NHL 23 Review

NHL 23 reviewed by Matt Paprocki on PlayStation 5. Also available on Xbox Series X.

"It’s overdue, but NHL 23 finally looks and feels like it belongs on these beefier new-generation consoles. The visual tech upgrade adds stellar reality to the on-ice play, which also benefits from players who are willing to dive for the puck to make a desperate goal or save. It gains new energy from crowds reacting to the action like real crowds would, bringing a definitive audio design that’s best-in-class for stadium effects. Franchise mode customization greatly expands, and seeing women in the fold for the first time feels right – and also overdue. At the same time there are several modes that are outright ignored, including the completely recycled Be a Pro single-player campaign, and its microtransaction-driven Ultimate Team mode comes with the usual caveats about its predatory, profit-driven nature."