PlayStation 4
Released in 2019 by EA Sports
Grade: A
NHL 20 is yet another high-quality entry in a series of high-quality hockey sims, with sophisticated, intense, natural gameplay. It retains the greatness of the NHL games on the previous generation (see NHL Legacy Edition) while adding PS4-level polish and making mechanical refinements that give the action new dynamics.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the fourth edition on PS4 and Xbox One. It’s edged out slightly by the next installment, NHL 21.
Praises and gripes
This series was already damn good, with well-engineered hockey logic and realistic, competitive gameplay. The control is brilliant, where you use the right thumbstick to control and shoot the puck, as well as deliver body checks on defense. The players move and collide like real skaters. The passes and shots have the right speed. The goalies do their jobs right. The graphics are basically perfect.
In comparison to the previous generation, the players feel light as a feather. I initially found this off-putting and erratic — minor motions with the thumbsticks make your guy turn and jerk and bounce and skid around the ice — but I made the adjustment and appreciated the feel of the game.
The trusty poke check (conveniently mapped to R1) is now a potential pitfall, because you’ve got to be super careful to use it at proper angles or you’ll pick up a penalty. I like this update, actually, putting more emphasis on positioning and body checks.
With the earlier installments of this series, I would simply select the “hardcore simulation” setting and jump right into the action. This year, the gameplay didn’t hit that perfect balance quite the same. The players are so quick and nimble, like little hockey magicians, kicking the puck onto their stick at light-speed, making wide dekes, and unleashing instantaneous shots. I didn’t have much success with passing-heavy offensive attacks or “ugly goals.” And despite all the magic going on, shooters miss the net an AWFUL lot. Aiming shots is touchier than ever: hold your aim too long and you’re way off, aim just before your shot and it hits the goalie’s chest. The default settings provide colorful guidelines to assist you, but I found them to be a horrible distraction. I want to play hockey, not watch a Pink Floyd light show.
Luckily, I eventually dialed up a less realistic, more supercharged brand of gameplay that I could really enjoy by tinkering with the sliders (which are expansive and have drastic effects on the action). This doesn’t do much for you if you play mostly online, but the CPU makes for a dynamic, natural opponent that can really keep you on your toes.
I read other reviews and people are calling for various gameplay enhancements, like more realistic jostling and scrums along the boards, which both feel fine to me. If I were calling the shots, I’d maybe push for more visual and stylistic variance in the players, who all have the exact same motions and body shapes. But, hey, it’s hockey, probably the least individualistic sport there is, so whatever.
In terms of modes, there’s a fun 3-on-3 game on a small rink in a mode that’s dolled up with mascots and old-time players. It served me well in learning the nuances of the controls without having to deal with the crowded chaos of 5-on-5 simulation games.
Also notable is that the create-a-team feature has improved from earlier years, so much so that I created my own entire league (and then wrote a whole page about it like a total dork). Take a look at it here: NHL 20 Created Teams Project.
Oh, and rap legend Snoop Dogg appears on screen once or twice every game, because when I think hockey, I think Snoop Dogg and by the way I ain’t holdin’ nothing back, motherfucka I got five on a twenty sack. Luckily, you can turn him off once you get tired of seeing him. The presentation overall is a bit flashier than it needs to be, and there are a few minor glitches like the crowd going wild for a goal even after it’s been waved off by the ref. Overall, though, the presentation is strong, like most everything else in this game. I’d say I’m pretty pleased with my bow to the wow creeping and crawling NHL 20 disc.
Published October 16, 2021
Updated July 18, 2023