NBA LIVE 08 REVIEW

GAME: NBA Live 08
PLATFORM: PS2
DEVELOPER: EA Canada
PUBLISHER: EA
ESRB RATING: Everyone

Imagine yourself buying something that you really want but when it's time for you to use it, you get pissed off. This is what EA has done with NBA Live 08, a game that was expected to be the one to rule basketball games but due to some shortcomings, it all ended up as crap. First impressions usually result to something good in terms of previewing videogames. A first look at NBA Live 08 gives a person that improvements are finally about to be done by EA on its once dominative franchise but as soon as you play it . . . your expectations are turned into disappointments.

NBA Live 08 graphically looks lame. Players still have large heads just like last year. A choppy and slow frame rate doesn't give help to the game either. The coaches of teams look lame too as if they are afterthoughts. Heck, some of the players just don't look like their real-life counterparts. A lingering problem since NBA Live 2005 was released, which is the players aren't running very well on the court, is again present. It just really looks that EA didn't exert a lot of effort for this game.

You might ask yourself "Is there anything new to this year's reincarnation of the Live franchise?". The answer is yes, there are things that are new to the Live franchise but they don't add anything that can spice up the game's declining value. One of those new things is the scrapping of the superstar abilities. This just means that gameplay is definitely simplified. However, star players of a team perform superstar abilities; this time though since the gameplay is pretty much simplified, you don't have to press L1 together and a face button to perform them. In short, just give the ball to your star player and press Circle to shoot and your star player will do the job. Another new addition is the feature named as "Player Hot Spots". This feature, through a shot chart, depicts the spots wherein a player is hot, represented by the color red ,or cold, represented by the color blue. In my opinion though, this feels like an afterthought since the feature doesn't really help a lot since an open shot from a cold spot will result to a made shot. Also, apparently because of this year's various FIBA Tournaments, a new mode entitled as "FIBA Tournament" is added. However, the mode features inaccurate rosters, that is in terms of the U.S roster, and doesn't therefore add appeal to the game. There is also a scenario mode wherein you only take control of your team in game-changing situations. Again, this doesn't add any appeal since it won't even help you expand the amount of time you will spend for this game.

With new versions of basketball games subsequently comes updated rosters. However, in NBA Live 08, no player ratings have changed(especially that of the Lakers squad). Disappointingly, some ratings are just really unexplainable like that of Greg Oden and Kevin Durant's.

One of the best modes of the NBA Live franchise, the Dynasty Mode, returns in this year's reincarnation. However, if you have played last year's version, you will be definitely disappointed. There are no changes from last year's Dynasty Mode. It all starts with the NBA Draft and again, ESPN analysis is present. It really is just the same Dynasty Mode we saw last year. EA just felt that their franchise has been peaked into the highest possible form so they probably felt that changes shouldn't be made.

Sound-wise, it is also poor. What stands out though is . . . still the tandem of Marv "The Czar" Albert and the GM of the Suns, Steve Kerr. The soundtrack is not bad but it is not great either. If last year's version featured some hip-hop tunes, this year's version offers more dance hits. However, some of the tracks are just really unfamiliar. Timbaland, Joss Stone, and LCD Soundsystem stand out from the rest of the pack though.

The camera angle might puzzle the gamer during the actual game. The camera angle transition just looks like awkward. Play the game to see it for yourselves.

The game is pretty much the same. My advice is you better buy NBA 2K8. It is definitely the best of the basketball games this yeat.

Graphics 3/5 : The players still have large heads. A change of graphics engine is definitely needed. The stadiums are laughable too because they just don't look right.

Gameplay 3/5 : Yes, it offers high-scoring action and it is simplified but it just doesn't feel good. It just gets too boring quickly. Dynasty Mode hasn't been tinkered so say goodbye to experiencing happy times with NBA Live 08.

Sound 3.5/5: The sound doesn't stand out. The soundtrack is not that bad and it is not great. The commentary saves the sound department from shame.

Replay 2/5: It will disappoint you. The lifespan of this game is just low. The additions in the game appear more of as afterthoughts and don't broaden the appeal of the game.

Overall 3/5: A disappointing end for the Live series in the PS2. No changes or innovations have been made and this definitely contributed to the game's shortcomings. If you really want to play a basketball game on your consoles, better buy NBA 2K8.