The first details for NHL 15 were announced last month, promising to bring players graphical enhancements and improved gameplay along an exciting new commentary team. The first screenshot has now been released, and the game is looking good.
Check Out The First Official Details For NHL 15 Here
The San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton stars in the above image courtesy of the EA Sports Twitter account, squatting low in what looks to be preparation for a faceoff. It's safe to say that, even with just this brief glimpse, the game looks better than any of its predecessors.
That's to be expected given the normal iterative improvements on annual releases, but for the first time in many years, the series can also take advantage of new console hardware. NHL 15 will be released on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in addition to PS4 and Xbox One, though it's unclear which version the screenshot is taken from.
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Presumably, the team at EA Sports wants to put its best foot forward with the first screenshot and are showing us an image from one of the current generation, but that's only an assumption. The player models and sweater look improved, though, as does the crowd. Even though the fans are out of focus, they look better and more varied than in years past--something the developers promised to emphasize in the initial details announcement.
Whether the last generation consoles will be able to offer as much detail and variety as the new hardware remains to be seen, and it's disappointing the newer versions will be held back by a multiplatform release on older hardware. Hopefully the PS4 and Xbox One titles will be different enough that they're not ports with upgraded visuals, but this first look is promising either way.
The following pre-order bonus is available for the title as well through Gamestop/EB Games for $24 worth of Hockey Ultimate Team content, and other retailrs can offer a $15 value:
"Kick start your team with this exclusive GameStop / EB Games Pre-order! Pre-order NHL 15 and receive twenty four HUT Gold packs, one pack per week for twenty four weeks. In Hockey Ultimate Team you can collect players from leagues from around the world. Build your ultimate fantasy team and test your skills online or offline. Win games and advance to the next division to face stiffer competition in HUT Seasons."
