Can't make up my mind!

[Thadaleus]

Alright, so there are more important things in life.. but I've struggled over a monumental decision for the past few weeks.

After numerous PC Game Purchases and some other high ticket items, I'm on Xbox house arrest. No more games for a few months.

HOWEVER.. I do have a $30 gift card from Best Buy... ah, one last chance.

My decisions are down to Top Spin, Links 2004, and FIFA 2004.

Now I know how this crowd supports soccer, so try and be as fair as possible.


I've played a Links demo.. I like how it plays.
It seems like it has numerous gameplay options, but I'm concerned about the career value, as I heard it doesn't have a large number of courses.

I haven't played Top Spin, nor have I seen anything other than screenshots. Most reviews give it insanely high scores.. which have raised my interest. I'm an avid Tennis player, so I love the sport.. and I've heard the career mode is fun, but I'm worried a Tennis game, no matter how good, might get old.. quick.

Finally, FIFA.. I'm a big fan of Team Career oriented sports. I love playing GM, and I've grown to be a moderate (or rather.. way above average for Americans) enthusiast of Soccer. I've never formally played.. but I feel like a grasp strategies and formations (just not as well as the 4 main American sports)(or Golf or Tennis for that matter).
I know a good number of international stars, mostly from World Cup, Euro, etc. My main concern is the actual gameplay, and whether or not the Career mode is as good as other EA or Sega sports titles.

My Xbox Live subscription just died out, and I'm not renewing it for now.
Blockbuster is my only choice for renting.. and I owe them my third child in overdue fees.. so that's not an option.

What I need is something that has great initial gameplay experience, that will last me for several months if possible.

Opinions?

Thadaleus

[Eaglesfan27]

If you like football, I highly recommend you wait for EA NCAA football due out next week. IMHO, that is one of the only games that will give you a couple of months of gameplay. I've played Top Spin at a friend's house, and I found that it got old after a little while. I've never played FIFA, but I can't bring myself to play it because Winning Eleven Seven is just so much better from everything I've heard, and I enjoy it quite a bit. That game could give you a couple of months of fun IMO. I don't anything about the Links game to comment on that.

[Balldog]

Links got kind of easy for me, the other two I don't know about.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I agree with EF-27. If you're at all interested in football, wait a week or two and pick up NCAA 2005 (or 2004, whatever version is coming out). Should be the best game available.