Amazon.com Review
NBA Live 2001 should've been the greatest basketball game on earth, but missing gameplay elements and a few other glitches keep it from superstar status. But despite it all, PS2 owners and longtime NBA Live fans will be hard pressed to find a better hoops game for their console in the foreseeable future.
The first thing players will notice is how the graphics represent such a tremendous leap beyond previous installments of the series. In general, players are nicely animated, and there is a good amount of detail to the arenas. However, the individual-player graphics are uneven. While most of the bodies are well rendered, many of the faces are way off the mark. Virtual Shaquille O'Neal's face looks nothing like the real Shaq's face, and most of the NBA's lesser names are completely unrecognizable. Some marquee players, like Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan, look fairly authentic.
While the PS2 usually plays an intelligent game of basketball, the controls in NBA Live 2001 have a slightly sluggish feel to them and take some getting used to. Also, EA stripped away both the franchise mode and the NBA challenges (three-point contests, etc.), which had been in previous incarnations of the NBA Live series. There is, however, an excellent one-on-one mode, as well as many legendary NBA players of the past to play with and against.
While NBA Live 2001 doesn't have all we had hoped for in the first pro-basketball PS2 game, it does have enough game to keep you playing all season long. --Mark Brooks
Pros:
Often brilliant-looking graphics hint at what the PS2 can really do.
Very good hip-hop/funk soundtrack.
Cool one-on-one mode.
Cons:
Many individual players hold no resemblance to their real-world counterparts.
Franchise mode and NBA challenges removed from series.
Somewhat unresponsive controls.
Amazon.com Preview
The PlayStation2, with the help of EA Sports, is getting an almost Incredible Hulk-like adrenaline boost out of the gate with a host of new sports games, including Madden 2001 and NHL 2001. NBA Live 2001 for the PlayStation2 is the seventh edition of the NBA Livefranchise.
The marquee features in this game lie in the graphics and the frame rate. EA Sports' NBA Live team has added a few new touches--including allowing coaches in the game to lose their cool at bad calls or implore players (short of choking them, of course)--and lends players moves like turn-around jumpers, drop steps, up-and-under moves, and monster dunks.
Players earn extra reward points for court feats, like winning by 10 or hitting three consecutive treys, which they can cash in for player-rating bonuses or classic championship teams, such as the '72 Lakers or '86 Celtics. Eight teams are included, each with its full complement of players from its winning season, right down to likenesses and uniforms.
In terms of features, gamers will be able to occupy their time off the court easily, too. The Create-A-Player option allows you to control everything from facial expressions (laid back, balanced, or hyped) to Dennis Rodman-like tattoos. And you can earn extra Create-A-Player features, like hairdos, through the game's rewards system.
The only thing left to do is play the game. The eye candy and extras are certainly nice, but, then again, shooting bricks doesn't score you any points. However, EA Sports, with b-ball endorser Kevin Garnett on its side, shouldn't have any problem taking it through the paint and to the hole by the time that NBA Live 2001 finally is wrapped in plastic. --Todd Mowatt |
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