The latest installment of the popular ice hockey simulation franchise NHL 23 is making a splash with several new features. When NHL 22 was released in 2021, it brought the sport of ice hockey onto the Frostbite Engine for the first time, making the game feel more lifelike than ever before. The title introduced X-Factors for the first time, giving players of high renown in the NHL abilities that set them apart from others. Small improvements to stick-checking, dekes, and deflections had the game feel organic, giving players fewer moments of no action than in previous titles.
These additions helped the community of NHL 22 stay positive, but the game still lacked highly desired features. Modes like GM Connected have been practically forgotten by all except the fans strongly devoted to making their own leagues and competing against each other. An unexpected but welcome addition to the most recent installment in the franchise introduced women ice hockey players for the first time, giving players the chance to play out the IIHF World Women's Championship. As positive as this change was, NHL 23 will have to impress players with the changes they bring in the upcoming game.
Though the list isn't extensive, NHL 23 is looking to keep fans playing their game until the next release with the features it's bringing to the table. One of the biggest additions is the ability to play cross-platform in the online modes World of Chel and HUT, though it is specifically as opponents as players of opposite consoles cannot play with each other. The additional restriction is that the new consoles cannot interact with the older generation. Franchise mode fans will rejoice at the custom leagues the NHL 23 team has provided in-game, allowing players to set the number of teams, games played, divisions, playoff rounds, and more for their own custom leagues. The development team has also improved the AI in NHL 23, turned the crowd into a more reactive experience, and added several new celebrations, including a specific celebration for hat-tricks which are big moments in a live NHL game.
NHL 23 Adds Women To HUT & World of Chel
HUT and World of Chel will also see the addition of women ice hockey players like Sarah Nurse, whose stats will be equivalent to that of their male counterparts. A 94 overall player will be considered a 94 overall, regardless of gender, allowing players to mix and match their teams with a larger variety of players. The last big feature they plan to add to the title is a series of 500 stumble animations that will encourage players to make desperation plays, allowing one to pass or shoot the puck in NHL 23 while on their back or dive forward to prevent the opposition from getting a prime offensive chance. While none of these features are over-the-top, they bring several quality-of-life additions to the gameplay and keep players excited about the next entry.
NHL 23 is the development team's effort to capture the electrifying skill and highlight-reel moments with fans jumping out of their seats with the dual cover athletes Trevor Zegras and Sarah Nurse representing the exciting new era in the NHL. Whether the game delivers a more enriching experience than the last title or misses the mark will have to be seen when the NHL 23 releases on October 14th.