How Much Precision is ‘NHL 16’ Dropping on us? Too Much.

Generally, sports games aren't the most innovative. Long-term fans know not to expect a complete revolution from one installment to the next. Sure, a new feature or two is added along the way, or sometimes taken away (cue a flurry of bitching on the Internet about the loss of such-and-such), but most of the time we're talking a more subtle touch.

Which makes sense, natch. We're replicating an actual real-life sport, right here, so you can't dick around with it too much. Is FIFA Soccer 16 going to be a ballsy new soccer/2d shoot ‘em up hybrid? No, no it isn't.

The name of the game, really, is keeping team rosters up to date, fixing any gripes players had with the last outings and otherwise making the smallest steps forward you can get away with.

 But here's the key: in trailers, make sure you're completely shit-your-pants faux excited about said changes.

So here's NHL 16, showing us how it's done. The first in the game's Gameplay Series of trailers focuses on Gameplay Balance, and man is it enthusiastic. Accuracy of movement and plays is what they're going for, getting the ‘feel' of hockey right, and that's a serious business right there. If you don't believe me, just try counting how many times the narrator says precise, precision or accuracy.