Cole Donnelly

NHL 25 had me excited, but man, this game plays like a bad joke. First off, the one-timers are so broken that every player on the ice turns into peak ovi . Just flick it cross-ice and BOOM—goal. Defending it? Forget about it. Your goalie just stands there like he’s been paid off, watching pucks fly by like he’s at a fireworks show. Now, let’s talk about the AI teammates. I don’t know if they’re supposed to help, but these guys are basically just glorified human pylons on skates. They don’t defend, don’t attack—they just kinda exist. You could replace them with a couple of orange cones and honestly not notice a difference. They’re not playing hockey, they’re practicing Zen—just standing there, in complete stillness, while the other team does whatever it wants. It’s like I’m out there playing 1v5. And then there’s EASHL, where the players apparently moonlight as chain smokers. I swear, after 10 seconds of skating, my player is huffing and puffing like he just sprinted up Mount Everest. By the time the third period rolls around, they’re more likely to keel over than take a slap shot. I’m not sure if they’re prepping for a hockey game or a lung transplant. Someone should check the locker room—there’s gotta be a carton of cigarettes in there. If you’re into scoring one-timer goals, watching your teammates audition for “Frozen 3,” and playing as a guy who’s clearly fresh off a smoke break, then NHL 25 is your jam. For everyone else, it’s a laughable, wheezy mess.