Thanks to an insane number of hours spent playing previous NHL games over the last several months, I do know what a good hockey game looks like, and NHL 21 definitely fits the bill. The on-ice product is as fast-paced and free-flowing as the real thing, and there are enough options here to keep you occupied for months on end — which, given the circumstances, is exactly what you may need right now.

NHL 21 provides more of the same, and with the uncertainty of the real world season, even less of what few changes fans come to expect of yearly releases.

It looks fantastic, with animation delivering the TV-standard realism EA always aims for2 while offering gaming cues for eagle-eyed players to spot; using the stick skills to shuffle keepers out of position for a slap shot will leave you wide-eyed and fist-punching the air. See, that Nicolas Cage opener paid off. [Issue#182, p.160]

For now, NHL 21 gets the job done, especially if you want to play a fancier, flashier game. I still had plenty of fun, and when you consider that it’s the only way to experience the NHL until the real league gets back on the ice in January, it’s not a bad way to get your hockey fix.

NHL 21 is the best hockey game around by default – but it seldom genuinely stands out from this generation's pack.

NHL 21 brings much-needed improvements and depth to the variety of game modes available, though does nothing to fix the same issues that make the fun arcade style gameplay feel out of place in the more sim-focused modes. There is enough content thankfully that you can just keep having fun in the arcade modes and HUT Rush will actually keep you coming back for more high intensity action.

While NHL 21 brings with it some exciting minor features, the game has not made any significant quality of life improvements with these new changes. In NHL 21, there is no soul, and the franchise needs to stop putting out features and create a new NHL game where changing the on-ice product is what sells the product. Dreams of making solid passes that are accurate, no more 55 minute games on the penalty kill, and no more glitch goals remain dreams - but that shouldn't be the case any long, and hopefully NHL 22 is a top-down restructuring of a series that sorely needs it.