Review - NHL 25

Developed By: EA Vancouver

Published By: Electronic Arts, EA Sports

Available On: PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series S|X

Reviewed On: PlayStation 5

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!

When I was given this opportunity, I almost couldn’t believe it. As a fanboy of not only the NHL series, having played almost every installment since NHL 94, but also as a tragic lifelong fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I consider this a dream come true. I guess you could say I have a bunch of previous experience in the franchise and that’s going to really help me in communicating the features, and differences, and note every worthy point that I can suss out, while offering comparatives. Let’s Go!

LET’S LACE THE BOOTS!

NHL 25 has all your favourite game modes from the past ready for another great year. Whether you’re wanting to jump into Ultimate Team and go head-to-head with players around the globe, or in my case, get crushed. You can also manage your own team, play standard offline, or my personal heaven, Be A Pro, where you can easily spend dozens, if not hundreds of hours in!

I absolutely love how much variety is in Hockey Ultimate Team, or HUT for short, in NHL 25. When I’m finished having my ass handed to me online, I can go to offline HUT and recover. It helps that there are over 800 games available instantly each season. That’s more than enough time to collect the remnants of my spirit before returning to the shark tank. There is also the ability to acquire Cover Players - you know, those super overpowered game-changing teammates that will be, you guessed it. the cover star. You can even get them from a free pack that’s given to you daily, meaning RNGsus could save you big bucks - Thanks EA!

Offline Quick Games are a great way to jump into the action straight off with no strings attached. You want an instant game, you got it. It’s that quick and easy. Yes, it’s very similar to past entries but that doesn’t in any way take away from the enjoyment factor.

Want to go all out and turn off all the rules? Hell yeah!

Crank the difficulty and sharpen those skills? Check.

What I adore about NHL 25 is that I can tailor the game to whatever I want.

We’ve arrived at where most of my personal time is spent: Be a Pro. I don’t actually have or ever had any ambition to play hockey but Be a Pro allows me to travel fan-boy territory and pretend. It’s great when you decide you want to be responsible for only yourself instead of a group, especially after a string of really frustrating HUT exhibitions. Maybe you just couldn’t rally the guys to pull off the Stanley Cup victory between Edmonton and The Panthers. Both are pretty good reasons to want to focus on you in a single-player capacity opposed to multiplayer. If you fit that criteria, then pull up a chair because Be A Pro is for you, friend!

Be A Pro is that experience I simply can’t get enough of. I’ve been living there for upwards of a decade now, with, of course, HUT thrown into the mix. I can’t explain it but there’s something about Be A Pro that I crave. Like NHL 24, there are pep talks and manager interactions. What I liked was how they’ve included new ones which kept it fresh. Then it’s back to the ice and man, there’s no better feeling. There’s nothing like when you get a clutch breakaway and everything lines up. As you approach the net, you pull off a shot that’s like a magic trick!

Every aspect of your player can be customized, as well, however, you’d like him to be, and picking your position is that oh-so-sweet icing on the cake. Be warned, though, because there’s a feature that if you take too many penalties, it’ll get you into some hot water, super fast, and the coach will pull you aside after the game - better have an explanation. That said, exercise extreme caution when using your poke check!

ACCESSIBILITY WOES!

If you’ve seen any reviews of mine, you know I can only use one hand. I’ve adapted, of course, but what it allows me to do is to really dissect button choices. With that in mind, EA, no one wants an F but boy oh boy, I think this one is justified.

Let’s start with the good ol’ days of yesteryear: B for Slappers, X for Wristers, and Wind-Ups never meant you lost all control of the puck. In 2024, the Wind Up now results in this weird state where, as I’m ready to rocket a shot, the punk slowly drifts away. It left me wondering why it’s so different and could suddenly go sideways like it does. Well, that’s where we are and I haven’t even gotten to the One Handed part yet.

See, there was a sweet spot for a number of years where you could use either the buttons OR the Right Analog Stick to take your shot. What this has since morphed into is regardless of Button layout, you have to use that right thumbstick for all shots, and that’s all you get. We no longer have options.

Picture this: a key moment in the finals and you wind up for the course-changing blast but, uh, there goes the puck. You’re left thinking, wouldn’t that have been nice to hit? Oh hey, I didn’t even have a chance to flick the right stick. Now, let's take away a hand and try that again. I have to maneuver the controller and contort in such a way that every button is barely accessible. Wait, because we’re not finished as now let’s also take away your lifeline that was the Wrist and Slap Shot buttons. Yeah, I’m sure you won’t mind.

I would absolutely love to see changes made here, starting with adding Custom Button Mapping to the Accessibility Menu. Hell, throw it into the normal Controller Menu so I can change right trigger back to the typical A, where it belongs. Maybe bring back either the Dedicated Slap and Wrist Shot Buttons alongside the right thumb stick, too - make it up to the player to decide.

Please don’t get things mixed up because of that critique. I’m very taken by NHL 25 and love that year after year, it delivers exactly what I love about it. Getting the chance to put my thoughts on paper has me feeling very honoured. That said, I’m going to have to point out accessibility blunders.

I’m severely colourblind. It’s to the point that I shouldn’t be making decorative choices for anyone. While NHL 25 does have a colourblind filter that I’m forever thankful for, can someone explain why the hockey players, even with the puck, look identical to everyone else?

At the best of times, how am I supposed to know who has the puck? Throw in colour problems and it’s like the old polar bear in a snowstorm joke - it might as well be invisible. Again, in the past, the player that had the puck had an indicator somewhere. It was easy to notice when the circle beneath them turned coloured, becoming solid. I’m begging to please, please, please, bring that back, even as just an accessibility option. On behalf of all of us colourblind folk, it would be greatly appreciated!

HERE COMES MY ANXIETY!

If you’ve ever played a variation of Ultimate Team, like in FIFA for instance, then you know there are a few things you inevitably will be doing in this mode: Playing, Upgrading, and Trading.

When you trade, you expect it to be fairly straightforward. If you get a guy you don't need, you want to sell him off quickly or be put to auction easily. Those are things you can actually do but man, finding the spots to select these choices is a journey all of its own. I don’t think I’m the only one wanting to curl up into the fetal position when I see this screen - it’s just one big overwhelming jumble!

On the surface, it looks fairly simple to navigate but that’s until you start exploring sub-menus. Never in my life have I wished there were physical manuals with step-by-step instructions included with games again. I think a few options should always be visible without having to dig through menus: Trade Active Players, Trade Reserve Players. I definitely do not have my roster memorized and anyone who has a bad memory will have trouble. Having those options in your face to navigate would be a game changer!

ENDING IT STRONG!

I haven’t mentioned it but the way you earn rewards and more importantly, packs, is amazing. There are so many different ways to acquire players, perks, gear, and even logos. Having the ability to earn OR purchase packs is a decision that needs to be praised, especially as we get lost more and more in the Subscription and Pay-to-play era. If companies do things right, the players will follow. I have to say that this is very appreciated.

Goal Celebrations are another facet that in past NHL titles were always standard. There was only a single option to pick before, lacking variety. This has started to change in recent years, but in NHL 25, it has really ramped up because there are stacks to choose from. If you’re sick of one, you can swap it out. Oh, and can we talk about the ability to darken the background so your focus is strictly on that celebration?

I’m definitely digging it. I also really love that it can be changed in Be a Pro. When you’re kicking ass and hitting your stride, having a celebration of your choosing is, as they say, the Star on the Christmas Tree - it’s just awesome!

AND THE ICY VERDICT IS…

NHL 25 is a must-play for any hockey fan. Casual or a little more dedicated, there’s something for everyone to love. With a few minor tweaks, I think that future installments will be absolute works of art. What else can I say but that in my books, it's a must-play.