NHL 16 promises new features including playoff beards

NHL 15 was a pretty disastrous endeavour for EA Sports. It was the long-running title’s first release on eighth generation platforms, and it was missing modes, including the removal of the popular EASHL and GM Connected, and lacked basic features. Here’s the list of everything that was missing from the game from Operation Sports.

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The release was met with critical disapproval, and EA Sports eventually released a patch that tried to fix as much as possible. They were in heavy damage control mode.

With NHL 16 coming in September, EA Sports released today all the new and returning features which would be appearing in the game.

EASHL will be back, as EA said they reimagined the feature:

Sharpen those skates and grab your buddies because the EA SPORTS Hockey League is back! This fan-favorite online team mode has been reimagined and lets you choose specialized player classes to deliver a balanced competitive experience on the ice. Player skill and your ability to play as a team will now be the determining factor in who wins and loses hockey games.

A new feature this year is playoff beards. Now, when you are playing with your favourite franchise in the playoffs, your players beards will grow accordingly (unless you’re playing with Sidney Crosby).

One of the oldest and most iconic traditions in hockey has arrived. With accurate representations of beard patterns, length, thickness, and growth rates for individual players, the road to the Stanley Cup just got hairier.

EA promises you can play online with your friends from the same system, in a mode which they’re calling “Online couch co-op.”

The perfect way to play when you and your friends want to jump on the couch, join forces and play some drop-in hockey online. It’s the best place to practice your team play skills before playing OTP or EASHL.

It seems they’ve also added to the popular Be A Pro mode, implementing a new progression system that makes the mode seem more advanced.

The way you play dictates the type of player you will become in an all-new Be a Pro progression system. On-ice actions directly influence attributes earned, ensuring that your Pro will reflect the way you play. Sim to your next shift and the ability to work your way up from CHL rookie to an NHL Superstar also make a return in NHL 16.

There are plenty of other new features listed including visual on-ice training, new precision skating, distinct arena atmosphere, story driven commentary and 6 vs 6 team online play.

NHL 16 has nowhere to go but up after NHL 15’s struggles, and it seems like the folks at EA Sports are listening (for once) and implementing features fans want. They’ve learned their lesson from half assing a product. I have a feeling NHL 16 is going to be much more enjoyable than it’s predecessor, and with these new features, that’s almost assured.

About Liam McGuire

Social +Staff writer for The Comeback & Awful Announcing. Liammcguirejournalism@gmail.com

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