NHL 25 Review - The Final Verdict
Video Overview & Insights
NHL 25 feels a lot like the past five games in the series, but at least it’s got a renewed visual flair thanks to its current-gen exclusivity this time around. The game’s Franchise and Be A Pro modes feel particularly stale, with very little changes since NHL 20.
EA is all dollars and no sense
The gameplay gets the most improvement, with a revamped AI system that enhances reaction times and intelligence in positioning. The host of gameplay settings allows you to tune the AI any way you want, allowing for a more arcade experience where passes are automated or the more sim-like direction the series has been trending.
While the modes feel the same as past entries, NHL 25 still supplies a fun time in the rink. The improved character animations and subtle incremental sim elements add up to a deep and rewarding hockey game, even if they’re packed in a five-year old skin.
I haven’t played a hockey game since 2007, I wish there was a review for people like me because if the only complaint is it’s the same as previous editions that doesn’t bug me. Like is it’s still fun to play in a vacuum? Or is the game bad overall?
I’d recommend picking NHL 25 up when it releases on October 4th if you’ve skipped out on the last few entries, but if you’ve played the last couple, you’re not missing out on much.
the animations look like crud instead i will go back to playing my ps3 2013 was the best what happened guys looks so crap
More User Perspectives
Faceoffs, fix the damn faceoffs, make them more balanced and winnable
@davenunya25 sucks dick. I tried to get a refund after it kept freezing in BAP as a goalie. Theyve not changed be a pro in 5 years and they still cant make it work. Everything seems sluggish too compared to 24. Like why does my 6'8" 215lb defenseman take 45 seconds to get up after being hit.
@trustworthydanHaven’t played since 09 it’s on game pass and I wanna know if it’s fun to just do quick play on the couch with friends I tried 24 and none of us could figure out how to score
@lilkris3008I like NHL 23… I enjoy it for its options and arcade-like fun. I’m not a hardcore hockey gamer. I just enjoy it for the thrill of it. I also like that it has the press X button display for when face offs happen. They seemed to stop showing that in NHL 24. Plus I just didn’t see any reason to continue with any newer additions to this because I don’t expect much from this game series. It’s an EA game. I like it better than Madden & College Football 25, but that’s not saying much.
@JackyTheBattyLiterally just roster updates costing 1000 times more than they deserve. But with intellectually regressing AI.
@dragroch5536TRASH GAME, QUIT BUYING!!!!
@AmazingJS81Konami baby next best thing ...
Ea is dead
Bought NHL 21 back in 2020. The main reason was that it had the NHL 94 rewind add-on (that you also had to pay for, but, worth it). Played ultimate team until they shut it down, and went right into be a pro. Been playing it that way ever since. I got NHL 24 this year because it was a freebie from PS Plus and rekindled the ultimate team fun. When that got shut down, I deleted 24 and went back to my 21 be a pro. The games haven’t changed much, and be a pro certainly hasn’t changed, so why bother with later years?
@fred.dorfman.classof59Can u turn off the fatigue factor somehow
@jtcrouch8189Fatigue factor u can't do anything like nhl22
@jtcrouch8189I've been playing since PS1, some of the best versions are the OG ones if it wasn't for the graphics. One timers were what they should be. All I see is a bunch of fancy new mechanics that make things more confusing and don't really work while taking away from an action packed experience.
@ZX400RR-cdnOnly difference is the fruity “women” hair… all shiny and wavy like your character gonna go to a sleepover with the girlies and braid his locks as they talk about boys. Same dumb AI who can’t cover the front of the net as they let the opponent walk out infront like a walk in the park and then the coach blaming you by taking points away and talking mad shii “YoU lEt tHeM sCoRe TiGhtEn uP yOuR dEfEncE” goofy game. Glad i didn’t pay full price for this garbage.
@JJRB99I hope most of yall do not reproduce lmfao. This has to be 90% AI bots in this comment section
@texaswindowfilms8533Haven’t bought an NHL game since 22, the series is so stale but I did play 24 at a friends house and i absolutely hate that they changed the controls, it’s as if they heard us complaining about it being the same so they just changed the button layout to make it seem different. but it’s just annoying to struggle ignoring muscle memory built up over a decade, otherwise you just give the puck away.
@Mrblueman74I haven't played since, like, 1995. How would this measure up to that?
@kevinwhite1671Can't sign free agents
@chuckmaloney1298Got a delay of Game penalty because keeping puck
@thefunkypopcornGraphics is a little better, just wish we’d get a new be a pro and an actual story.
@Mmoses_23EA insults everyone's intelligence every year and people still buy it. Those people should be slapped
@geraldtn3175Hopefully everyone stops buying this game until they actually start make something decent.
@rick6699caWhy does it look so S L O W
@TangoSierra888I’m new to hockey and I’m probably going to get it. It’s one sale for $27 on PlayStation store.
@ohernandez607I hate how my players get so tired quick and I try to adjust the fatigued sliders but then still get so tired
@estrella3rdI got it to play the update canucks roster
@CanucksForecastI can’t stand the female announcer voice
@nathanshietze1005For someone who hasn’t played the game in 5 years.. is worth getting it on next gen?
@YourMumsFavorit7Not buying it until EA adds to ability to create a team and rookies during current franchise mode, so they can come into league in the following season because I'm just so tired of having to start over when young guns from leagues not included are drafted in real life but nowhere to be found in the game
@louiejrsaraiva6553I liked nhl 2002 was good heartbeat break away zoom feature 🫡
@daveyoung9484I haven’t played in the last three years so this will be refreshing to me I’ll give it a shot
@charlescross4842No,HNL 25 from PS4???PlayStationStore??
@michelricard9962I can't support EA at all
@sonavagun9283I quit this game years ago. Because it's almost impossible to get a game going with team play. Has that changed at least??????
@sonavagun9283Are you you all high , this game is awesome , they slowed everything down , like a real game , your players don’t glitch out like Like they are all Meth
@miladzhd10Even the skating is off. They slowed everything down to where you're agonizing slow unless you bash L3 but the legs move at same speed as last year when you were flying. Shameful
@Anonymous71892Not sure if I can trust this review guy because the gameplay I see here is rubbish. Not because of the game but because of the person playing this game in this video..
@CyborgNinjaGamingHaven’t played NHL game in years. I literally can’t remember the time anybody had anything good to say about a NHL game
@omarpr1982This game stinks the gameplay is horrible - it’s like your are stuck in mud - EA should just let the license go because they are ruining the nhl video franchise
@daveg1766It’s a joke cause I have ps4 can’t play it
@ethanmitchell5626Fix match making. It sucks
@tonechaser7174Same as 24 which is the same as 23 and so on
@scroogemcduck3446Is it EA? I dont understand how they can be so bad with progressing games. Madden and NHL. Zero innovations. I mean, how about even circling back to something that was good in an old version? Every year I have a tiny little fraction of hope that the HockeyShop will return. Instead, it's copy and
paste every year. Literally, Copy and paste. Haven't bought NHL in years due to this and won't again this year. Sad and frustrating.
Don't buy ?? Hmm
@DudeSweet317World of chel is broken right now completely unplayable
@AdamG78Agree, it's a good game, but still NHL 25 feels like EA is just updating the rosters, a few tweaks and calling it a day. It’s been 10 years since NHL 15 made a real impact with the new-gen consoles - we’re overdue for another big update, let's take some risks EA! Or offer new versions as updates, not new games.
@mjonasbRickie Haven
@BeckZero-h6sOne of the most full of s__ reviews I’ve seen from them. A 7 for a copy and paste is someone scared they won’t get exclusives from EA.
@jamese.1042The one thing that still bothers me is how laggy and unresponsive the menus are. Especially when editing lines. It’s embarrassing. There’s no excuse for a game menu on a next gen console should be lagging severely.
@FPOPGaming