This is an NBA Live game review for PlayStation and Xbox. NBA Live is one of EA's most popular video games. Each year, numerous basketball games are released but NBA Live's yearly version always seems to be among the front runners. 2010's edition is no different, with its quality graphics, user input, and animations, this very last version of NBA Live has received extremely positive reviews.
Additional jerseys are featured in the 2010 NBA Live, the franchise's first. 1990 and 1980 throwback jerseys were added as well as several teams' alternate jerseys. Even more shoes and uniforms can be unlocked when using special codes. Though it is unsure if every NBA team will receive new jerseys, only two codes have so far been announced but more are likely. The animations in this version received a major overhaul too. The video game boasts faster and more fluid graphics that allow for ultimate play. Details like the in game graphics and basketball courts were made to appear extremely real. It is a little grainy when zoomed in on some screens but overall looks very well.
Other smaller graphics like the background and the players are more detailed as well. Unlike previous installments, this year's NBA Live game has a much more realistic background. The members of the crowd were designed to look more real and lifelike. Even the players themselves were give more exact and personal details such as tattoos, hairstyles, and other accessories. The basketball stars in this edition were made to be more easily recognized than previous ones.
The controls of the game were slightly altered so that controlling the individual players 100 percent of the time isn't necessary. This auto mode can sometimes result in more turnovers during game play though. It is possible for the control over the players to be expanded if you want to though. The game play is simple enough so that even people who have never played a basketball game can quickly get the hang of it. Actions like shooting and passing are both single button functions. And both the Xbox and PlayStation controllers use the right joy stick to move the basketball players. Playing defense is simple as well, simply position your player near one from the other team and he will do the rest automatically.
The revamp of the players' DNA from previous versions has largely improved too. The last edition's DNA will update each NBA player's abilities and attitudes nearly instantly. This latest version will also let players to compete in real games nearly as they occur in real time. And with the NBA's rosters and change ups updating immediately inside the game, it means for a much better Dynasty Mode too. The soundtrack was updated and revamped for this version to include more current bands and artists. There are more songs this year and that cuts down drastically on the music's redundancy during the game and training mode. They were programmed to change and react to the beat of the games.
