NHL 21

 Xbox One
User Score
3.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 55
  3. Negative: 36 out of 55
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  1. plzcumbaknhl2k
    Oct 23, 2020
    4
    Game-play is slightly better. I decided to pay for early access this year. Big mistake. Game was un-usable due to server issues. Here we are less than a couple weeks later and an 8 hour and counting outage with their servers again. I'm certain this will be a recurring theme as it was last year. The game is never ready and that is unacceptable for a game that is merely tweaking theGame-play is slightly better. I decided to pay for early access this year. Big mistake. Game was un-usable due to server issues. Here we are less than a couple weeks later and an 8 hour and counting outage with their servers again. I'm certain this will be a recurring theme as it was last year. The game is never ready and that is unacceptable for a game that is merely tweaking the same game year after year and has a brutal reputation for asking for more money for upgrades constantly. I am finally seeing the light with all the history of the terrible angry fan reviews. This company develops games that feed on addictive casino like/ reward gameplay. There is a reason they are facing a class action lawsuit over loot boxes. We seriously need another company to make a fair priced fun game that doesn't promote spending the most money to be the best team. If I had to pick a Halloween costume for EA to dress in, it would be a vampire.… Expand
  2. Hardo1k
    Nov 2, 2020
    0
    I wish EA would take me out on a date before they **** me in the ass this hard. Trash.
  3. Ruthkess_Luke
    Feb 2, 2021
    0
    Are you a huge fan of propaganda?
    Is the destruction of societal standards your favorite past time?
    Does the idea of singling out social groups to persecute or worship make you giddy? Is your favorite aspect of athletic competition kneeling for the anthem of the nation which prospers you? If you answered no then skip this game. Currently celebrating the Chinese take over of our country    Are you a huge fan of propaganda?
    Is the destruction of societal standards your favorite past time?
    Does the idea of singling out social groups to persecute or worship make you giddy?
    Is your favorite aspect of athletic competition kneeling for the anthem of the nation which prospers you?
    If you answered no then skip this game.
    Currently celebrating the Chinese take over of our country while simultaneously championing inclusion of LGBT groups with rainbow rewards... but ensuring there is no option for crosses in your emblem and any text formatted as a bible verse [XXXX ##:##] is flagged as "hate speech".
    If they're so proud of it, they should just acknowledge they're not inclusive, they're selectively oppressive.
    Wait for a hockey game that isn't filled with such hate for America and believers if you're not one of the progressive social justice mask wearing tide pod eating culture lol fr    … Expand
  4. Doog39
    Oct 28, 2020
    0
    Literally signed up for metacritic just to leave this review. EA almost never listens to consumer feedback. IF EA attempts to fix a problem they go way overboard. This will be the last time I waste my money on these games.
  5. ImAGnarlyDude
    Nov 27, 2020
    3
    I gave this game a 3 based solely on single player game modes and offline modes. Online game play is complete trash. If you outplay someone, there's a thing called "ice tilt" and it's completely screws you over and gives your opponent an extreme advantage. Which should never exist in a game where you pay for packs andand collect players based on playing. Pay to win is also a factor, butI gave this game a 3 based solely on single player game modes and offline modes. Online game play is complete trash. If you outplay someone, there's a thing called "ice tilt" and it's completely screws you over and gives your opponent an extreme advantage. Which should never exist in a game where you pay for packs andand collect players based on playing. Pay to win is also a factor, but nothing compared to "ice tilt" I would reccomend playing offline, single player modes and avoiding online competitive at all cost. I'm so disappointed in EA this year. Its impossoble to win games fairly. You either get favored by the ice tilt or are against it. Other than that, it's a solid game and can be fun, I just really wish they would remove that unfair advantage for players. Timeouts work to stop the tilt, but by the time you realize it's ice tilt, you've already let in 2 or 3 goals.… Expand
  6. Charkey18
    Jan 24, 2021
    0
    The game is not an ounce different than NHL 20. The dev team also decided to not add any support for next gen systems, under utilizing new features. The game still does not have HDR support being the only EA sports title to not include that feature going on year 4. The developers also do not believe improving gameplay mechanics nor adding more realism (face scans, equipment) are important.The game is not an ounce different than NHL 20. The dev team also decided to not add any support for next gen systems, under utilizing new features. The game still does not have HDR support being the only EA sports title to not include that feature going on year 4. The developers also do not believe improving gameplay mechanics nor adding more realism (face scans, equipment) are important. Truly a frustrating experience and game. Hoping they lose the license at this point and 2K can step in because this is a travesty to what is a great professional sport.… Expand
  7. Xbox_Alive
    Oct 25, 2020
    7
    NHL 21, EA reomoved it's career mode, to Be a Pro. But the long awaited refresh of fan-favorite mode ends up like a rookie created it. It’s impressive at first but for just a season stretch, and fizzles after the very 1st season. NHL 21's EA hasn’t fixed basics of Being a Pro. It’s still about playing through the NHL career of a rookie player and improving their stats over time. That’sNHL 21, EA reomoved it's career mode, to Be a Pro. But the long awaited refresh of fan-favorite mode ends up like a rookie created it. It’s impressive at first but for just a season stretch, and fizzles after the very 1st season. NHL 21's EA hasn’t fixed basics of Being a Pro. It’s still about playing through the NHL career of a rookie player and improving their stats over time. That’s fine, but this year’s changes as significant as they appear to be just don’t go far enough in making the experience feel both new and improved in the end. The studio has now grafted narrative components of a sort in the mode, using flashy presentation elements like cutscenes and a radio show. Yet the story, such as it is, ends up being limited almost entirely to your player’s rookie season in the NHL. And the more time I spent with the mode beyond that, the more it felt like the first year was an opulent facade on a creaky building. Be a Pro’s introductory cutscene leads right into a familiar disappointment. The NHL series’ player creation suite remains essentially unchanged this year, which means that it’s still impossible for me to create a player who truly looks like my Indian self. The mode may look more like a RPG in NHL 21, with its new dialogue choices, but it’s sorely missing a more robust character creator with basic options like the ability to tweak skin tones and facial features. These new role-playing choices are designed to let you shape the kind of player you want to be and live the life of an NHL athlete off the ice, although the range of outcomes is limited. Dialogue options (albeit without voice acting) will pop up in your player’s conversations with their coach or teammates, or interviews with the press, and all of them tend to be split into the two main paths that EA has set up. You can go a team route by choosing dialogue that follows your coach’s instructions to play within the system, or you can opt for the a star's path, putting your interests ahead of the team’s. Your dialogue choices open up chances to boost your character’s skills and attributes. EA has integrated this conversation structure into Be a Pro’s existing Coach Challenge system. Instead of just getting a pop-up saying that your coach wants you to defend a lead, you’ll see an in-game cutscene of the coach calling you over to the bench and actually giving you that instruction. It’s a smart way to liven up a long-running element of the Be a Pro experience and make it feel so much more immersive. The choices work far better for the in-game challenges than the other conversations. The team/star framework makes sense in the context of hockey, which is so dominated by a team-first mentality that endless column inches have been dedicated to the idea that the sport would be more popular if the NHL could figure out how to market its stars better. And in Be a Pro games, that dichotomy fits with the ethos of the mode, where you define what kind of player you are through your performance and play style on the ice. I’d wager that most Be a Pro fans, like me, tend to play aggressively in an effort to rack up gaudy stats. The challenges now also present a more conservative option that still feels like you’re contributing to the team. But using the same system for off-ice conversations falls flat because the choices don’t end up mattering all that much. Because they’re divorced from the NHL series’ existing in-game challenges, I quickly detected how tired the dialogue choices began to feel. A common situation is a cutscene in which a teammate invites you to a group outing. The team responses might be to say that yes, you’d be happy to go, or that no, you need to rest up for the next game. But many of the star responses are worded in such a ridiculously selfish way like, literally saying, What is in it for me? Well that it’s hard to imagine an actual NHL athlete mouthing off like that. A binary system where one of the options is actively be a bad sport makes for a poor RPG setup; it’s also been done to death in sports series like I’d love to see somebody move past it. The star path is really viable only for challenges on the ice. It tends to be more risky, with tougher objectives that offer greater rewards. The team path is safer, with missions that are more easily achievable. For example my coach might ask me to maintain a lead team an objective I’d fail only if our opponents tied the game. I could also respond with a guarantee that I’ll personally score a goal to put the game out of reach star quality. The outcomes of challenges don’t impact your player’s skills. Instead, they affect three different likability ratings. The brand rating which rises when you complete star goals and the one that matters most, since it controls your number of social media followers feels immersive. In the end one season is all you need to see what NHL21's changed in 2021 for fans on Xbox One.… Expand
  8. Tglizz
    Nov 16, 2020
    0
    Huge improvement from last years game. Smoother gameplay feel, along with great animations. Lot's of players complaining about cross crease passes/shots but it feels fine to myself. Great work on this game, continue to work and improve this EA.
  9. MinePlay512
    Oct 14, 2020
    9
    Hockey has never been this better. The new Career Mode is awesome and the gameplay has been great. Now, I am not much of a hockey fan, but this is a great hockey game.
  10. Lumic
    Mar 3, 2022
    0
    don't mix politics and games, how do you treat us the way we treat you, now I know what kind of company you are and how you deal with players, I will never buy your games again
  11. EA_Bad
    Dec 1, 2020
    0
    I hate myself for buying this game. A little more every year. The gameplay is so infuriating at this point, doing laundry or cleaning your room is probably more rewarding and fun. If there were zero micro transactions the game might not play like a f*#%@ing slot machine, but there are enough to make most people declare bankruptcy. EA wants your money, and they don’t give two singleI hate myself for buying this game. A little more every year. The gameplay is so infuriating at this point, doing laundry or cleaning your room is probably more rewarding and fun. If there were zero micro transactions the game might not play like a f*#%@ing slot machine, but there are enough to make most people declare bankruptcy. EA wants your money, and they don’t give two single make-loves if you enjoy their gameplay or not. You want my advice, buy literally any other game, sink time in a giant single player game, anything other than waste your time and getting ticked like I am thanks to this POS game.garage game.… Expand
  12. KettuF1N
    Feb 28, 2021
    0
    year after year the same **** year after year the same **** year after year the same ****
  13. Gav612
    Jan 24, 2021
    0
    If I was a developer on this project I would be embarrassed for putting out such a broken game. Nothing about this game is consistent. Every matchup is "choose your own adventure." The engine needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Pathetic.
  14. leakthis
    Jan 9, 2021
    7
    Be a pro mode is cool this year but mine is totally broken. Also the gameplay is nothing but downgrades.
  15. Moobusman
    Dec 6, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let’s start w the positives. There is a good franchise mode that goes in depth, and the Be A Pro is engaging and a fun game mode to play offline. The game looks great and runs well. Now we get into the negative aspects. The game is THE EXACT SAME as it has been for the last 4-5 years. With the exception of the new be a pro mode there is nothing substantial they’ve added. We still don’t have GM Connected, the same broken goals continue to be an issue in EASHL. But the worst thing is that new RP System. I’ll win 6 games in a row in 3’s elimination and get maybe 800 RP out of it. Then I’ll get matched with someone who is “worse” than me, I’ll lose it all again. And for what because he is Plat 3 and I’m Plat 2.… Expand
  16. Peteide
    Nov 22, 2020
    0
    I want a refund. I wonder how it is possible to make a worse game over and over and over again?! wtf! Yeah maybe that is has more be a pro features but that does not make up for the bad **** and bugs that are on the ice! And how about talking to some real goalies and try to get an AI with somewhat of an IQ above room-temperature jezz!
  17. Duppe
    Dec 2, 2020
    0
    Disappointing. Promised a lot of good, but everything new is half done, if even that. The AI is still embarrassingly bad, and the game fails to feel immersive. Worth maybe $20 for the updated Be A Pro, but besides that it feels like it should be a free update, not a brand new game.
  18. Cpmeredith30
    Dec 7, 2020
    0
    Somehow they make it worse every year. Horrible gameplay, pay-to-win systems, ice tilt, incredibly incapable AI... the list goes on. I just want a good game for the sport I love.
  19. Brewin
    Dec 13, 2020
    1
    I have played EAs NHL series every single year since it's inception. Dabbled with the NHL 2K series when it was around but I always came back to EA's NHL. Now they're the only game in town and have been for a while. It is painfully obvious that they don't care about the end consumer with this iteration of the NHL series. This gameplay is just broken. At first it wasn't too bad but thenI have played EAs NHL series every single year since it's inception. Dabbled with the NHL 2K series when it was around but I always came back to EA's NHL. Now they're the only game in town and have been for a while. It is painfully obvious that they don't care about the end consumer with this iteration of the NHL series. This gameplay is just broken. At first it wasn't too bad but then they just keep updating it making the gameplay worse. I shouldn't have to mess with the gameplay sliders to make the game fun. The puck moves so much faster than the players it's almost disgusting. Just yuck. Please head in a new direction for next gen. This needs a complete overhaul! I can't believe you guys put OVI on this and he was okay with that! What a shame… Expand
  20. mikerich1
    Jan 10, 2021
    10
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. Its been the SAME GAME since nhl 16 and there are NO CHANGES that will be made in the FORESEEABLE FUTURE! I cannot stress this enough.
  21. sparrow8476
    Feb 11, 2021
    4
    This game is alright.. To be honest, it's like they took everything from NHL 20 and threw it into a DVD with only minor changes, but the same bugs. The soundtrack makes me want to cut off my ears. During gameplay, I found 2 of the same players on the ice! When will EA ever learn?...
  22. spurg18
    Feb 14, 2021
    8
    Like many of the games that are continually released by EA Sports, NHL 21 is very similar to the previous NHL games that have been released. It contains the same set up as previous years with all of the same game modes. Other than having updated rosters, it is the same game as last year for the most part. One notable difference comes in the Hockey Ultimate Team mode with there no longerLike many of the games that are continually released by EA Sports, NHL 21 is very similar to the previous NHL games that have been released. It contains the same set up as previous years with all of the same game modes. Other than having updated rosters, it is the same game as last year for the most part. One notable difference comes in the Hockey Ultimate Team mode with there no longer being contracts required for your cards. That makes it easier to keep some of your favorite cards on your team. Cards have also been updated and EA decides to drop new cards five days a week.
    One of the biggest flaws with NHL 21 is the Clubs option under the World of Chel game mode. The ability to make custom jerseys is not where it should be. There is no ability to have script lettering on the front of the team’s jersey under custom branding even though there are teams in the NHL who utilize this. Having this option would be more fun for those who play this mode because they could have cooler jerseys to wear. Also, the options when creating your player could be improved to. They need to add more audio names to the list that they already have.
    As for the gameplay, the user goalie controls were changed from a couple of years ago, and they need to go back to what they were in NHL 14. It is harder to make your goalie move in modes like World of Chel, which makes it easier for the other team to score. Passing is also another flawed part of the gameplay. Passing is very rarely on target and sometimes makes you scratch your head. Other than that it is pretty accurate. This game is a good game to buy if you are new to playing the NHL game series or haven’t played in a couple of years. If you have NHL 20 and don’t play it all of the
    time, you might as well save your money since the game is the same.    … Expand
  23. JoseyWales81
    Mar 5, 2021
    1
    It's not easy being an NHL fan in the world of video games. Unfortunately, in the year 2021, you only have one option, and it's clear the publishing company is aware they have no competition. The EA NHL series is perhaps one of the most embarrassingly inept, apathetic video game series currently available on the market. Problems that have plagued the franchise since day one have still notIt's not easy being an NHL fan in the world of video games. Unfortunately, in the year 2021, you only have one option, and it's clear the publishing company is aware they have no competition. The EA NHL series is perhaps one of the most embarrassingly inept, apathetic video game series currently available on the market. Problems that have plagued the franchise since day one have still not been fixed twenty years later. the worst offender is the AI; Breakout passes that your defenseman watches as it glides under his stick, breakouts that die in the middle of the ice because your wingers don't know what an 'offside' rule is. You are encouraged to use the 'poke check' tool, only to have a penalty called everytime you press the button. It's clear there is very little attention to detail or, quite frankly, any care at all when it comes to the off-line product. Be a GM Mode is still the same as it's always been, there have been a few tepid changes to MyPro, and most of the attention is being focused on trying to pump as much money from 13 year olds as possible through the online format. I'm frankly ashamed at how bad this game is, considering EA has heaquarters in my home country. You can hold on to your NHL 20 copy and continue to play that, you will absolutely not notice a difference. Hell, you could continue playing NHL 2016 and you probably wouldn't notice many changes,, save for the players on the rosters.

    I give this game a 1, and that's with a heavy heart because it used to be my favorite franchise. It's appalling how fast it's fallen, and how much dust its now collecting on my shelf. Shame on you, EA.    … Expand
  24. RavenclawGuy
    Jun 8, 2021
    7
    Got it with Gamepass Ultimate. Worth it, if you have Gamepass Ultimate. Otherwise, skip it.
  25. Connorthered
    Mar 12, 2021
    1
    Don’t listen to any of the companies that review this game and give it 10 out of 10s. The game sucks. I regret buying it. It is basically nhl 20 with a different career mode that barley works. Now u can’t even play full seasons in the juniors or overseas. The cutscenes are so low effort and always give the same generic responses that do nothing for your character. The franchise mode isDon’t listen to any of the companies that review this game and give it 10 out of 10s. The game sucks. I regret buying it. It is basically nhl 20 with a different career mode that barley works. Now u can’t even play full seasons in the juniors or overseas. The cutscenes are so low effort and always give the same generic responses that do nothing for your character. The franchise mode is exactly the same besides a trade deadline mode which is actually kinda fun but takes a long time to wait and do. World of Chel is exactly the same but the servers got worse! I can barely play one game without lagging out. I will never buy this game again.… Expand
  26. jax328
    Apr 10, 2021
    1
    The entire EA Development team need to be taken off this game and put over onto whatever game they're coming up with to look like Fortnite. Essentially this game is EA's version of Fortnite on skates. The entire Dev team needs to shake their heads and take a long walk to a different department. With this pathetic excuse for a hockey game, they've let down their customers and their fanbase.The entire EA Development team need to be taken off this game and put over onto whatever game they're coming up with to look like Fortnite. Essentially this game is EA's version of Fortnite on skates. The entire Dev team needs to shake their heads and take a long walk to a different department. With this pathetic excuse for a hockey game, they've let down their customers and their fanbase. They should all be ashamed of this steaming pile of manure they call NHL 21.… Expand
  27. Lordpepsi777
    May 21, 2021
    5
    Wtf did they do to this franchise. Passing is the worst it has ever been, like ill be aiming to pass to my forwards and it will pass back to my defense which 9 out of 10 times causes a breakaway for the opponent. Another thing is that this game takes no skill, all it is, is cross creases and snapshots from the blue line. EA please balance your game and fix passing, or make it like NBA 2ks.
  28. Reeddank15
    Jun 21, 2021
    3
    I’ll make this as thorough, yet short as possible. The NHL series has been something that I’ve played for years having not missed a game since NHL 2005. Since my first year playing NHL in that era of PS2 NHL games, I have never seen quite the copy and paste setup of NHL video games before. I don’t want this to be a total smearfest of EA and their NHL department, but is this seriously theI’ll make this as thorough, yet short as possible. The NHL series has been something that I’ve played for years having not missed a game since NHL 2005. Since my first year playing NHL in that era of PS2 NHL games, I have never seen quite the copy and paste setup of NHL video games before. I don’t want this to be a total smearfest of EA and their NHL department, but is this seriously the standard you want to set for your lengthy fanbase? I have seen interviews of rammer and the NHL development team, and they continue to use buzzwords to promote a stale game year in and year out. HUT (hockey ultimate team for a user who doesn’t know this game and is interested in this series) uses microtransactions on a 2k21 level of criminality. EASHL (Ea Sports Hockey Leauge) is the focal point of the game, and while great for playing with friends online, SHOULD NOT be the front and center mode of this game. I do have to commend them for finally making something of a Be A Pro story mode. You will however find with time it is just super draining, and isn’t even comparable to MLB The Show’s Road To The Show mode. NHL Threes is a solid mode to play on occasion, but needs more depth to it for it to be more fun in my opinion. Add these opinions to no roster sharing, no GM mode playable online with friends, microtransactions that hold a complete game mode ransom, and arena realism not in tact (I.E. why do the Detroit Red Wings every game no matter what have a completely packed house?) , it is a very half @$$ed effort. Should EA address at least some these issues in NHL 22, my streak of buying NHL games yearly may come to an end.… Expand
  29. EASUCKSSOMUCH
    Jul 11, 2021
    0
    I don’t understand why EA refuses to address fundamental issues with their games, issues present for years. Sloppy, lazy development, and it’s not just this game, it’s every single one. Year in and year out. Please stop buying, please unsubscribe from EA Play.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. GameCritics
    Dec 17, 2020
    75
    Users won’t see a true next-gen NHL title until late 2021 at the earliest, so it’s refreshing to see the developers making a concerted effort to deliver a strong experience for current gen fans — EA did an admirable job here.
    Read full review
  2. TheXboxHub
    Oct 30, 2020
    70
    In recent years, EA Sports have added plenty of new modes across their licensed games, and NHL 21 on the Xbox One is no exception; there is a lot of ice hockey on offer. The variety will offer something for everyone, but there are issues with the gameplay on the rink that mean some modes work better than others.
    Read full review
  3. God is a Geek
    Oct 25, 2020
    80
    Whilst the gameplay changes and additions to the game modes are welcomed, NHL 21 feels more like an update than a brand new game.
    Read full review
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