Summer is winding down and hockey fans are getting ready for this year’s release of EA Sports’ NHL franchise. NHL 22 will release on October 15, and with it comes a slew of new features. Today, EA Sports released a new gameplay trailer showing off some upcoming new moves players will be able to pull off.
NHL 22 Gameplay Trailer
NHL 22 switches up its core engine, making the leap to the Frostbite engine, which has made the Battlefield franchise one of the best looking games of the past century. With it come a lot of new possibilities to implement not only new visual effects, but also adding new flash to the ice with improved stick physics, player expressions, and more.
Frostbite Engine
Frostbite allows NHL 22 to make the experience on the ice feel even more realistic, with better lighting effects, ice splashes, snow on outdoor rinks, and an all-around more immersive arena atmosphere, fans included.
Players will appear more life-like than ever before with new facial expressions, detailed eye movement, and tracking that allows them to react to the on-ice environment and changes in the gameplay.
Superstar X-Factors
EA Vancouver has really focused on highlighting the game’s superstars in recent years, and this continues with the introduction of Superstar X-Factors. These new abilities are unique to the most elite players and are tailored after each player’s actual signature moves. For more information about these X-Factor abilities, read about it on the official NHL 22 website.
You don’t have to play a superstar to experience new features in NHL 22, however. Everyone will benefit from the new stick physics. The improvements promised in physically-true stick movements, especially along the boards and when in close contact with other players, should result in a more fun experience and less questionable penalty calls.
NHL 22 will be available on October 15, 2021, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Members of the EA Play program will get the usual early access perks.