NHL 21 Reveals First Gameplay Trailer and New Gameplay Features
09/17/2020 01:29 pm EDT
NHL 21's first gameplay trailer has been revealed, giving PS4 and Xbox One players their best look at the game yet. In addition to this, EA and EA Vancouver has also revealed a slew of new gameplay features and improvements coming to the latest installment, all of which are outlined and showcased in the new trailer.
As you would expect, NHL 21 looks and sounds a lot like NHL 20, which looked and sounded a lot like NHL 19. And until the series makes the clean jump to next-gen consoles -- PS5 and Xbox Series X -- this won't change. As for this installment, it won't be coming to either next-gen machine.
As for the new gameplay features and improvements, much of it seems to focus on goalies, which were in desperate need of a revamp.
Below, you can read EA's official of "what's new" in NHL 21 gameplay:
- Superstar-Inspired Innovation: Find yourself behind the net and catch the defense sleeping? Scoop up the puck and tuck it under the bar for a jaw-dropping Michigan. Break the goalie's brain with Kucherov's no-deke deke. Score from an impossible angle with an insane between-the-legs one-timer just like Matthew Tkachuk. Shake off a pesky defender by banking the puck off the back of the net to create space, just like Sid. Each of these iconic moves created an unforgettable hockey moment; create your own in NHL 21.
- Slips, Banks, and Chips: NHL 21 revolutionizes neutral zone play with the addition of slips, banks, and chips. Get small and slippery along the boards as you squeak by a defender's check. Bank the puck off the boards and around your opponent, or use the back of the net to do the same. Or just chip the puck past a flatfooted defenseman and burn him on your way to the goal.
- Improved AI Hockey IQ: AI has been optimized to make sure that your teammates can break out on their own and hit you with a pass in stride so you can keep driving to the net. In addition, they'll be better positioned and more open to the net for passes in the O-zone. On the other side of the puck, defensive AI will work harder to slow down the opposing team in the middle of the ice and block passing lanes when defending.
- Gamesaving Goalie Desperation: Great goaltending is born out of calculated athleticism - being in the best position to make the stop, while having the athletic ability to quickly shut the door on an unexpected opportunity. New desperation saves and animations mean that you're never out of it — there's always a chance to make a jaw-dropping, acrobatic stop — even against your momentum.
- Improved Goalie Control and Positioning: Goaltending controls have been reworked to use the right stick for more of your movements, making user-controlled goalies more fluid and tactile. AI goalies are smarter when it comes to positioning — they'll adjust and square up to the shooter's approach angle to give themselves the best chance of making the stop.
NHL 21 is set to release worldwide on October 13 via the PS4 and Xbox One.
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