EA Sports is back with another deep dive, and this time, they are heading to the ice for NHL 25. Similar to their Madden and Sports FC trailers, this deep dive goes into how much emphasis is being put on realistic movement and AI logic for this year’s iteration of the annual hockey title.
The video shows off the brand-new Ice-Q system, which uses logic-driven animation to contextual events on the ice in the hopes of creating an authentic and realistic overhaul to the foundation of the franchise’s gameplay. NHL 25’s Next-Gen Vision Control only furthers these improvements, as players will be able to take advantage improved responsiveness, explosiveness, and expression on the ice.
The Ice-Q system doesn’t just improve human gameplay in NHL 25, though, as the AI player system has gotten reworked from the ground up. The CPU skaters’ awareness of other players and positioning on the ice is enhanced considerably to mimic real-life play, and the game will reward you for things like proper on-ice positioning by increasing collision avoidance.
Other improvements like a playbook refresh for power plays and 5v5s and skill-based one-timers also add a new layer of strategy and tension to matches, as you’ll need to plan your attack and defense accordingly if you want to put your puck in the net.
NHL 25 releases for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation on October 4, 2024. For more information, be sure to check back to Simulation Daily for updates and all of your EA Sports gaming needs and news.
