Opinion - The Revamped Gameplay in NHL 24 Addresses Key Issues

The all-new Exhaust Engine, Physics-Based Contact, and Total Control system in NHL 24 addresses key gameplay issues.

It was time for a change. Chel players have longed for something fresh, exciting, and simply different. NHL 24 brings a new goal-scoring meta through the Exhaust Engine, with the Sustained Pressure and Goalie Fatigue Systems embedded within it. 

As detailed in our NHL 24 Revamped Gameplay article, the Exhaust Engine is designed to emulate the authenticity of momentum-swinging, pressure-filled, real-life hockey moments.

One does not have to think much when answering the following question: what were the core meta approaches over the years in 1v1? The answers are pretty straightforward. Regardless of skill, the usual approach would be to hold on to the puck, twirl one's thumbs while skating in circles in the corners, and find a grade-A scoring chance, whether it was an open backdoor opportunity, a high-scoring opportunity from a specific spot on the ice (e.g., high slot shooting low blocker), or the usual baiting a defenseman one way and wrapping the puck the other way. 

That gameplay style got increasingly abused each year and perfected to the point that it made the NHL gaming experience far too predictable, tedious, and dull. 

That is precisely why NHL 24's Exhaust Engine is a welcoming sight to the Chel series. The interplay of the Sustained Pressure and Goalie Fatigue systems encourages being dynamic and adaptable. The combination of the two also promotes unique playstyles. When you get a tired goalie with Full Pressure active, will you continue twirling your thumbs in the corner looking for that sure backdoor goal? Are you going to start ripping shots from more areas on the ice to take advantage of the moment? The answer is easy, and it's the latter. 

So, the interplay of the Sustaint Pressure and Goalite Fatigue Systems within the Exhaust Engine will influence players to play the game for what it is, hockey. It means taking advantage of high-pressure momentum-filled moments by ripping shots from different areas of the ice. It promotes chaos, intensity, and unpredictability, some of the critical elements of hockey. 

Now, in another article where we elaborated on the debate about whether chel games should resemble real-life hockey, we concluded that a combination of realism and arcade elements is needed for a fun hockey gaming experience. So, while the Exhaust Engine promotes chaos and some form of unpredictability in terms of being able to score from different areas of the ice (resemblance to real-life hockey), it also entails arcade-like elements (e.g., increases in passing speed and accuracy during Full Pressure). Therefore, regardless of how the Exhaust Engine is received in the coming months, a change was absolutely needed, and EA SPORTS ensured that there was. 

What about the all-new vision-passing system? I'll tell you what, the vision-passing system is an exciting addition to the game as it will truly give users more control over the kinds of plays they wish to create. Of course, this added tool benefits players offensively but not defensively, as icon player switching is not yet in the game. 

That said, vision-passing is an exciting feature. A relatable experience among chel gamers is when you go for a pass to a specific player only to miss altogether or have it unintentionally go to someone else. Thus, vision-passing gives users more control over their passes. It will create a skill gap, as players who excel using the system can create previously unimagined or difficult plays.  

Speaking of control, let's now discuss the all-new Physics-Based Contact in NHL 24. I'll tell you what, improving the hitting system was needed. Over the last few years, we saw an increasing number of players preferring stick-checks over bumps, myself included. The rationale was pretty simple, why go for bumps when you could not always land them, or its impact be minimized if you did? The old hitting system did not reward players the same way stick checking did; more so, it did not offer as much manual control as its counterpart. 

So, NHL 24 and its new Physics-Based Contact gives more control to players on the direction, style, and strength of their checks. As such, hitting will likely be on the same level as stick-checking in preference and usage. Both have their advantages, and both can also burn players for mistakes. For example, while careless stick-checking can cause tripping penalties, careless and mistimed bumps can leave the player out of position, thus granting a scoring chance for the opposition. The combination of Physics-Based Contact and stick-checking provides a more dynamic and fluid gameplay experience overall. 

The NHL gaming community is presently cautiously optimistic, and rightfully so. EA SPORTS NHL took ample community feedback and sought to create a video game based on such feedback and more. 

Now that we have established why a core gameplay meta change was needed let us be clear about something. The Exhaust Engine will likely not be perfect, and there will be opportunities to improve it. That is where community feedback is essential and aligns with EA SPORTS' pillar of Community Obsession, which emphasizes the importance of listening to community feedback and making necessary adjustments to the game to ensure its fans get the best hockey gaming experience possible. 

With all that said, NHL 24's revamped gameplay brings a lot of excitement, and rightfully so. NHL 24's gameplay has some of the most significant changes we have seen in many years, so fans should be excited about that. 

Stay tuned for deep dives, impressions, and more on The Hockey News Gaming Site.