Customer Reviews
Worst Basketball Game Ever!
First of all, this games graphics are not much to write home about. And secondly, the gameplay is horrible. There are a few realistic movements, such as when you're in the post, but it is impossible to shake a defender. When you crossover and shake the defender and try to pull up and shoot, the defender has somehow made it back to his feet and in the air to defend your shot before you can get it off. I have been purchasing EA sports games since I was a kid on Sega Genesis. I think that this game is probably their worst game they have ever made period, all sport games included. I have also played the xbox 360 version, graphics are amazing, especially on an hdtv plasma, but the gameplay is just as bad.
ILL BALLER GAME
Mixing intense arcade action with some simulation to keep purists happy, EA Games' NBA Live series has become an official staple of the basketball season. The controls are simple enough for a beginner, but the real gameplay comes with getting over the learning curve and making use of Live's more sophisticated features. This year's game still keeps the core gameplay and control scheme from previous Live's, but adds a couple of new features just to keep the competition honest. Things like Freestyle Superstars and a new Dynasty mode are just the start; NBA Live 06 gives you a helluva good game. On the downside, there isn't as much innovation as you may have been hoping for. But still ill in all areas.
NBA Live 06 offers the standard fare of game modes that you saw last year, with only a couple of new twists thrown in. You've got Season, Dynasty, Exhibition, Playoffs, Practice, and One-on-One modes. The Exhibition allows you to play a regular game of basketball. The Season Mode allows you to play through an entire season and playoffs (if you are good enough) to make a run at the championship. You can skip a season and go straight to the playoffs in the Playoff Mode. If you want to practice your skills before taking on the big dogs, then the Practice Mode is for you. Finally, if you think you are ready to take on the best in the game, you can challenge any of today's top players or even players from the past in the One-on-One mode.
Also returning to NBA Live 06 are the All-Star Weekend and the Freestyle Challenge. Forget about the beginning of the season! It's all about All-Star Weekend Mayne! , the time when the NBA's best get together for a weekend of fun and comradery. Oh yeah, and a little bit of competition too. This year, the All-Star Game will be in Houston, Texas. And NBA Live 06 once again captures the spirit of the festivities by bringing you the same games that will be played over that weekend. I'm talking about the Rookie Game, Dunk Contest, 3-Point Shootout, and the vaunted All-Star Game. Then you have the Freestyle Challenge. This is more of a split-screen two-player version of the All-Star mini-games. You and a friend (or the computer) go head to head in slam-dunk and 3-point challenge contests. It's a battle for points and air supremacy.
This year, you now have an upgraded Dynasty mode that allows you to hire your own coaching staff. This may not seem important at first, but not having the right guys running the organization could be disastrous. One of the big parts of running your own team is making sure you draft the right players so you can truly have that dynasty. So by hiring a very good scout, he can be your eyes and ears for potential rookies that you are going to draft. Then you can put them through workouts in the off-season to see if you really want to get them at draft time. Once you have them, you also have to know how to keep them. Go through training camp, and then get out on the hardwood for the season. The rest you already know.
And finally, as you all know by now, NBA Live 06 continues its tradition of online play for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox Live. The interface for NBA Live is the same as Madden and NHL's, even with the score ticker (including baseball, football, and NASCAR results) scrolling at the bottom. There are roster downloads, stats, and extras like the EA Messenger. I found that the NBA Live online experience is pretty nice, especially since you can take the dunk contest online this year!
EA Sports' big gameplay addition for 2006 is the Freestyle Superstars. Just about every team has that one guy on the floor that is a playmaker of some sort. He could be a power guy like Shaq. Maybe a scoring assassin like Dallas Mavs Dirk Nowitzki and Lakers Kobe Bryant. Or a high flying air specialist like LeBron James. Maybe he's a D- stopper like Kevin Garnett. Or you can be Ray Allen, a 3-point shot Doctor. Each one of these guys, and many like them on various teams, uses a new left trigger style of play to do special moves and such. Not special moves like NBA Jam stuff (Would be cool) But they give you an extra little edge in the game at that position. For example, a "Stopper" can get his hands on the ball for a quick steal, or block shots that maybe the other guys can't. A "Scorer" on the other hand can get the ball up and around defenders and into the net with various layups and hand switching. A "Playmaker" is the guy who can get the ball over to the scorer with an array of bounce and behind-the-back passes. He's the guy on the other half of the highlight reel that you see dishing the ball out. The "Power" guy is your dunker. That's your Shaq. He's the guy that just shoves the ball right down your throat and then hangs on the rim to laugh at you. And then there's the "Highflyer," who lives up in the air; Michael Jordan if you will.
As I said, just about each team has at least one of these Freestyle Superstars in your lineup. It's how you use them that can help determine the outcome of a game. But you have to be careful, because there is risk and reward. Power dunkers can be blocked. Playmakers can be stripped. I found that there also really isn't a learning curve to using your Freestyle Superstars. In fact, when you are able to use their abilities, a box pops up on the screen with the different controls you can use for them. As I said, it's usually the L1/Left Trigger and a face button. It's a very formidable addition to the game, especially if you get them into the open court. If you have a playmaker on your team, two-on-one fast breaks are a whole lot of fun!
The rest of the game, however, remains pretty much the same. EA stuck with the safe route of keeping the controls and the overall game engine similar to NBA 2005. Which is fine. The Freestyle Controls on offense are still effective and fun. There are two separate shooting buttons. In addition to the regular jump shot, you have a button for dunking or laying up the ball. Tired of driving the lane only to pull up for a two-foot jumper? Hit the dunk button and you will slam it. And of course, if your guy is a highflying Freestyle Superstar...BOOM!!!! Anyway, if you want to hit a midrange jumper or shoot a three, just hit the jump shot button to take a shot from the outside.
Also returning is the shot adjustment. If you have a defender in your face, hit the button again and your player will change the way he takes the shot. The "pro hop" returns as well. The pro hop is short jump hop used down low to split defenders to get a better shot at the basket. This move is the perfect setup to get your big guys in close for a thundering dunk. But the pro hop still has its consequences. If you jump right into someone and they defend you well, you could lose the ball or draw a charge. You've also got some new alley-oop moves to round off the offensive fun! Simply hitting the alley-oop button will get you to lob the ball towards the basket. If you've got a man under the hoop, it's slam-time! And finally, "off-ball switching" is back. Click the right trigger and a corresponding button, and you can take control of a player who doesn't have the ball. While the computer controls the ball-handler, you can get into position and call for a pass, tell the computer to take a shot, or even set up a screen! A smaller offshoot of this is called the "give-and go," where you hold down the pass button instead of tapping it. While the pass button is held down, you still have control of your player even though you don't have the ball. Once you let go of the pass button, the computer will automatically pass the ball back to you. Great for two-on-ones or fast breaks that get broken up.
Offensive rebounds return this year. After you miss a shot, take control of the closest player to the rim and hit one of the three rebound buttons (PS2: Square, Triangle, Circle - Xbox: B, X, Y). One button will still snatch the ball out of the air and bring it down. But another button will try to tip the ball back into the basket, and a third button will grab the ball mid-air and try to slam it! Tips can be done from about anywhere, but slams of course need to be near the basket. And try to have your center or big men inside or slamming will be impossible. Shaq and Yao can slam a rebound much more effectively than Steve Nash or Mike Bibby can :).
Unfortunately, playing against the computer is nearly impossible unless you play the game in Rookie mode. My one big complaint remains that the computer is WAY too one sided when it comes to fast breaks. They can get into a rhythm where they fast break at ease. But you often get stopped by a defender that flies over to your position. It borders on not being fair, and the computer can break open a game on you way too quick. Now, you can adjust all this with sliders, everyone's favorite difficulty level chooser. But that doesn't stop the computer from going into "cheap" mode more often than not. I could even be up by 6-8 points in the third or fourth quarter, and all of a sudden my entire team will go cold no matter whom I put in. The computer drains three pointers, but my dunk bricks off the rim, and I go on an 0-12 streak. That is just not right. Don't get me wrong, I want competition from the computer. But I also want just as much chance to win the game without having to feel like I have to play as a beginner. That's why online is so important.
NBA Live 06 continues the tradition of a solid EA Sports basketball franchise. There are still some small issues to contend with, but the game is good enough to overshadow most of them. The Freestyle Superstars are a great addition to the gameplay, and online dunk contests will always be fun. It is another step forward for the NBA Live series. Now I can't wait to see what they do with a next gen system!
Overall this game still has some small issues , but the gameplay is just too fun and overshadows most of those problems. And as for the online play it is one of the funest online modes for any EA game out there even Madden. Highly Recommended for the ill harted Baller.
Sorry for the LONG review but i think it will do many people the good too read:)
Gameplay: B+
Graphics: B+
Sound: B+
Value: B-
Tilt: A
OVERALL : B+
What is wrong with these NBA games!
A lot of work to do on this game and the 2k game.
