Launching October 15th for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
Hockey is (almost) back! After two shortened seasons, it’s looking like the league will be returning to its regular start time this October, giving us a full season of glorious NHL action along with the exciting debut of the Seattle Kraken.
Hot on the heels with the start of the season will be the newest entry in the acclaimed EA Sports series with NHL 22 , bringing with it a new Frostbite-powered engine. We recently got our first look at these exciting features, like the debut of Superstar X-Factors and the return of one of the game’s premiere stars on its cover, but it’s the next-gen treatment we’re really excited for.
The Move to Frostbite
As a long-time fan of the series, it was grueling to have to see the other EA Sports titles get the Frostbite engine upgrade for next-gen. Now that time is finally here, I think we’re all in for a real treat. Features like differed lighting, rebuilt (and relit) stadiums, and improved shadows and reflections make NHL 22 look that much closer to real-life hockey than ever before. Oh, and the ice looks slick as heck, with reflecting light sources giving it that smooth glossy look instead of a cloudy layer of ice. I’m looking forward to seeing how it transforms throughout the course of the game, from a freshly Zamboni-polished coat to the chipped and skate-worn ice at the end of each period.
Also, the player models look significantly improved, with skin and eye shading and dynamic lighting ensuring appropriate depth for all characters. This goes all the way through to the stiches on player uniforms along with appropriate cloth movement that will make this look even closer to a true-to-life NHL game. I can’t wait. There will also be the debut of a new in-game presentation featuring AR-like affects that give up-to-date stats on the ice throughout the course of the game.
