NBA Live 2005

"While it doesn't deliver a slam dunk, NBA Live 2005 innovates the basketball genre"

Introduction:

For over a decade, EA Sports's NBA Live series has always been a solid offering for NBA videogames. While it does have its noticeable flaws, the game always manages to add just enough to stay ahead of the competition and produce a fun and authentic basketball experience every year. Freestyle Control has innovated the series in the last couple of years, but this year EA has shifted its focus into the NBA All-Star Weekend with the addition of the dunk contest. While NBA Live 2005 isn't a slam dunk, it once again lets players experience what the NBA is all about.

Gameplay:

One of the key features EA has added into the 2005 version is 10-Man Freestyle, which gives some meaning to moving without the ball. In past games, your teammates would tend to just stand there and let you create an open shot. This year, all 10 players on the court will move around realistically whether they have the ball or not. On offense, your teammates will now actually try to get open. Guards will create spacing and constantly move without the ball, while low post players will battle it out down low for good position. Players will now even call for the ball and really box out on rebounds. On defense, defenders will do a great job of denying players the ball by grabbing and holding. The addition of 10-Man Freestyle has probably advanced the realism of the series more so than any other single feature ever. The way the players move around on both offense and defense makes it feel like you're playing an NBA game with real NBA players. The gameplay also runs at a very realistic pace. EA has slowed down the tempo from previous versions so now the entire game doesn't feel like a track meet.

Players have been given tons of new moves to their repertoire now that Freestyle Control has been expanded into nearly every aspect of the game. This year, the game gives you a lot of freedom above the rim with Freestyle Air. Now, when a shot is missed, you have the option to decide what they want to. Pressing the triangle button will make the player attempt a normal offensive rebound, pressing the O button will make the player attempt to do a tip-in, and pressing the square button will make the player do a put-back slam. Also, the game now features two separate buttons for shooting the ball and attempting a dunk or lay-up. In addition, you can actually alter you shot mid-air when attempting a dunk or lay-up.

But Freestyle Control doesn't stop there. New perimeter and post Freestyle move sets have been added into the game, giving you even more freedom on offense. All of these new moves really add to the control that you have over the game. Before, cross-overs were essentially the only maneuvers you could use to do open. Now, there is literally a different move for every position of the court. Adding to the realism, only guards can do the perimeter move sets well such as cross-overs and spins while the forwards and centers are good at the Freestyle Air and post move sets. This means that if you attempt to do a between-the-leg cross-over with Shaq, most likely you will turn the ball over. But while the game does include new post move sets, it's still more limited and less effective than Freestyle Control on the perimeter. Still, NBA Live 2005 gives you the most control over your players with Freestyle.

The entire gameplay seems to be very balanced this year between the three-point shots, the mid-range game, and the low post game. No one aspect has been blown out of proportion like offensive rebounding or the game speed like in past versions. Even so, the game features fully customizable sliders on nearly every aspect of the game, from interception ability to free throw difficulty to rebounding. So while the game has the usual four levels of difficulty, the difficulty levels are almost unlimited and can be changed in individual aspects to suit anyone's ability perfectly.

With Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets being this year's cover boy and the 2005 NBA All-Star weekend taking place in Denver, what better time than now to introduce the biggest game mode addition in some time. The game's All-Star Weekend is a separate mode that not only features the All-Star game but the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge, the three-point shootout, and the slam-dunk contest.

In the slam-dunk contest, you get to control every aspect of the dunk from the gather to the type of dunk to the razzle-dazzle that makes Vince Carter so spectacular. For starters, there are three basic components of a dunk: the gather, the take-off, and the finish. Pressing the O button will perform a basic gather and then pressing and holding the X, O, triangle, or square buttons will perform different take-offs and finishes. The longer you hold the take-off button, the more spectacular your finish will be but if you hold it too long, the player might miss the dunk completely. Pressing the L and R buttons will modify the dunk for a greater appeal. Once you get the basics down you can try some really advanced stuff, such as tosses and alley-oops off different objects such as the backboard or shot clock. And with the between the legs, hanging dunks, 360 degree spins, and so many more advanced tricks, the possibilities are endless. The system is extremely deep – if you dreamed it up or saw it in a real game, chances are you can perform it in this mode. It even features the classic dunks such as Carter's in-air between the legs or Jordan's jump from the free throw line. And, just like in the real slam-dunk contest, a panel of five judges will each rate your dunk on a scale of 1-10.

The three point shootout was also very well done. You get 60 seconds and 25 attempts from around the perimeter to make as many shots as you can. The shootout is really straightforward, but can be extremely addicting to play. You can customize how many competitors there will be as well as the number of rounds. The shooting system is basic, unlike the free throw system, but the mode does offer different difficulty levels.

The Rookie/Sophomore challenge and the All-Star game haven't changed much, although EA did a great job in incorporating the atmosphere and excitement of the All-Star game. Overall, the All-Star Weekend Mode was a great addition but it does have its flaws. While the slam dunk contest is so deep that it offers thousands of different combinations of dunks, only a small percentage of these will actually earn you top scores. Also, as with the three point shootout, the dunk system doesn't take too long to master and both can get repetitive after you have done so. Still, any basketball fan will have to try out the slam dunk contest as nothing like it has ever been featured in any videogame.

EA has alomst completely redone the Dynasty Mode as well. The biggest addition is the PDA, where assistant coaches, the owner, scouts, the medical staff, the NBA, and player agents will contact you with important information. You can use it to send scouts to observe draft prospects, negotiate with player agents and other teams, get an injury update, catch up on the recent league news, trade players (teams will realistically offer you trades as well), or address any concerns that members of the organization might be having. The trading and scouting system are the best ever in an NBA game. After you've sent a prospect to anywhere in the world to scout any player, he'll come back with a full report card on every aspect of the player's game, and you can actually work the player out before you draft him.

Playing games and achieving certain milestones will earn you Dynasty points, which is basically the money system for purchasing things like scouts and coaches. There is even a training system to improve your team's play for the next few games, which includes everything from conditioning to shooting. In addition, the game will update you with weekly power rankings, MVP candidates, and players of the month throughout the course of the season. Overall, the franchise is so much deeper and realistic.

The game also features other modes such as 1 on 1, practice, and a solid online mode. The online mode has the basic Play Now where you can instantly find an opponent, as well as many lobbies. There are also quick four or eight man tournaments and a buddy list to track players. Although the online mode does suffer more so than other sports titles from lag and is limited in features, overall it is very fun.

Gameplay score: 8

Graphics:

Overall, the in-game graphics look really good but there is definitely room for improvement. On the plus side, the player models are great and the players are easily recognizable to their real life counterparts. The attention to detail is also staggering, from the tattoos to the shoes. However, the game just doesn't capture the atmosphere you would expect. The playing court and arena as a whole feels very restricted and the environment around you doesn't add to the realism. The crowd is very unanimated and everything seems to be focused on just the court.

However, the animations in this game are incredible. There are hundreds of new animations like the ones mentioned in the Freestyle Control and 10-Man Freestyle sections, and all of them are smooth and realistic.

Graphics score: 8

Sound:

The in-game commentary has greatly improved with the addition of Marv Albert and Mike Fratello. They have a lot of variety and are pretty accurate with what's going on in the game, except for the occasional talk of missed lay-ups when you accidentally press the lay-up button from the three point line. The sounds effects on the court are top notch from the dunks to the blocks, but more could've been added with the crowd noise. You don't really feel the energy and home court advantage from the crowd such as booing when the opposing team shots free throws, but you do hear the occasional chants of “Defense!” when the game is on the line. The game also features some songs from top artists, such as Lloyd Banks.

Sound score: 9

Replayability:

With all of the new features and a deeper Dynasty Mode as well as the online play, NBA Live 2005 should easily give you over 40 hours of fun. I doubt anybody will actually play all 82 games for 25 seasons – that's…2050 games, and then the playoffs! Plus, the All-Star mini games can be really addicting if you need a break from the main game. This game offers tons of things to do and customize and is extremely deep.

Replayability score: 9

Conclusion:

This year, EA has really outdone itself with the All-Star Weekend, deeper Dynasty Mode, 10-Man Freestyle, and tons of on the court features. However, the game falls short in some areas on the court and new game modes should be more expanded. Still, the NBA Live series is back on track and remains the clear choice for NBA videogames. The improvements definitely warrant buying the upgrade and the game is a must have for basketball fans.

Final score: 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/29/05