NHL 19

 Xbox One
User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 62 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 62
  3. Negative: 20 out of 62
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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Sep 24, 2018
    8
    The game looks and sounds better than ever and both the visuals and sound design really do enhance the gameplay quite considerably. I found the skating to be much improved this time around and on the whole most of the different mechanics feel better this time around. The controls take a bit of getting used to at the start I must admit that I was very impressed with how much depth they haveThe game looks and sounds better than ever and both the visuals and sound design really do enhance the gameplay quite considerably. I found the skating to be much improved this time around and on the whole most of the different mechanics feel better this time around. The controls take a bit of getting used to at the start I must admit that I was very impressed with how much depth they have whilst also remaining tight and responsive throughout. The new pond hockey mode is an incredible amount of fun and it adds to the overall content which is massive to say the least. There are a few new inclusions dotted around the game and some of them do improve the game quite a bit and they also make the game more accessible. The Be a Pro mode still feels a little basic and doesn’t have enough depth to it which is a shame because I feel they could do so much more with this mode.Game’s tend to go on for too long and that’s mainly because it’s too easy to gift a penalty.I quite enjoyed last year’s instalment of NHL but I did feel that it lacked in a few areas which in the end did hold it back. Thankfully this time around them areas have been improved significantly in some cases and this does make NHL 19 a must own for fans of the series. One of the biggest improvents for me this time around were the controls. There’s much more depth to them this year and they also feel more fluid and responsive as well. I also feel that the presentation side of the game has been improved this year as well, and in my opinion it’s the best looking and sounding game the series has offered us so far. In terms of gripes I don’t have too many thankfully and the gripes I do have aren’t major problems so I did find that the pros did outweigh the cons quite considerably and that means then that NHL 19 gets a big thumbs up from me because the content will keep you satisfied for months to come.… Expand
  2. mircopetruzzell
    Oct 10, 2018
    0
    Good game if you have lots of money to spend on transaction. Because it does not matter your skill, the players on your team, the synergies, only parameter the AI values is how much money you spent. If you spend money your players will score, doesn't matter the rating. EA, it's in the wallet!
  3. Nhl19pissedmeof
    Sep 21, 2018
    0
    I remember when I can pop in a disc and play a game, those days are long gone... I remember after i waited hours to install a game then a bit longer from updates, I could jump into a (team) game. No I'm forced to play this offline sweater wearing hippie bull****! WTF happened man? Matchmaking is screwed 23 + 46 ways to sunday monday and saturday. Ive never considered it before, even withI remember when I can pop in a disc and play a game, those days are long gone... I remember after i waited hours to install a game then a bit longer from updates, I could jump into a (team) game. No I'm forced to play this offline sweater wearing hippie bull****! WTF happened man? Matchmaking is screwed 23 + 46 ways to sunday monday and saturday. Ive never considered it before, even with the horrendous debut of nhl 15 on xb1 / ps4. I didnt get this impulse to want to trade it in and lose $40. Fix, god please, fix team play matchmatching and forced tutorials chel so i can just ******** get my $60 worth. BRING BACK LOBBY'S YOU ******* PILE OF DONKEY **** SNIFFING *** ****** **** TARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  4. NT23
    Oct 10, 2018
    7
    The improved skating and the world of chel mode really help this games case. Unfortunately, with the similar menu and the lack of additions to be a pro, I could not give this game a higher rating.
  5. Topaz71
    Oct 11, 2018
    7
    While the gameplay has improved and World of Chel is a nice addition, the game still has clunky menus, and issues that existed for many years now. Also EASHL matchmaking is broken as getting a full 6v6 drop in is almost impossible. I still enjoy the game despite it's flaws and if your a fan of Hockey, you will enjoy it too. I recommend this to any fan of the NHL series but I wish EA SportsWhile the gameplay has improved and World of Chel is a nice addition, the game still has clunky menus, and issues that existed for many years now. Also EASHL matchmaking is broken as getting a full 6v6 drop in is almost impossible. I still enjoy the game despite it's flaws and if your a fan of Hockey, you will enjoy it too. I recommend this to any fan of the NHL series but I wish EA Sports will fix the issues plaguing this game.… Expand
  6. NHLHORRIBLE
    Sep 14, 2018
    0
    Do not buy it. Its the same worthless game. Nothing has changed in the past 10years I'm not sure why I had my hopes up for this one. When u switch players it decides to make change you to the guy selling popcorn. The penalties are outrageous. I'm not sure why they even put poke checking in the game. Just save your money.
  7. DarrMunny
    Sep 14, 2018
    8
    Finally i think they may have it right? my main gripe from previous years has been the player control, ie/ turning overall lack of responsiveness. I'm finding in 19 it seems like the control has been somewhat corrected.
    The new features i like, upgrading traits etc a good addition. So if you love hockey you may find this year the one ?.
  8. gameandwatch
    Sep 21, 2018
    10
    What a game. This is the best installment since NHL 14 in my opinion, and gives me a quaint feeling of hope for the future of the Franchise. They canned their lanky producer Rammer in the off-season, and clearly the change has taken them in a new direction.

    Skating: It feels better than popping bubble wrap. Agility and turning feel more realistic than ever, which allows you to control    What a game. This is the best installment since NHL 14 in my opinion, and gives me a quaint feeling of hope for the future of the Franchise. They canned their lanky producer Rammer in the off-season, and clearly the change has taken them in a new direction.

    Skating:
    It feels better than popping bubble wrap. Agility and turning feel more realistic than ever, which allows you to control your player much more effectively. Deking is much more challenging and the game forces you to be creative and diverse with how you attack. Gone (hopefully) are the days of players being able to bounce off the boards and defenders.

    Defense:

    In 18, **** defenders were often bailed out by their ability to spam poke check. We all did it. That has changed in 19. No longer can you haphazardly swing your stick at the puck/puck carrier at any angle. You can, but you'll take 10 penalties a game. Body positioning and angle of attack are rewarded more than ever, and the game forces you to take a measured approach to defense. The stick lift is no longer a penalty button, but is only effective in close. You are able to take away lanes with your stick, and force puck carriers into unfavourable situations. It feels like you have more weapons to counter a good offense.

    EASHL:

    The servers are trashed right now and drop in is unplayable. I ancitipate it will be fixed soon, but it's unacceptable EA hasnt really publicly addressed it. Moving on, the addition of player builds, traits, and changing players height and weight gives you a plethora of options to polish your player. This has given a massive new element to club play, and meaningful games and progression to look forward to.

    Like a lot of you, EA has pissed me off for many years with their NHL product. This edition has given me a cautious hope that they are trending in the right direction.    … Expand
  9. ShadowCaster
    Jun 3, 2019
    0
    Got this for free on Games with Gold, even as a free game it's garbage. Still the same as any other EA NHL. The only difference I see here in regards to 18/17/16 etc. is in the puck physics. There's one gamebreaking bug that they haven't managed to fix in over 20 years and that's the AI.

    If you really, REALLY want to play EA's NHL over the vastly superior 2K of the PS2-era, play 14 or    Got this for free on Games with Gold, even as a free game it's garbage. Still the same as any other EA NHL. The only difference I see here in regards to 18/17/16 etc. is in the puck physics. There's one gamebreaking bug that they haven't managed to fix in over 20 years and that's the AI.

    If you really, REALLY want to play EA's NHL over the vastly superior 2K of the PS2-era, play 14 or something instead of the 8th generation releases. It's at least remotely manageable.    … Expand
  10. SammyHauguth
    Feb 18, 2020
    1
    The game tells me to do poke checks, get a penalty when trying to do so... And about body checks, which I have watched their own guides and still I can't manage to do these.

    This is another **** NHL game since the previous once back in 2005.

    Good I got it for free on Xbox Live Gold, because I wouldn't buy these **** games anymore.
  11. AnnicaJ
    Sep 20, 2018
    10
    Finally a good hockey game. After going through the extensive tutorial I finally learned how to trigger a descent one-timer, the how's and why's of the different defensive moves and I figured out why I kept tripping the opponent when I defended. I was late, back-checking poorly. Hint: if you poke check from behind you'll get a tripping. If you poke check skating backwards, defending,Finally a good hockey game. After going through the extensive tutorial I finally learned how to trigger a descent one-timer, the how's and why's of the different defensive moves and I figured out why I kept tripping the opponent when I defended. I was late, back-checking poorly. Hint: if you poke check from behind you'll get a tripping. If you poke check skating backwards, defending, you'll poke the puck away. Lifting the club from behind lands you a slashing, from the correct angle you'll just. Yeah, you guessed it. Lift the club. Sometimes all you have to do is learn how to play the game. There are lots of different modes, 3 vs 3 is really fun btw. It's quite possible that it's couch co-op that's winning the game for me, Be a pro is Be a pro after all, they've added a few tweaks and a little polish of course. But it's in World of Chel you get the action. The fast paced games, the party.… Expand
  12. MonkiReviews
    Apr 24, 2021
    6
    The game is fun, but it isn’t as good as it could be. The controls aren’t great, and could be updated. The game play is hockey and it’s fun, but it feels too hard to score. The teams available are good, and the franchise is great fun.
  13. bobemil
    Dec 18, 2018
    4
    I like the gameplay but I can't stand the lag. Menus lag, gameplay lag, online and offline lag. It's a true lag fest. Some days it gets better, some days it gets way worse. I never experienced these kinds of issues in any other game before. If they fixed this I would have rated it with a solid 8.
  14. jin44jim
    Oct 22, 2019
    0
    Do not buy it. Its the same worthless game. Nothing has changed in the past 10years I'm not sure why I had my hopes up for this one. When u switch players it decides to make change you to the guy selling popcorn. The penalties are outrageous. I'm not sure why they even put poke checking in the game. Just save your money.
  15. adauby
    Jul 2, 2019
    5
    Overall this game has improved from the past couple of games. However, it falls short on a few marks which keeps it out of the top spotlight. Especially the more you play.

    Loading time for menus is extremely slow, and simulations in Franchise mode is the slowest I have seen in a sports game. The crowd animations haven’t changed since, it looks like, 2016 and really need work. It’s a fun    Overall this game has improved from the past couple of games. However, it falls short on a few marks which keeps it out of the top spotlight. Especially the more you play.

    Loading time for menus is extremely slow, and simulations in Franchise mode is the slowest I have seen in a sports game. The crowd animations haven’t changed since, it looks like, 2016 and really need work.

    It’s a fun game overall but the game mechanics still need improvement.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best Xbox One Game of 2018
52
#52 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2018
72
#72 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Dec 31, 2018
    60
    Changed physics make the routine much more enjoyable, and the new World of Chel mode is in one word funny. However, you can really feel that the game’s engine is outdated. [Issue#289]
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Nov 21, 2018
    90
    Xbox's underrated sports sim delivers again - digitised hockey has never been better. [Dec 2018, p.83]
  3. Cubed3
    Oct 9, 2018
    80
    NHL 19 is somehow both great and a bit disappointing. Sure, this is the best hockey game yet, with an almost impossible amount of depth. This is the kind of game you can play all year and still not feel like having even really scratched the surface. It is good sit down and play for a couple of hours or just jump in for one game and then head out to do something else, but at the same time, this barely feels like an upgrade over last year's version or the year before that. It's the same iteration of game over and over again, each slightly superior to the one before it
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