With a revolutionary real-time physics engine that brings an unprecedented amount of realism to the franchise, gameplay innovations like broken sticks and a revamped face-off system, as well as the addition of the Canadian Hockey League, NHL 11 is one of the most complete hockey videogame ever created.
GenreHockey
Platforms xbox360
DEVELOPER Electronic Arts | PUBLISHER Codemasters | RELEASE DATE
NHL 11 Reviews xbox360
gamingnexus.com review
One of the biggest but probably most overlooked improvements comes in the form of a completely revamped faceoff engine. Offering the option of fore or backhanded grips, this new change gives the player a significant number of options to win the faceoff. You can follow the traditional route and just try to time the puck drop, drawing the puck back to one of your defensemen or supporting wings. You can also attempt to tie up the opposing player letting one of your support players come get the puck. There are even options for winning the puck forward rather than back for when you just want to get the puck out of your defensive zone. It’s a complex set of functionality, and as a hand-eye coordination skill, it takes a good bit of effort to get it down. After about 25 games, I’m still only winning at about a 45% clip.
Read Full Review
gamestyle.com review
EA Sports’ NHL 11 is not only the best hockey game ever made, it is quite simply the best and most accurate sports game ever made. So we can truly say… The best game you can play, is a good ol’ hockey game and a good ol’ hockey game is the best game you play.
Read Full Review
gamer.no review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
gamervision.com review
For the third year in a row, EA Canada has crafted a hockey experience that is seemingly flawless. As great as last year’s offering was, NHL 11 marks an evolution for the series. The use of dynamic animations adds a sense of weight and presence to every skater on the ice, and little touches, like disallowed goals and the ability to jump over downed players, bring players even further into the hockey world. My only quibble is with the game’s player creation suite, which still doesn’t support EA’s successful GameFace system. This is, obviously, a pretty minor complaint when compared to everything that EA has done right, and there’s no reason that anyone with even a passing interest in hockey or hockey video games shouldn’t own NHL 11. Of course, if that’s not enough to convince you, perhaps this will do the trick; during the post-season, players can grow playoff beards.
Read Full Review
gaming-age.com review
If EA just introduced the new Ultimate Hockey team and washed their hands of the rest, I would say cash cow…but thankfully the team never lets me down as the introduction of this mode, along with enhanced AI, better game play, and the new physics engine that is so random I find myself catching my breath between puck drops make this an experience I’ve never felt before. NHL remains the King of sports gaming thanks to EA. If this is your first rodeo, you are in for a treat, but veteran gamers will appreciate the new efforts provided by the development team once again. NHL 11 is truly a labor of love for fans of the NHL.
Read Full Review
gamechronicles.com review
It has been widely reported that 2K is “just taking the year off†from the 360 and PS3 versions but will be back for 2K12. I don’t see how they can possible recover from EA’s onslaught. If NHL 12 has even half the improvements of this years version, 2K would be best to spend their investors money elsewhere. EA’s NHL 11 Hockey is a near perfect sports game, held back only by minor framerate issues and the lack of a “team builder†module. I can’t wait until NHL 12.
Read Full Review
xboxaddict.com review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
extremegamer.ca review
EA Canada offers up another big hug of hockey love in NHL 11. Simply put, this is how you do hockey! The new emphasis on thumbstick flicking and the new physics engine creates a game that is extremely fluid, feeling more natural then before. NHL 11 is an outstanding entry in the long running EA Sports series, and it is definitely worth the annual upgrade. Like I said in the introduction, “Hockey Fans, prepare to fall in love.”
Read Full Review
gametrailers.com review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
gamefocus.ca review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
gamerevolution.com review
Granted, NHL 11 is a just a hockey game, but it is an extraordinary hockey game. The action is hot and fast, and the intangibles and extras add quality on top of quality. Those who don’t like or care about hockey but appreciate good video games should check it out just to see what can be done with a good physics engine and a production team that knows what the fans want. Those who are hockey fans, well, if you don’t already have this game, you are a hoser.
Read Full Review
gameshark.com review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
gamespot.com review
One of the best things about NHL 11 is how the realism constantly takes you by surprise no matter how long you play. Many arcade sports games reveal more flaws with every hour that you play. Here, the good stuff just keeps coming. Just when the game starts to feel a little predictable, something happens that you’ve never seen before, like a crazy deflection leading to a goal or an AI player showing off highlight-reel moves. Say hello to the new standard by which hockey games are measured.
Read Full Review
gamesradar.com review
NHL 11 continues to dominate the sports landscape. It’s a no-brainer must-have for any modern sports gamer, whether you can successfully discuss the nuances of the Left Wing Lock or can barely name a couple of players on your favorite team. There’s enough here for everyone to have a blast.
Read Full Review
gameinformer.com review
NHL 11 pits brains versus brawn, and it’s brawn that wins. But it’s not just about getting cross-checked in the face – the game’s physicality offers hits of all sizes, whether you’re forechecking, clogging the neutral zone, or playing defense. The new physics engine also allows the puck to move more realistically when not on players’ sticks. However, the game could be smarter. AI players don’t play with enough personality, they get stuck in routines, and there aren’t enough garbage goals. Be A GM mode should give you GM tasks that are tailored for your club, trades and trade feedback from AI GMs that make sense, and not let some of the good players sit in free agency
Read Full Review
game-over.com review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
darkstation.com review
I would not have imagined that I would be this positive about NHL 11 without having significant changes to my two favorite modes Be a Pro and Be a GM. And yet even without updating the two big modes of NHL 11 from last years offering EA managed to make enough smart moves for me to once again proclaim this to be a great game of hockey. With the additions of the CHL and Ultimate Hockey League and the great Gameplay improvements this is once again the best hockey game available as well as one of the best sports games out there
Read Full Review
gamerlimit.com review
All in all NHL 11 is by far the most accurate hockey simulation out there. Despite the few problems I’ve had with the game, it’s always been an enjoyable experience. If you enjoy playing Hockey videos games, or ever just like watching the sport, you should consider picking up NHL 11. Not only will you have a blast playing the game, it will also help deepen your appreciation for what I consider to be the best sport ever made
Read Full Review
cheatcc.com review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
multiplayer.it review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
xgn.nl review
No Synopsis Available
Read Full Review
1up.com review
Scoring, match-making, and goalie quirks aside, this game literally has no competition in the marketplace other than itself. This is the fourth year now that the series continues to add onto the formula that started with NHL 08. With their primary competition focused on a different platform, EA Sports only has itself to best, and I expect even greater things with next year’s iteration.
Read Full Review
gamer20.com review
Editor’s Note: A copy of the game was provided to the reviewer by EA Sports two days after the game’s initial release. The majority of the time spent playing the game was through the game’s “Play Now†mode and “Ultimate Hockey League.†12 hours was put into the game upon the start of this review, and more than 20 hours have been put into it upon the review’s completion
Read Full Review
msxbox-world.com review
The soundtrack of the game is excellent, featuring lots of popular tracks. Like every EA sports game, NHL 11 also supports personalized soundtracks from your hard drive. This is excellent, because you’ll definitely want the music to take center stage. Sound effects in the game are atrocious, and the commentator tracks are recycled to a disgusting degree. In comparison with Madden NFL 11, the commentators on NHL 11 look like a joke. Comments are reused every few seconds and when they’re not, they tend to be inaccurate or painfully late. Since the game already moves too slow for a Hockey title, this is inexcusable. Honestly though, most players will never hear the commentators and their excruciating dialogue. The games licensed song selection is a classy move that does a good job outshining any other shortcomings.
Read Full Review