Starting on October 15, gamers will be able to take to the virtual ice with their favorite hockey team or player in the highly anticipated NHL 22. There are two editions to choose from: Standard, which comes with the basics, or X-Factor, which comes with extra pre-order bonuses and three-day early access. This will be the first release in the series that has some optimization for PS5 and Xbox Series X. While most of those upgrades will be visual, there's a list of gameplay improvements coming for both last and current-gen consoles.
The first improvement players may notice is the all-new Augmented Reality Broadcast presentation. When a highlight reel of a play happens, a 3D graphic will appear above the user. Statistics, goal scorers, and penalty information are projected onto the boards and ice surface during breaks in the action. Information about each team's X-Factor players and their abilities in NHL 22 will also be shown to help users get the most out of their stars.
Some of the more impressive improvements coming to NHL 22 are player likeness, facial expressions, and eye movement. In-game athletes will track the puck with their eyes just as they would in a real NHL game. When Alex Ovechkin makes a big hit, players will see his target wince as he crashes to the ice. When Sydney Crosby snipes the goalie for a game-winner, there will be a smile on his face while he celebrates with his team. All of that occurs with each player looking more like their real-life counterpart than ever before.
Massive advancements in stick physics are a welcome sight for players of all skill levels in NHL 22. In previous releases in the series, characters could skate or deke right into the boards as if they weren't even there. Sometimes, the players' sticks or even the puck would disappear into the boards. New, physically true animations will deliver more accurate penalty calls and more realistic puck battles, which are two of the longest-standing complaints from hardcore gamers.
Perhaps the biggest overhaul coming to the game is that NHL 22 switching to the Frostbite engine. The Frostbite engine is what drives all of the changes above. To go with those, it clears the way for fine details on uniforms down to the individual thread, 3D ice spray effects, and dynamic lighting such as reflections from players' visors. The improved lighting and shadows within arenas and on the ice will make the atmosphere lifelike and leave the player feeling like they're in the seats themselves.
The Augmented Reality broadcast system and Frostbite engine combine this year to provide the most immersive and realistic hockey simulation so far. Visually, a casual observer may not recognize the difference between the gameplay of NHL 22 and a national TV broadcast.
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