Let's hope for the former.While the Madden and FIFA series have leaned into their own story modes in recent years with Longshot and The Journey, EA's other flagship sports franchise, NHL, has left this on the bench. At the very least, it's got a shiny new coat of paint and adds a little bit more depth to the game, but the big question here is whether they're going to continue this momentum and continuing building off a solid revamp, or if they're going to turn their attention to other areas and let Be-A-Pro get stale once again. Overall, it's a step in the right direction for the franchise - even if it's one that's long overdue and even if it's still lagging behind some of the competitors. I just don't know how deep those elements are going to get. But they also promised that there would continue to be narrative elements beyond the rookie year. Again, I only got a few days to be hands-on with it but but it definitely seems like a lot of the narrative elements are shaped around the player's rookie year - they basically treat winning the Calder Trophy like it's the Stanley Cup, which is a little weird - and that's something that was essentially confirmed in a Q&A with the game's creative developers. It would be cool to have different experiences when you're drafted by a contending team versus a team that's rebuilding and looking to you to be a savior, but it seems like the playthrough experience is going to be largely the same regardless of where you go - at least straight out of the gate.Īlso, I'm a bit skeptical about the longevity of the mode and its ability to keep things interesting and fresh if you were to play a long career in the mode. It doesn't seem like there's gonna be a ton of super unique cut scenes or interactions based on the team you're drafted by or anything. There are more options for deking and getting around defenders, making it a bit easier to create offense - especially in transition off the rush. It all flows a bit smoother and feels more unique on a game-to-game basis. I also have to mention that the gameplay is a little better this year, and that obviously makes Be-A-Pro more fun to play. It adds more layers to the experience, and that's much needed. These are the kinds of things that you'll have to balance in the mode this year. If you accept the invitation, it could negatively affect your player's rating and performance for the game but boost your locker room likability and team/line chemistry. Those conversations will force the user to make some decisions, both on and off the ice, that will have an effect on the player's career.įor example, a teammate may ask your player to go out on the town a night before a game. EA has introduced conversations to the mode this year players will interact with coaches, teammates, the media and an agent over the course of the game mode. They let me spend a couple of days with it last week and, I gotta say, it's definitely better - even if that's not saying a lot.Ī number of cut scenes and narrative elements are added into the mix this year and they do an effective job of injecting some life into the game mode. This year, the goal for EA is to provide a deeper, more rewarding and more cohesive story elements around your Be-A-Pro. The mode is a big focus of this year's release - even the cover athlete ( Alex Ovechkin) and marketing campaign were chosen and designed around individual career-building. This year, with "NHL 21," Be-A-Pro is finally getting some much-needed attention. It hasn't been immersive or unique experience. Essentially, NHL's career mode has simply consisted of the user making a player, getting drafted and then playing games with player lock on. While a lot of NHL's cross-sport competitors like "Madden," "NBA 2K," "FIFA" and "MLB The Show" have all featured these narrative-driven, sometimes theatrical career mode experiences over the past few years, NHL's Be-A-Pro mode has basically gathered dust. That's been especially true for some of their offline game modes, including Be-A-Pro. One of the most common complaints surrounding the EA Sports' NHL franchise is that it's gotten pretty stale over the years.
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