

It feels like hitting occurs more often and has more weight behind it. It doesn't detract from the experience, but with the game moving faster now, there are times when what should be a very fast shot lame ducks its way across the ice. That is greatly reduced here, thankfully. While shooting has been made more accurate and responsive in the past, sometimes players would roll into unexpected shot stances that weren't right for the situation. This means more variety, a more realistic feel and player choice. Overall, the tech changes mean better shots in context of the situation, as more animations have been added. Subban is now a unique aspect of the game. Thanks to some notable wrinkles, the booming shot of a P.K. Players have asked for superstars of the sport to stand out, which seems like a fair request.

The chase for authenticity extends to Signature shots, which is exactly what they sound like. But balancing that as player feedback rolls in shouldn't be a tall ask, and, generally, it's nice to have a faster-feeling game without unrealistic acrobatics happening. too, as passing now feels more difficult. Granted, this has to work well within the confines of the greater game and A.I. Players react better to the puck on the ice and transition more fluidly into passes and shots.

What the developers call RPM Tech has now been infused into animations involving the puck, and it makes the game feel like it has a faster pace. This year, it's all about making the game feel faster and more authentic. A year ago, Real Player Motion one-upped the game's removal of randomness when shooting the puck.
