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NBA Live 2004
Score: 88%
ESRB: Everyone
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Sports
Media: DVD/1
Players: 1 - 8
Genre: Sports

Graphics & Sound:
Once again, EA Sports has shown off that they believe in quality, both in gameplay and in graphics. Player models look very nice and fairly life-like, but I just wasn't blown away like in years past. What strikes me as odd, however, is that even though the graphical content isn't better than last year's game (Note: I reviewed the Xbox version), NBA Live 2004 suffers some serious slowdown and drop in framerate during gameplay.

When it comes to audio, once again the TV-style presentation shines through. Not only do the 'on the court' sounds put you in the game, but the commentators really add to this year's basketball game. I absolutely love the fact that they will be in mid-sentence, but will abort what they are saying if something else happens on the court. This simple little tweak adds a lot to helping bring out the essence of natural speech.


Gameplay:
Each year, EA Sports tweaks just a bit hear and there, but it's always enough to make the game better. One of this year's tweaks includes the new Dynasty Mode, which has found its way into many EA Sports game titles these days. Here you are the General Manager of your favorite team in the National Basketball Association. Being the GM, you'll be in charge of many aspects of the game off the court too. As you progress, you will earn points to be used toward building your franchise. When you need to improve certain aspects of your team (for example, defensive attributes), you can spend a few points to do so. This is a cool feature that really adds to the enjoyment of playing multiple seasons. You can also use points to purchase some gear for your players to wear both in-game and on the practice court.

Another major addition to NBA Live 2004 are the enhanced controls assigned not only to the buttons, but also to the right analog stick via Freestyle Control. This year's Live allows you to perform specific moves, especially on offense, at the touch of a button. Most notably, I love the fact that you can change up your shot mid-flight, in an effort to avoid having the basketball shoved back in your face. In addition, you are now able to control players off the ball, as well as perform signature moves and run team-specific play sets.

Also, just like all of EA Sports' PS2 games this year, NBA Live 2004 offers online play via the PS2 Network Adapter. Now you can challenge your buddies across the country, or just hook up with another random player for a new challenge. Online play also supports the EA Sports Talk option for broadband users with USB headset. The sweetest feature for network play is the ability to set up your own set of online Playoffs with friends. Can you foresee online Season or Dynasty in the future? I sure hope so!

As you will soon find out upon playing your first game, the NBA Live franchise's Artificial Intelligence has also gotten a facelift. Believe it or not, playing the computer can actually be HARD. And quite frankly, it's about time. There are no more free runs to the basket for dunk sessions. Sure, you'll be able to work your way into the paint, but EA has finally incorporated computer-controlled help-side defense. So if and when you burn your man, be prepared to get shut down on your way to the hoop. This is a much-needed addition to Live, but it does come with a price.


Difficulty:
The new computer AI in NBA Live 2004 is flat out tough. This is mostly due to the fact that when you pass the ball, you have to choose your passing lane very well. If there is a defender remotely in between the passer and the receiver, the pass will be stolen or, at the very least, batted away. A much-needed improvement to games of years past has almost gone too far however, and can be extremely frustrating to deal with.

The good news is that ballers of different calibers will be able to select the difficulty level of their choice; this time actually making a difference. Even on the second of four difficulty levels, NBA Live 2004's computer AI offers a worthy challenge. But as soon as you up the ante, you're going to find out that beating the computer every game may be a thing of the past. Of course, there is this overwhelming feeling that the computer is 'cheating,' but the point is that NBA Live 2004 will appeal to all levels of gamers.


Game Mechanics:
As mentioned above, NBA Live 2004 has added a great deal to the controls. Improved Freestyle Control and button-specific moves offer a great deal to the gameplay. The menu system, however, is obnoxious. Constantly having to switch between different areas of the screen (instead of just moving there with the D-pad) is annoying enough, but saving the game is a nightmare. Why not offer a 'Save All' menu option? Saving one by one is frustrating, especially when you're bombarded with 'Are you sure you want to overwrite?' screens. Thankfully most of your time will be spent in-game and not surfing sub-menus.

For the game as a whole, NBA Live 2004 is another welcome addition to the ever-improving series. New features and controls make this year's game worth every penny. And, while the game's difficulty can be extremely frustrating at times, the newly vamped defense does put a bit more suspense in knowing the outcome of each game. It's just too bad that the game suffers from some serious slowdown issues during gameplay. If you're into the Live series, you'll love 2004. Even passive basketball players may want to rent and check out this 'new' game.

NOTE -- Online play is only available in the PS2 version of NBA Live 2004.

-Woody, GameVortex Communications
AKA Shane Wodele

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