NBA Live 2002

"We've seen it all before!"

ABOUT THE TITLE
It is true with most sports games, the designers have a hard time trying to make their game stand out from the crowd. Well when you sign on to do the official NBA one you don't have much breathing room on to make it unique.

INTRODUCTION
This is EA's basketball game for the season 2001-2002. With all the rosters being the same as the start of the 2001-2002 season. Okay this is average basket ball game as a game in the NBA would be held. Apart from some of the game modes which I will explain later.

GRAPHICS
The graphics for this game a very good not quite perfect, but none the less good. The best part of the graphics I thought was the courts for they just look so realistic and shiny. All the paintwork is the same on the courts as in the real deal. They just look like they do to TV or court side. Another thing I found good was the crowd for if you play with Chicago Bulls the stadium is half empty but if go to La Lakers court it is nearly full although the crowd is a paper cut out they still look good compared to other games. The only grumble with the games graphics is the players sometimes appear a bit square which would have been expectable 4 years ago but not now. the players faces are kind of life like, but don't be disappointed if you can't recognize your favorite player immediately.

Audio
The games sound is of good quality for you can hear the announcer in the background, you can hear the basket ball type commentary (repetitive, as in every sports game what do you expect?) you can hear the good backing music everything about the music is okay. Including the sound affects like the ball bouncing or rebounding off the back board on the whole good.

Game Play
Game play the most important part of any basket ball or sports type game. But the game play really lets the NBA down and puts another notch in EA's faltering reputation.
They are a few game modes;
Season: Your typical game just manage and play with a team for as long as you want trading players and such.
Franchise: It is much like season apart from you have to take your team to the top in only 10 seasons not a hard task considering the easiness of the game play. But the complexness of trading hear made it hard to understand.
1 on 1: Set on a street basket ball court pick any NBA player and take on another NBA player its good but nothing to write home about.
Training: Set on same court as above, you pick a player and just run around the court shooting and dribbling.
Playing: Now once you've selected your mode of game play now were into playing. The controls are okay, put the others teams even on the hardest setting are a walk over because when attacking they always do he same thing. And they have really poor shoots. This is what lowers the whole games potential. Yet another basket ball game ruined by the poor uninspired game play.

Conclusion
This is run of the mill ordinary basketball game with nothing much new to offer than hitting yourself on the head once you've bought it because you could have brought a much better sport or different genre game instead of this repetitive uninspired game play.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 04/22/03, Updated 04/22/03