NHL 22

"I have long been a fan of sports games. Those who have read any of my other reviews will have no doubt come across a plethora of such reviews here on the site."

"NHL 22 makes a careful and mostly smooth transition to a new engine and the new console generation. The new ice looks great, and some gameplay tweaks are enjoyable, but beneath the surface the experience still feels very much the …"

"While consoles made a generational leap, NHL 22 is still very much stuck in the past. Some of the gameplay tweaks improve the experience, but the game has largely remained the same. The graphical improvements are minor, and the overhyped …"

"Hockey games, to me, have the longest appeal and replayability out of all sports games. The default four-minute periods result in more fast-paced, “attention to detail” arcade-style competition. Sure, the games don’t last as long as football or baseball, but …"

"‘NHL 22’ really takes a big stride forward in the franchise. Having it on a PS5 is a big part of what makes the difference in some ways. The haptic feedback really gives the game another level. NHL games have …"

"NHL 22 doesn’t feel like the next leap forward for video game hockey. It barely feels like meaningful DLC."

"This should have been NHL 22&s;s coming-out party. Everything was in place for this to be a transformative season on a fresh new platform. Unfortunately, the next-generation jump feels more like a stop-gap solution than a proper evolution. If you …"

"So at the end of the day, NHL 22 just feels like a transition to a kind of gameplay that would eventually feel even more real, probably not this year but in the upcoming releases. It&s;s still fun to play, …"

"NHL 22 didn&s;t do a whole lot to improve on its predecessor, but it didn&s;t have to. The important part is that the development team didn&s;t do anything to change the game for the worse. The franchise was already a …"

"On the other hand, HUT, Be a Pro, and Franchise mode don’t look that much different. The lack of changes does bring down this game a bit, but is it worse off than before? Absolutely not, and NHL 22 should …"

"NHL 22 is enjoyable, but feels very similar to last year despite using a new game engine. Too much focus has been put on implementing Superstar X-Factor abilities and little else."

"NHL 22 on current-generation consoles is the best NHL experience that has released in some time."

"NHL 22 does an excellent job at bringing back old arcade-y mechanics and blending it with today&s;s simulation quality presentation in a way that works together rather than against itself. Some modes could still use a refresh, but the core …"

"It&s;s a transitional year for NHL, then. It&s;s arguably better than ever on the ice, playing a mostly authentic and enjoyable brand of hockey that implements some subtle, but worthy new features to satisfy hardcore fans. It also looks meaningfully …"

"NHL 22 surprises by making its debut on a new console without removing any of its modes, but those who played NHL 21 may find this version a little too familiar. X-Factors on paper should be a game-changer but are …"

"Making a debut on new hardware has its pros and cons, but for NHL 22, the overt emphasis on Superstar X-Factors was a huge gamble to take that did not pay off. If this is your first NHL game in …"

"It probably won’t surprise you to read that NHL 22 has failed to rekindle my love for this series. To put it bluntly, I didn’t have much fun playing NHL 22. And when all is said and done, how much …"

"If you love the sport and want the best looking and playing a version of it of all-time along with a staggering number of modes and options, then I think NHL 22 is going to make you quite happy."

"It&s;s odd that it took EA this long to bring their flagship Frostbite engine to their NHL franchise, but now that it&s;s here in NHL 22, the wait was certainly worth it, as the game has never looked or played …"

"NHL 22 relies on its superstar talent, and it&s;s not impressive enough to give the gameplay the new life it so desperately needs"

"The richness of the game modes, the depth of the Franchise mode and the introduction of the X-Factor system are the indisputable strengths of NHL 22, but graphical uncertainties, an often de-structured commentary and the intrusiveness of microtransactions inevitably affect …"

"NHL 22 offers a new visual experience, but does not offer anything new in the usual modes. If you have already played last year&s;s game, the experience will be more than similar for your wallet, whereas the editions on new-generation …"

"NHL 22&s;s gameplay is substantially unchanged from its predecessors. The Frostbite engine brings a breath of fresh air to the graphics, but the gaming experience does not differ dramatically from what has been seen in the past. The result is …"

"NHL 22&s;s various arcade modes have their charms, but it&s;s an uneven installment that puts the focus in the wrong places."

"NHL 22 brings great gameplay improvements, but it lacks new stuff in its content."

"NHL 22 makes a successful jump to the Frostbite engine by playing it more safe than any other game in the past. It’s a fun game for any hockey fan, but won’t give you that true next-gen feel you may …"

"With NHL 22, EA&s;s long-running team finally gets a brand new game engine, providing better physics, graphics, and animations. As usual, we also get a variety of game modes that make most people happy, whether it&s;s realism or party games …"

"We finally have a truly next-gen sport title, and it&s;s amazingly NHL 22. A complete overhaul to everything about the game and series makes for the best hockey title in decades. Even with its faults, this is a must-buy for …"

"NHL 22 finally brings the series into the next-gen: the beginning is encouraging but we are still far from that magnificence that had characterized the EA series for long periods in its first thirty years of life."

"I can’t see the NHL franchise reaching the heights of its mid-2000s glory years anytime soon, but at least we have the Frostbite engine in there to start building upon. It took far too long to arrive, though; it’s here …"

"Hockey is a sport that’s very confined to skating on a set rink with a standard 5 vs 5 player configuration. NHL 22 brings all the different styles the game can be played with superstar abilities tailored to the different …"

"At this point, consumers are likely well aware of whether EA Sports&s; NHL franchise is something that appeals to them, and NHL 22 won&s;t change that. With that said, for the series faithful or someone that skipped out on NHL …"

"NHL 22 delivers some good moment-to-moment hockey along with a needed visual upgrade, but the franchise feels tired and worn out."

"In the grand scheme of things, I’d say that NHL 22 is a skip overall, though long-time hockey fans will certainly find enjoyment. And hey — just like NHL 15 before it, this is one of those years that means …"