In itself ok ...

... But when you consider that there is the "NHL" series of EA published already since 1993 (!) "EA hockey", you have to a strict approach in assessing. I have played the game above 1993 on a Sega Megadrive and since then countless versions. Since I do not console my could call his own the last few years and had also otherwise possessed no PC Games more I have now but acquired PS3 with NHL 14.

No question: the game is great! Presentation, statistics, game play, possibility of injury, graphics and sounds are technically excellent.

The three stars gets the game from the following deficiencies:
- Every time when the game starts, the user is prompted for the language, but this gaffe is so seldom stupid that it will cost a star. Unspeakable ease and for some time now "standard" for EA games. Utter madness!
- Eternal load times! It is not possible to load the game and loszuspielen in 2 minutes; It takes an eternity until the start menu loaded, then again to the puck thrown quite a while. Strange!
- Added - I'm not cracking games and spend rarely longer than a game of the box. But if I all games (7 minutes, otherwise "Basic Settings") high profits on rookie and then turn pro, I make barely a 33% victory yield - with insane game gradients: the opponent makes even the "Backup" Goalkeeper pure, pull me from 5-0 incl. shutout! Fall some goals "as safe as the Amen in the church", eg opponent is back who Powerplay - in 95% of cases a penalty - and that on the 2nd easiest level, even if I opponent overpowering with body checks dominate! My shots are blocked it is to laugh ... it's as if the computer prevent with all his might that you play clean sheets. I do not know if I ever will make the high level even further?!?!? (Edit 6.3.14: yesterday 2 games made - it looked as "must" win the computer at any price: won a 6-5, the other 7-5, respectively by goals for my part always in direct return for the 1st goal so to speak of compensation. And as I said gates where you think "can now not be true, right?")
- After 20 games of the season is one clear: the higher level at the expense of the Sava% of own goalkeeper. The starter "Rask" of Boston, which belongs to the "Elite" has a 89% Sv. PCT, his backup grad mal 80%. And that while the opponents are so 92-95 - clearly that keep everything while let the own every 5 shot. This leads to the final results of 0-5 and 2-7. Horrible! And you even get to 20 Shots of which nearly all (mind you are held by some substitute goalkeeper, laughable!)
- Penalty shoot I've never won because the computer meets 1x and that's it generally
- Load menu navigation with long load times, some with "lag", it takes 2-3 seconds until the information about players ... are long in terms of more than 20 (!!!) years of experience with this game, just unbelievable amateurish
- Small details that bother example it would have been nice if injured players are marked as injured in the statistics review

The game is quite fun but it's just the aftertaste is not rid of - how can a game that more than 20 years of history under its belt has still have these obvious flaws ... "Live the Life" there's, well, I play not - but then go their own players chronic rarely stupid sidelined (and strangely enough, always the own team - rarest the computer opponents ...) ... great new frippery but in the "Basics" will continue to sloppy - EA-typical, I would say.

EDIT 18/03/14:'m still on the PRO level, now I have the "Custom" settings filed, then then actually comes to less frustration. Goalkeeper own reactions one high CPU one down, pass-intercepting the CPU down one and one-shot accuracy high own. Then again won 4-3, then 4-1 (not to believe, my goalkeeper has conceded just one goal, one !!!). Will continue to fine-tune, so that it is balanced. But certainly better than before !!

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