Basketball gaming season is upon us...

[Kstat]

NBA Live has pretty much sucked ass for 3 years, but after playing both demo, I have to say I think Live 08 is a huge improvement. It has more of a classic throwback NBA Live style that made the game great to begin with.

That said, I can understand people who have been so turned off by EA's recent work that they won't give NBA Live 08 a chance, and will go with 2K, admittedly the reigning champ 3 years running.

I think that reign ends in 2008. NBA Live is back to being about the gameplay again, and that's a good thing.

it would be interesting to get some kind of WTF league going, but the basketball game choices will probably be split so much thatll be impossible.

[Timone]

2K8 BABY.

[DrRay11]

How can you tell anything about Live from the demo? The demo was garbage. I'll play 2k8 until I get bored of it.

[Kstat]

How can you tell anything about Live from the demo? The demo was garbage.

Then you didn't play the demo very much.

-the players around you react much better to different situations. If you get double-teamed, your man immediately cuts to an open spot on the floor where he can make a shot.

-it's possible to play good honest defense and be successful, which is something you could never say about 2K

-players run the best fast breaks I've ever seen. The spacing is excellent, and there's always a trailer in the middle.

As far as realistic gameplay goes, Live 08's demo was fantastic.

while 2K8 has spectacular graphics, the fact it's next to impossible to defend anything in that game without gambling for steals and blocked shots is silly. You can't even put a hand in someone's face, it's either block a shot or nothing.

TIm Duncan's jump hook looks sweet, but it looks less sweet when you're swishing it 20 feet away from the hoop because they didn't put any limits on it.

If you just compare the games after 2 minutes, 2K8 looks better. but the more I play them both, Live 08 feels more like a real basketball game to me. 2K8 is still a good game, but like last year I saw some very exploitable flaws that's going to result non-sop shootouts like 2K7 developed into once people realized playing defense was next to impossible.

[WTFchris]

One thing I wish NBA games would do is define player's range a little better. Most games I've played have shooting ratings for inside (or 2P) and outside (3P), but that is about it. So you have the same rating for a 5 foot hook shot as a 20 foot jumper. We all know those are entirely different skill sets. I wish they'd have a rating for the post and mid range jumper separate.

[Kstat]

One thing I wish NBA games would do is define player's range a little better. Most games I've played have shooting ratings for inside (or 2P) and outside (3P), but that is about it. So you have the same rating for a 5 foot hook shot as a 20 foot jumper. We all know those are entirely different skill sets. I wish they'd have a rating for the post and mid range jumper separate.

Live 08 has hot spots in every player's rating.

ie, Bowen and Rip will be lights out from the corners, but at the top of the arc they'll be below average. Meanwhile the opposite will be true for Gilbert Arenas.

every player will have a different accuracy rating from different spots on the floor.

[DrRay11]

Then you didn't play the demo very much.

-the players around you react much better to different situations. If you get double-teamed, your man immediately cuts to an open spot on the floor where he can make a shot.

-it's possible to play good honest defense and be successful, which is something you could never say about 2K

-players run the best fast breaks I've ever seen. The spacing is excellent, and there's always a trailer in the middle.

As far as realistic gameplay goes, Live 08's demo was fantastic.

while 2K8 has spectacular graphics, the fact it's next to impossible to defend anything in that game without gambling for steals and blocked shots is silly. You can't even put a hand in someone's face, it's either block a shot or nothing.

TIm Duncan's jump hook looks sweet, but it looks less sweet when you're swishing it 20 feet away from the hoop because they didn't put any limits on it.

If you just compare the games after 2 minutes, 2K8 looks better. but the more I play them both, Live 08 feels more like a real basketball game to me. 2K8 is still a good game, but like last year I saw some very exploitable flaws that's going to result non-sop shootouts like 2K7 developed into once people realized playing defense was next to impossible.

We are talking about the Live 08 demo for 360? It took me straight to a practice mode where you run around shooting and dunking with Gilbert Arenas.

[Kstat]

We are talking about the Live 08 demo for 360? It took me straight to a practice mode where you run around shooting and dunking with Gilbert Arenas.

...you realize you play actual the game by pressing the start button...right?

you get two 2-minutes quarters with San Antonio, Cleveland, france or spain.

[DrRay11]

...you realize you play actual the game by pressing the start button...right?

you get two 2-minutes quarters with San Antonio, Cleveland, france or spain.

Uh, no. I didn't know it started in the gym, I thought that was the only part of the demo, so I quit and deleted it. LOL @ me.

I'll D/L it again and give it a try.

[bangpow]

My copy of Live arrived yesterday morning. The game is decent, but it's not to the NBA 2K8 standards. Yes, it is now playable and it is improved, but there's still some issues with the game.

Rebounding needs work. guys just stand there and let the ball hit the ground before picking it up.

There needs to be more animations added, including animations for the ball around the rim and what not.

The inside game is dominant. I've already have huge games with McDyess in the paint as well as Brezec when I was playing online today against the Bulls. Ben was not a rebound machine, that's for sure.

EA Locker is back in the game, though.


I don't know, I think it will be a nice change of pace since NBA 2K* has been essentially unchanged for the last 3 or so years, but NBA 2K is way deeper and I think the graphics are better. The arena's are just too dark in NBA Live.