NHL 15 sets bar extremely high in demo

A common complaint with sports games - and especially EA Sports games - is the product remains largely the same. After playing the NHL 15 demo (now available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One), I can safely say change has come. And it is glorious.

In fact, when the full game is released and we dive into all of its features, we might end up saying NHL 15 is one of the best (if not the best) sports games ever.

Granted, the demo is limited. You can only play as the Kings or Rangers and only for 2 minute periods. You can also play a practice mode to hone your skills, but that would be a waste of time. The beauty of this game is on the ice.

From the jump, you are brought into an NHL on NBC broadcast - the familiar theme music perks your ears up and gets you ready for hockey. Doc Emrick sets the scene for you with a live shot of the city, a practice we've seen employed in 2K Sports games, not so much with EA.

Then Doc end Eddie Olczyk are shown discussing the matchup and .. it's actually Doc and Eddie. Not the weird digitalized versions of the broadcasters seen in Madden, but the actual human beings.

By the time the game play starts, you almost forget you have to controller the action. The presentation is seamless and fantastic. The power of the next-gen consoles is finally being used.

Some quick hits from my playing time with the demo:

-- That ice, though. Screenshots of the "authentic arenas" have been out for a while now, but it's really something to see it in action. The snow piling up in the corners, the scuff marks on the glass and the much more realistic sounds of the puck banging off the boards and posts make for a great experience.

--The two arenas you can actually play in are, in fact, authentic. The goal horns are true to the team, as are the seating arrangements. Hopefully this carries over to the rest of the stadiums.

--Two big changes when you score a goal: The celebration buttons employ a fluid motion, as opposed the herky-jerky combo of buttons used in previous games. There's less customization, but it looks much better. Also, at last, you will not celebrate alone. Teammates will gather around you for a hug session. It's a long overdue addition.

-- The puck physics are fantastic. It bounces around the rink in predictably unpredictable ways, and it rings around the net on a goal instead of just bending a part of the net. Yes, it's frustrating when a scoring chance randomly bounces over your stick, but that's hockey.

-- The fan models are much improved. You can see unique characters for both teams, and the "super fans" are always the first ones standing before a scoring chance. Like this dude with a goal-light hat.

-- Emrick brings his extended vocabulary to the game. I heard the terms "shuffled," "skittered," "shoved" and "rifled" all used as an adjective to "pass." He does get repetitive, though, as expected. I heard that I "accidentally blocked one" far too many times. Best part is - no Pierre McGuire. You can almost hear the relief in the voices of Doc and Eddie.

Overall, this was easily the most enjoyable demo I have ever played. If the features such as Franchise mode and Be a Pro are deeper, the online experience is steady and every arena feels unique this could be more than a big step forward. It could be the new gold standard for sports video games.

You can watch some extended game play straight from the horse's mouth here:

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