Multiplayer Goodies

First, there was NCAA® Football 2005. Next, there was Madden NFL 2005, and then there was NBA Live 2005. Now, EA SPORTS' hockey franchise NHL® 2005 has arrived. Each of the previous three aforementioned games offered a lot of new content in the multiplayer realm—most notably with the addition of Xbox Live™—and NHL 2005 is no different.

Sitting down and playing a game of hockey with your friends and rivals has never offered this many options, so lets dive in and check out what NHL 2005 has to offer in the realm of multiplayer.

Don't get checked by that guy.

Free-for-All
Many would say that the appearance of Xbox Live is the biggest addition, and they're probably right. In fact, we'll take a look what's offered there shortly. Perhaps just as impressive, though, is the offline addition of the Free-for-All mode. The sorts of options available in this mode are more akin to the customization available in online shooters than in sports games. It breaks down like this:

Up to four people can play, with each one controlling one hockey player. You'll be able to select star players from each team, so no one person should have an unfair advantage in the skill level of their hockey player.

If you want to dive into the minutia of your player's abilities before selecting them, you can check out his Player Info page. This shows you all of his statistics—of which there are many, including things like Slap Shot Power, Wrist Shot Accuracy, Aggressiveness, and Hero Rating) —as well as their season and playoff stats. It's as comprehensive as you could ever want it to be.

Of course, there are the game modes themselves, and they are:

• Scoring Drive: The objective here is for the players to compete in a set amount of goals. For example, the person to score five goals first wins.
• On The Clock: Here you'll have a predetermined amount of time to score as many goals as possible. The person that has the most points when the time runs out wins.

Within each game mode there are also different options. You can, naturally, select the amount of goals you'll play to or mess with the time limit in On the Clock mode, but there are many more options than that. You'll be able to:

• Add defenseman to the mix, further increasing the frantic nature of the endeavor.
• Toggle commentary and music on or off.
• Play in Big Head mode for a bit of arcade hilarity.

Oh, Canada!

Play Free-for-All with all four players on the ice at one time and compete frantically against one another is an intense and wildly competitive experience. It's just the kind of change of pace you'll be looking for after a grueling, hard-fought team-on-team game.

And Who Could Forget Xbox Live?
Of course, we must not forget the addition of Xbox Live, where NHL 2005 doesn't bow to anyone where options are concerned. Frankly, EA is beginning to establish a set of standards for its online titles, and it’s a breath of fresh air. Having played other EA Sports titles online, it's nice to already have a familiarity with the setup.

What the crap were you thinking?

Here are a few EA standards you'll find online when playingNHL 2005:

EA Messenger
This nugget of functionality will allow you to send text messages to your buddies. Whether you want to talk a little smack or set up a game, this is the best way to do so (that is, if they're already occupied, otherwise a direct game invite would do the trick). Also, if your friend has his account set up correctly, you can message him when he's offline and have that message e-mailed directly to him or even sent to his cell phone. Neat stuff!

Trophies and Medals
As you play online, you'll earn trophies and medals for achieving different milestones. Trophies can be earned for things like winning an eight-player tournament or completing 10 online games without a DNF (Did Not Finish). Medals are a bit more enigmatic and are earned according to standards set by EA.

Quick Tournaments
One problem with setting up tournaments online is coordinating with all the players. Trying to figure who can play who when can be tiresome. The solution? Quick Tournaments! They allow you to immediately set up or join a tournament that will be played within minutes.

Web Site Features
Not only can you view your achievements in game, but you can also visit EA's Web site to check out how you've been fairing online. You'll be able to view your career online stats as well as the medals and trophies you've accrued. This is especially nice when you're at a buddy's house and want to properly demonstrate yourNHL 2005 dominance.

Sports Ticker
When you log into any EA SPORTS game, you'll be treated with a live sports ticker at the bottom of your screen. Not only does this show updated scores for real sports games, but you'll also be able to monitor the progress of your friends playing online in EA SPORTS video games.

Between the new Free-for-All mode and all of the richness that EA's online features offer, in conjunction with Xbox Live, you've got a hockey game with a social component—and a host of features to help keep the competition going.

By Alex McLain