It's that time of year again, folks! NHL 25 will be heading to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S (but interestingly, not Xbox One) on October 4, 2024, and the cover stars this year are made up of the three Hughes brothers!
There are a bunch of gameplay innovations in NHL 25 under the banner of "Ice-Q". Firstly, there's something called "Next Gen Vision Control" that activates a new skating system where you can take advantage of a greater level of mobility (Quinn Hughes-style). It helps for things like walking the blue line, setting up one-timers more effectively, and making skillful offensive plays that just weren't possible in past NHL titles.
The AI has also been "empowered" this year with an overhauled CPU player system in which AI teammates and opponents should react more realistically than ever, and Reactive Actions introduce a bunch of new animations to the game which are activated when you're in a critical situation and you need your player(s) to respond accordingly.
For now, EA is only talking about gameplay innovations, but we do also know that Franchise Mode is getting revamped in NHL 25, the character models are benefiting from a next-gen overhaul, and both World of CHEL and Hockey Ultimate Team are also receiving some improvements.
If you're interested, you can grab NHL 25 on the Xbox Store at 10% off with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, and there's a special Deluxe Edition featuring all kinds of benefits - including seven days' worth of early access. A 10-hour free trial will also be available for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play members this September.
"Powered by ICE-Q, NHL 25 is built different giving players the time and space to control every inch of the ice, delivering an authentic experience that replicates the NHL’s elite talent."