NHL 13

NHL 13 is the continuator of the tradition of one of the oldest brands in the gaming market in the field of sports simulators. It was released twenty years after the first game in the series. It is no wonder that the developers at EA Sports decided to celebrate this occasion by adding many new elements to the gameplay.

The goal of the games in the series remains unchanged for years, of course. The player is to lead the hockey team to victory in the Stanley Cup. To achieve this, the developers gave at the player's disposal a number of gameplay modes – from individual matches, career mode, to an opportunity to compete with other fans of the series via the Internet.

NHL 13 puts an emphasis on an even greater realism. With the introduction of the True Performance Skating feature, based on an advanced physics engine and over 1,000 physical collision animations, EA Sports managed to show the dynamics of today's hockey tournaments much more realistically. Dynamic feints at full speed have never looked so good. By using the Hockey IQ technology, the hockey players show greater initiative on the ice rink. They no longer pay attention solely to the character who is in possession of the hockey puck, but also take into account the overall situation which allows them to respond better and faster. This also allows for better coordination of the team in terms of the strategy and tactics it uses. The players can customize certain behaviors of each of the players, as well as those of the entire team.

The most interesting changes were introduced in the multiplayer mode. With the GM Connected feature, NHL 13 allows for creating virtual leagues consisting of 30 teams, which enables more than 700 players to play simultaneously. It also introduces the NHL Moments Live feature which is a continuously updated set of the most interesting moments and matches of the current season of NHL.

In addition, the existing modes were modified. The players who create their own player in the Be a Pro mode, now have a greater range of opportunities and decisions to make. For example, they may request a transfer to another team or decide to end their career in the NHL.

In terms of the audiovisual layer, NHL 13 presents a high-level known from the other games in the series. As usual, the players can count on realistic reproduction of movements and facial expressions of the hockey players, well-done sound effects, and match comments recorded with the participation of professional commentators.

Last updated on 21 November 2014