NHL 19
Recently, EA was in town and invited me to attend a special NHL 19 Canadian Media preview event in downtown Toronto. Creative Director on NHL 19, William Ho was on hand and had the low down on the World of Chel, Real Player Motion (RPM) Technology, NHL Ones, and the massive player customization options in NHL 19.
The World of Chel
The World of Chel is an evolution of EASHL and gives you a unified progression and customization system as well as three different modes: NHL Threes, Ones and EASHL Club.
Customization
EA promised deep customization to a player’s appearance and they sure as heck delivered. There are over 900 customization options that range from hoodies, to parkas, to pants, to hats and so on, to make to your player to stand out from the rest of the crowd.
William explained that these customization items are all unlocked and earned by playing the game. You cannot pay to unlock these items and you’ll never have to worry about getting duplicates.
NHL Threes and NHL Ones
My favourite new mode from last years’ game, NHL Threes makes its return and just like last year this is a 3v3 arcade based experience that is a quick, fun, hockey fix. What I was most excited to learn about from William was about the new NHL Ones mode.
It’s a 1v1v1 mode that is played on half ice outside. It’s every player for themselves as you vie for the puck and look for a chance to slip it past the goalie. There are absolutely no rules and anything goes. All you need to do to win, is to score the most goals before time expires.
In the off-chance there is a tie, the game goes to sudden overtime. William explained that this mode is online only and will have daily challenges. He went on to mention that in the beta, one day a player had to win over 170 games to be crowned champion for the day.
Pro-Am
William also touched on Pro-Am mode. This is where you play with and against the best NHL players from past and present. This mode is composed of three-on-three challenges that take place offline and allow you to unlock items for use in the World of CHEL.
While William couldn’t give us a complete list of players, he did mention that it would be around 200 players.
Real Player Motion (RPM) Technology
One of the biggest changes in NHL 19 is the implementation of Real Player Motion Technology. Also known as RPM Technology. The game now boasts the most responsive player movement to date. Players are now able to turn in an instant and change direction with incredible speed.
Moreover, sharper cuts on the ice now allow for faster puck recovery. This means that if you over skate the puck or happen to miss a pass, you can now double back almost instantly. I, for one, was happy to hear this. It has been a feature that has been missing from previous installments of the franchise.
Hands-on with NHL 19
After William gave us the low down on what makes NHL 19 great, it was time to go hands on with NHL Ones. Myself and two others, spent the next 30 plus minutes playing this new mode. I can honestly say that as much fun as I had with NHL Threes, I had double that with NHL Ones.
Controls are simple, and easy to learn for those not familiar with the NHL franchise of games. It makes a perfect entry into the franchise for players who are just looking to have fun. Matches in NHL Ones last a few minutes and feel like they are the perfect length.
I could instantly feel the benefits of the new RPM Technology that is used within NHL 19. It gives you the ultimate control over your player and I feel will allow for a lot more realistic plays.
Final thoughts
NHL 19 looks like its going to be a significant upgrade from last years release. I cannot wait to get my hands on the final version of the game. Luckily, that wont be long! NHL 19 launches in a few weeks on September 14, 2018 for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4—just in time for the NHL preseason.
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