only happens in this game) from menu selection to line changes, to attempting a pass or poke check. It has be yelling at my screen as the players and the game does not do what I am telling it to do when I want them to do it.

    So vent over. This is probably going to be the last EA NHL game I am going to purchase unless they improve the game significantly once the Expansion Team(s) come in and give us the option much like in 2000 to play the Atlanta Thrashers and select our own team through the expansion draft before hitting the ice. But if this game is any indication, it won't happen, but hey MASCOTS!    … Expand
  27. baris697
    Apr 15, 2016
    9
    It needs a practice to be good in NHL - if you are new in this series. I am no big fan of some special mods, usually use quick match or season. I like new on-ice trainer system like a help for new players and real-time hints. Only negative for me - no tournament mode. There is no way how to play your international tournament for your country, but there are national teams. But summary,It needs a practice to be good in NHL - if you are new in this series. I am no big fan of some special mods, usually use quick match or season. I like new on-ice trainer system like a help for new players and real-time hints. Only negative for me - no tournament mode. There is no way how to play your international tournament for your country, but there are national teams. But summary, great hockey game.… Expand
  28. Lo0seChange
    Apr 8, 2016
    7
    NHL 16 marks the beginning of EASHL for the next gen consoles. Something that many die hard NHL fans were disappointed with the previous NHL 15. While NHL would love for HUT to be the pilot of the ship for NHL 16 because of its money making abilities, EASHL is still the main driver for everyday players. I have dabbled in HUT and dished out my fair share of money on packs that I wish INHL 16 marks the beginning of EASHL for the next gen consoles. Something that many die hard NHL fans were disappointed with the previous NHL 15. While NHL would love for HUT to be the pilot of the ship for NHL 16 because of its money making abilities, EASHL is still the main driver for everyday players. I have dabbled in HUT and dished out my fair share of money on packs that I wish I hadn't, I will get to HUT at the end of the review. I'd like to start with EASHL.

    Let me start by saying, although its the bare bones, I'm glad to have EASHL on the next gen consoles. NHL 15 had me playing on Xbox 360 just to get the EASHL experience again. But unfortunately this game mode is still very lacking. It's obvious from the start that EA focused on HUT and not EASHL in this years game yet again. There is no longer the ability to customize your players stats like every other year of EASHL. Now instead, you chose a player build based on your position upon entering a game, each build has set stats based on the type of player you chose (Player maker, sniper, enforcer etc.) The customization of your player's looks and accessories is better than past years but still VERY lacking for a 2016 sports game. The ranking system also took a turn for the worst. Instead of having a tiered ranking system that affected how many points you could accolade to your stats, it was replaced by a prestige system. No longer based on just wins and grade, your rank goes up by completing certain tasks with certain builds. This would not be so bad if the ranking system had ANY MEANING AT ALL. The ranking system literally earns you nothing in this game. Being a third prestige rank 50 in a drop in game you will have the same stats and abilities as a new player level 1.

    One of the most annoying aspects of EASHL is not having the ability to join drop in games with your friends. You can try to press the join game button at the same time as your friend, but it will take up to 20 times before you get into the same game as your friends. This would too, not be as annoying if EA had not stripped the game of lobby's too. This lack of ability to play with your friends that are not in the same club is terribly frustrating and seems awfully simple to fix, but half a year into the game we're still in the same place.

    The most frustrating aspect of what I just talked about is that these are not core problems with the game that cannot be fixed without a complete overhaul. They are merely elements that EA has looked over in an effort to put everything they have into HUT. Improving a ranking system, lobbies, and joining drop in games in 2016 is not something that we should have beg for. The game play itself HAS been improved, but it is hard to right a positive review when such simple elements from the game are missing.

    On to HUT. Let me start by saying if you don't plan to spend any money on packs don't even bother playing. If you have any experience with EA ultimate team modes you know it is next to impossible to get good teams without spending money. In NHL 2016 they made it even more impossible by watering down the ratings of players. To get any players above an 86 you will have to dish out at least 20k coins which is not easy to obtain. They are almost no differences in the game mode from last year except for the individual player boosts.

    I can't give this game a terrible rating because I still play it every day. But this is thanks to one of the best community of players who make playing this game enjoyable. Definitely not thanks to EA who tries to suck every dollar they can out of me in HUT.    … Expand
  29. YantzPantz
    Apr 30, 2016
    2
    For everything that NHL 16 does well it fails miserably in every other aspect. The basic game modes that are here are ones that should have been here last year and more. It adds nothing new and the gameplay is still infuriating. Even in HUT, the games main mode it's completely unbalanced. It is so obvious when the game chooses who it wants to win from the very beginning and there seemsFor everything that NHL 16 does well it fails miserably in every other aspect. The basic game modes that are here are ones that should have been here last year and more. It adds nothing new and the gameplay is still infuriating. Even in HUT, the games main mode it's completely unbalanced. It is so obvious when the game chooses who it wants to win from the very beginning and there seems like there is no reason to play. There are times where your game consists of not being able to handle the puck, taking penalties, and just being completely useless. I understand teams have bad games, but there is no chance to even rectify the situation. You are left to play the long, painful, replay-filled game where you just get dominated with no chance of fighting back. The A.I. is still terrible, and the menus are slow, unresponsive and broken. Always buy an NHL game on sale, NEVER pre order or buy at full price.… Expand
  30. jwildner
    Sep 11, 2016
    10
    This game is very well made. Its graphics are very good. Most real game iI have played since owning my system. I like the ability to create your own player and have him work his way up to the NHL. I have played almost every NHL game since 2010, I believe this is by far the best one for many reasons.
    Not only are the graphics amazing the controls are easy and smooth. There are no real    This game is very well made. Its graphics are very good. Most real game iI have played since owning my system. I like the ability to create your own player and have him work his way up to the NHL. I have played almost every NHL game since 2010, I believe this is by far the best one for many reasons.
    Not only are the graphics amazing the controls are easy and smooth. There are no real delays and thee controls make it seem very real while playing. The player controls almost all movements which gives the player the best experience for a video game. When I am playing this game I feel as if I am watching a real game.
    Another great take away from this game is the online mode. It is similar to all the other years but NHL online to me has always been above average. The game play is smooth and depending on online connection there is always action and very limited lagging. Online play beats another other sports game out there because the games are constantly moving and not waiting for other players in timeouts or to pick a play.
    The one bad thing I have on this game is the announcers, they give me a big head ache. I have to either mute the tv or turn on music because of them. They repeat everything game after game which gets very old if you are playing it almost everyday. I think if when they had game updates they updated that part it would make the game even better.
    Overall very good game, I would recommend it to anyone who likes sports games. This is game is great to play with friends online or in person. If you ever want to be the guy that runs your dorm or house you must have this game and learn how to play it very well.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best Xbox One Game of 2015
40
#40 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
34
#34 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Sporting News
    Mar 2, 2016
    80
    The most fun way to play NHL 16 is undoubtedly EA Sports Hockey League, an online cooperative mode that pits you and your friends against rival clubs in monthly championship battles. For years, EASHL was a mainstay for the series, but it was missing from last season’s PS4/Xbox One debut. It returns in a big way, thanks to a more user-friendly way to drop in and play anytime as well as a smart new team-building mechanic.
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  2. Brash Games
    Dec 15, 2015
    90
    NHL 16 is probably the most inclusive NHL game to date. The on ice trainer will help new comers in a way that NHL has never done before, even someone like me who has been playing the game for a number of years seems to have improved, breaking bad habits like favoring the glove side or poor cycling of the puck in the offensive zone.
    Read full review
  3. Worth Playing
    Dec 4, 2015
    75
    NHL 16 feels like what NHL 15 should have been. The gameplay remains largely the same, but there is at least some effort to get newcomers more familiar with the mechanics.
    Read full review
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