Take Your Pick!

An X-Factor article is designed to call out something particular in a game. It breaks down one thing that makes that individual game unique, and often, it's something specific to the Xbox® and its next-generation capabilities. NFL Fever is a touch different this year, but in that delicious way that makes you cry out "more for me, please!" There are any number of things that are important and interesting enough to talk about, but two things really jump to the forefront and hog the stage. They are the Xbox Live® functionality that is quickly becoming standard for all Microsoft Game Studios console sports titles, and then there is the new XSN Sports. I feel daring, so how about we buck tradition and talk about both features, instead of just the one? Sound good? Excellent! Let's dive in then.

Leave your online friends in the dust.

More Online, Please
If you've played games on Xbox Live before, you're already familiar with much of the functionality that all Xbox Live games offer. Looking forward to talking that trash via the headset communicator? Don't worry, it's there. Want to hop into a game real fast? Well, try Quick Match. Looking for your friends andrecent players, or just want to peruse the current rankings? Not to worry. All your old friendly options are back, waiting to greet you once more.

What's impressive about NFL Fever 2004, though, is how it takes many of these options and makes them its own. A stunning example of this is the options you have in Optimatch (when you're narrowing your search parameters to find a game that fits your exacting needs or when you're creating a match on your own). Here, take a look for yourself at just some of the options:

• Ranked Game: Yes or No? Want to see if your game stacks up against the rest? Play a few ranked games, and see what place your skills net you.
• Opponent Rank: Feel like taking on one of the top-ranked-players on Xbox Live? Here's your chance. Simply select Top 100, Higher, Slightly Higher, Lower, or Slightly Lower. You can select Similar as well, which will match you up with someone around your own ranking. Neat, huh?
• Require Voice: Sick and tired of being greeted with a vacuum of silence on the other end of the Headset Communicator? Turn this option on to let people know you want a game with a little chatter.

The above comprise just four of 15 options you'll have to choose from when creating a game or using the Optimatch option to find the perfect game for you.

XSN Sports ... a place where rivalries are born.

XSN Sports: A League of Your Own
There are, right now, manual leagues being played on Xbox Live. They are cobbled from notes jotted on scrap paper or, perhaps, if you're just that cool, a whiteboard hanging up on your gaming room wall. They are leagues born from friends and casual acquaintances, who "agree" to form a league, play out the games, and have someone keep track of the standings. XSN Sports takes that core idea and wallops it with a healthy dose of technology. All you'll need to focus on is your next game. XSN Sports will take care of everything else. Imagine starting a fantasy football league with your buddies, but instead of waiting till Sunday for other people to play out your games for you, it's up to you to make yourself a winner. If you want a proper breakdown of what sorts of features XSN Sports will provide, I suggest you take a look at the XSN Sports features profile.

While, as you see, one factor may take longer to explain than the other, both are equally critical to the fun that can be had with NFL Fever 2004. Finally, we're getting a football game that combines elements that focus on live, human opponents instead of a cold, impersonal machines. Let's be thankful.

By Alex McLain