Whether NHL 24 or any other virtual hockey games, in general, should resemble real-life hockey is a topic with mixed opinions. A combination of realism and arcade might be the answer.
From a gameplay perspective, should NHL video games resemble real-life hockey or provide an arcade-like experience?
This particular question has generated much discussion and debate over the years. As such, I polled to find out which style of gameplay chel fans prefer. The options ranged from fully realistic, mostly realistic, mostly arcade, and fully arcade.
The results are not too surprising. More than half of the respondents believe that NHL video games should resemble realistic or mostly realistic hockey with elements of an arcade-like experience embedded.
From a baseline level, realistic gameplay increases the difficulty level of the general aspects of the game. For example, passing is far more complex, as players must be within the puck carrier's field of vision. NHL 22's passing system was a great example, as pass attempts from blind sports or unrealistic angles were nullified.
An arcade-like hockey gaming experience makes passing seamless and provides the ability to perform advanced maneuvers more readily. For example, the ability to chain multiple half spins and deke an opponent out of position to create a scoring chance is more common in an arcade gameplay style, and the skill gap is generally lessened as a result. As Dino mentions, this is not necessarily always good for the game's competitive side.
At its extreme, an arcade hockey gaming experience also makes hitting and shooting stand out. More specifically, shots would go well over 100 mph, and hits would garner tremendous impact. NHL 19-21 all had elements of an arcade experience. The gameplays were generally quicker, passing made easy, and highlight reel goals made common. NHL 22 and 23 slightly shifted in approach, as the games generally felt fully realistic and mostly realistic, respectively. Important to note that a general feel of the game should be separated from glitch goals, as they exist in practically every installment of EA NHL video games.
The wide range of opinions regarding whether chel should resemble realistic hockey and to what extent is a fascinating topic and difficult to agree upon. Content creator Endo (@EndoranceM) shares the following:
"I am torn between the idea of an NHL video game being either purely realistic or all arcade. We have had previous games in the past, like NHL Hitz, which was a pure arcade but still had the same essence of hockey at its core, and it worked very well."
He further adds, "EA's product has not been bad, but it has been in this weird state due to the creative direction of having offense be the main focus, with little to no tools to help out on the defensive and goaltending aspects."
Endo touches up on a couple of interesting points. Firstly, a chel game that is pure arcade can still be successful (i.e., NHL Hitz). At the same time, some, like Endo, feel there is preferential treatment for the offensive side of the game, rendering defensive abilities and goaltending much less useful. Theoretically, this gives off a more arcade-like experience if making defensive plays and saving pucks is challenging.
At the same time, a game like NHL 22 made all aspects of the game more realistic and challenging, but it was not necessarily everyone's favorite either.
So, in conclusion, the debate regarding how realistic a virtual hockey game should be will continue to persist. However, there is one finding through this mini-quantitative research. Some combination of realism and arcade is necessary for a good game instead of only one over the other.