NBA Live 2003

"Same disappointment, different year"

It's that time again: the anniversary of EA Sports' terrible NBA Live franchise. So, let's see what's wrong with Live this year...

For starters, the game has become NBA Jam. That's right. Now you can get fifty blocks a game with all your favorite players. Not only can you get an insane number of blocks, but all the blocks are over-the-top. If you swat the ball, chances are it will go the full length of the court. I've played games where the point guard has chased down the ball the full length of the court to recover it. And that reminds me, players love to go out of bounds to save the ball, even when it's clearly out on the other team. This results in many costly turnovers. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the computer AI is generally idiotic. I've seen several instances where they do cross-court passes that results in turnovers 99% of the time. So not only are there an obscene number of blocks, but there are an obscene number of steals, as well. Sure, the heralded Freestyle Control is innovative, but who cares when you can't play defense? For example, a jab step makes the defender stumble at times. Who are they trying to kid here? This wouldn't be as much as a problem if there were sliders for customization (see: NBA 2K3). Furthermore, players do ridiculously flashy dunks, even in traffic. And when they don't dunk, they always do a double-pump finger roll. Great job on the realism, EA.

Now on to the graphics. They look pretty...until you see them move. The animation is sometimes laughably choppy. Walt Disney must be rolling in his grave. EA Sports has finally decided to put realistic coaches on the floor. Now all they have to do is work on putting the refs in the game, which after many years, are STILL not in this game. Some player faces have been recycled from Live 2001 and 2002, which is not a good thing.

The Franchise Mode has always been Live's strong point but not this year. It is essentially the same as it has been for the past two years. If you're looking for an in-depth Franchise Mode, you're better off playing NBA 2K3, which allows for the signing of coaches, rookie scouting and workouts, and a better presentation and experience overall.

In conclusion, do not buy this waste-of-your-time called NBA Live 2003.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 11/21/02, Updated 11/21/02