As the new NHL game comes closer to release, it's inevitable that EA, longtime publisher of the NHL franchise, would try and improve on it in some capacity after years of criticism on how they handle their sports titles. Have they done so? Let's take a look at some of the upcoming features...
Jeremy Jacobs Simulator 2k17:
Be a GM mode is fun, but what if you could run the whole shebang? Well, now you don't have to wonder. Be a GM mode has been integrated into the brand new Franchise mode, where you can take control of practically everything: coaching staff, ticket prices, food prices, marketing, arena upgrades, relocation if you have to (Read: want to. Bye bye, Minnesota Wild!)
Along with that, comes two new modes that supplement and compliment Franchise Mode.
Create-an-Arena is introduced & Team Editor Returns:
The EA games often give you (with varying success) a dizzying array of options to mess around with. You can replace every player on a team you hate with a bunch of ugly looking plugs named larry, you can create the worst goalie in the world and give him to the team with the best record in the league, and you can load your own team up with some of the biggest stars in the game. And make even more stars to supplement them.
Now, they're allowing you to make a stadium to put all that madness.
The game will have two ways to make this happen: In EASHL Mode (online mode), you will start out in a crappy grassroots rink in [Place of your team here] and will work your way up by racking up wins and gaining what I presume to be points to unlock bigger arenas, scoreboards, stands etc.
In Franchise mode, the sky is the limit. You're building your franchise from the ground up, right? So it makes sense that when you're making the Woonsocket Woons a viable team, you want them to be playing on Woonsocket Woons ice, not "eh, the united center will do." You can make them an NHL staple or some podunk team that gets to regularly dunk on the Avalanche.
And of course, you can make them look like whatever your imagination desires:
Your horrible...horrible imagination. Have fun!
I can't believe it's not Olympics mode introduced:
The NHL hates the olympics but likes the idea of international competition. So instead of an olympic tournament mode, they have the World Cup of Hockey mode! All your favorite teams will be there, including Team Europe and Team North America! Take to the ice and go out to win a plastic trophy!
I'm not kidding about that, by the way.
Yick.
Draft Champions Mode Introduced:
Ever sit back and watch Jim Benning do his job and go "Jesus christ. I could put a better team together than this bum could."? Well, now you get to put your money where your mouth is. In Draft Champions mode, you go through a few rounds of drafting out the entire NHL, building a balanced team wherever you can. Then, you compete against the other 30 teams for not just the Stanley Cup, but the Draft championship, a unique trophy to this part of the game. Build the ultimate corsi gods or a team of goons. All up to you.
ECHL Introduced:
Hi, ECHL! Nice to see you.
Starting this year, the NHL franchise will include the AA league the ECHL and all it's 27 teams, logos, jerseys and players. Including...
30x Kelly Cup Winners behind a team of monsters coming up you heard it here first.
Gameplay Tune-ups:
Goaltending, battles in front of the goaltender, stick handling, skating passing, and AI have all been improved from the previous game. Or so EA says. When we get our hands on the game we'll tell you if that's true or not.
With all this in mind, the game is still in development, so you have plenty of time to get ready to decide on whether or not you wanna spend the money on it.
Personally, I might get it just so I can make the Woonsocket Woons.