Harder, Faster, Stronger: NHL 18 Preview

The new NHL 18 is a welcome addition to the line of popular games, as it ushers in a new era for hockey. With creative gameplay and an excitingly fast-paced new mode, this game is highly enjoyable for both hockey lovers and complete novices alike.

The New NHL
NHL 18 is all about bringing the speed and skills of the younger new players into the mix. The NHL is currently in a renaissance that’s brought more speed and creativity into the sport, with young superstars who are transforming gameplay. NHL 18 aims to capture this new style of play, introducing new moves including impressive dekes and between-the-legs passes.
In addition, a major overhaul to the AI means that your teammates are better at finding you and using creative ways to pass, making for smarter plays overall. The risk is higher, but so is the reward in this exciting and competitive new game.

League Expansion
As NHL fans know, the league is expanding this year to include Las Vegas’s new team, the Golden Knights. With the league expansion happening this year, it was the ideal time to make it a core game feature.

Want to play as Vegas? Go for it! Think you could have done a better job in the expansion draft? Try your hand at building the Golden Knights yourself from scratch! The league expansion feature within the Franchise Mode lets you customize your team and get hands on in the NHL’s expansion process. If you’re not interested in playing with the new Golden Knights, you also have the option of creating your own team, customizing your arena, uniform, and more!

NHL Threes

Threes is a brand-new mode for NHL 18, that features fast paced gameplay that even those unfamiliar with traditional hockey games can enjoy! A smaller rink, faster gameplay, and harder hits combine to make an addicting new mode that will suck you in for hours at a time.
While this mode features a fun campaign mode with different circuits, the real fun comes in playing with your friends. In addition, the game features a “money puck” that completely messes with the balance of the game—sometimes making a single goal worth three points, or even taking points away from the other team.

This mode is reminiscent of NBA Jam, as it’s more of a spectacle than a traditional sports game. I spent most of my play time in it running over various hockey players while playing as Bailey, the mascot for the LA Kings. While the traditional gameplay was enjoyable, Threes was the star of the show for me.

NHL 18 comes out on Xbox One and PS4 on September 15th, 2017.

 

See below for our list of partners and affiliates: