NBA 2K10 vs. NBA Live 10 - Sovartus's Blog

Sovartus's Blog

NBA 2K10 vs. NBA Live 10

Posted on October 7, 2009 at 06:04 PM.

(73)

Well, here it is. This year�s version of Live vs. 2K

I did a full review of NBA Live already so thank you to everyone that read my blog earlier. No sense in wasting time, Lets jump right into this thing.

Presentation:

The first question I must ask is, �what kind of virtual baller are you?� Do you want the game to look like what you see on TV or do you want the game to feel real? Either way both games have something to offer. The Live crew seemed to be going for a more life-like look while 2K was trying to build upon the success they had last year with their beautiful graphics overhaul. Live did a lot of things well like the shoes, tattoos, skin textures, and arenas. 2K hit on all of these things except the skin textures in my opinion. Everyone knows that 2K won this battle. There really isn�t a question about it but you can rest assured that this is a gap that can be closed very quickly and easily. Some people put a lot of stock in this category but my thoughts are, I can�t play the graphics. In contrast to that, my boy Croz says the game has to look good even though he can play through bad graphics if he has to. People have also made a few comments about Live players looking plastic-like. I don�t really see that, it looks less like art and the players look more 3-dimensional. 2K still looks better overall. With the incredible commentary and intros they are on a whole new level. We all knew the verdict on this one so I won�t spend a lot of time here.

Advantage: 2K

Online Features:

Here is an area that I really downed Live over. They just really dropped the ball in the online league section. I like the features that they made for offline play like the Dynamic Season. I also thought that they had a good idea with making the Addidas Live Run (a 5-on-5 pick-up game with the superstars). 2K on the other hand, took it to a whole new level with the Draft Combine thing. I personally didn�t really care about making up my own player and trying to make it to the NBA, but I have heard a lot of people say that it is one of their favorite things about this year�s game. I can see why people would absolutely love it. 2K also has that incredible online league structure that is second to none. NBA Live Rewind, Live 365, and the Dynamic DNA thing is still much better than NBA Today in my opinion. I have to give that one to Live because they started this mess and it goes right into Dynamic Season. However, overall EA doesn�t do online as well as 2K.

Advantage: 2K

Game Play:

So this is the nitty-gritty. Many of you will disagree with what I�m about to break down so I will say, more power to you. Let�s look at this from a sim perspective because that�s all I�m about. I will cut to the chase and say what the main difference is between these games this year. 2K wants it to LOOK like what you would see on TV and Live is focused on what it would FEEL like if you were on the court.

The first exhibit on display is player control. After playing 2K for the last 5 years, one thing has been annoying every year, and that's sliding. My man Czar said it best in his series on the 09 games, �If 2K slides, we will not buy!� Yet there are a ton of you who forgot about this and bought anyway. Is it better this year? The answer is no. Just because they slowed the game speed down some and changed the animations didn�t change the fact that players are all over the place. There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to do something with your player and having to wait until 2K�s miniature movie plays out before you regain control of your man. I had one instance where Zach Randolph was guarding Amare Stoudamire and when Amare got the ball, Zach ran out of bounds and got sucked into the referee for a quick hug. What? Here is the video.

I can see where 2K made some improvements like the turbo meter thing. I love it. They separated the post moves and tried to fix rotations. Unfortunately for 2K it seems like it caused more problems than it fixed in my opinion. Due to 2K�s lack of control and sliding, it becomes a straight mess. Time and time again I experienced big problems with 2K�s AI being indecisive and sometimes just flat out dumb. Here are a few examples of this:

Rudy Leaves Kobe for no reason.

Rudy won�t guard his man and neither will Zach.

Zach won�t guard Pau, Rudy leaves Kobe to help.

Turnover City

2K's post moves could be a lot better if you could actually control the player better. The fact that it is an all out struggle to get a guy in position is extremely frustrating. I can�t say that I practiced for weeks but trying to initiate the back down sequence is brutal. It�s not much better in Live but from what I understand, the Live patch will bring the back to the basket button back. Out of the box, 2K isn�t sim and Live is. That says a lot about the Live crew this year. I noticed in an offline game of 2K the CPU was shooting 68% on All Star. The good thing is that you can really feel the 82games.com influence on shot distribution. I noticed the same incredible shooting percentages when I played online. I played a buddy online and was able to get to the rack at will. It wasn�t as easy as last year but still way too easy. On Live, if you get to the rack, you have earned it. Live still has a bunch of bugs to work out like players standing out of bounds at the wrong time, the online fatigue switch is backwards (so if you want fatigue to work turn it off), match ups get all mixed up sometimes, and there aren�t enough fouls/free throws. There aren�t enough fouls/free throws in 2K either. Another bad thing about Live is the on-the-fly adjustments. They have a tendency to reset when the action changes making you lose all of the adjustments you may have made. 2K copied Live in the position-specific play calling but has always lead the way in coaching on-the-fly adjustments. While 82games data is good for 2K, it isn�t touching Synergy. Live has that one sown up and I don�t know that 2K will ever be able to touch them on that simulation aspect as long as EA has that partnership. It looks like this is the year that 2K fan boys dreaded. Live is on an equal playing field as 2K. 2K is that "12" that you dated who is as fine as all outdoors but her poor attitude gives you a headache! Live is that down to earth girl that isn�t the �bad chick� that turns heads but she is cool as can be and you love to hang out with. Which one do you want? I don�t want the headache, so I will just go with the cool chick that will make me enjoy my time with her.

Advantage: Live

Dynasty/Association mode goes to 2K. It is simply deeper. When you add in the My Player mode, Live can�t even come close to the replay value.

Overall I think 2K is the �prettier� game that everyone is already familiar with. Live is the underdog now and because of the garbage they have put out in the past, some people won�t even give them a chance. While 2K makes it look real, Live makes it play real. A good way to put it is this; you can play 2K sim if you make it play sim. Live makes you play sim. If you give both a chance I�m sure you will find a game that suits your fancy. This year I prefer NBA Live 10. I don�t think anyone could play 2K and think it has better game play. The bad thing is that 2K edges Live out in so many other ways that it is hard to give Live the crown based simply on game play. So, I can�t. 2K has a better overall product, no doubt. Live has the better basketball game. So �..

Advantage: 2K.

I still like Live better because I play the game, not the bells and whistles. But it's all about your preference.

Comments

# 46 Sovartus @ Oct 10

You must not have gotten into Live's DNA because if you did, you wouldn't have said Live isn't deep enough on the court. That's impossible because 2K doesn't have Synergy. So I would imagine you were a bit premature on your decision. 2K has the hype and pretty presentation so if that is what is keeping you awake, more power to you.

# 47 tril @ Oct 11

have to admit that Live is solid this year.
Havent played 2k yet, Im waiting for the PC version that's suppose to be released Monday.
One I get 2k Im sure it will get the majority of my time.
Live has definitely stepped it up. again, thats a good thing.

this year both games have something to offer, and thats a good thing for those of us who are into basketball.

# 48 Sovartus @ Oct 11

It's funny. I really like 2K's Association mode. It will suck you right in. I was having a blast until the CPU shot 72% from the field for 3 quarters. Wow... It snatched the fun right out of the experience. Lead pass city for quick buckets under the rack. CPU hardly ever misses jumpers. I tried it on HOF and Pro and got the same results. You can't play on-the-ball defense or the computer will exploit any mistake you make. You can't play off-the-ball because your CPU teammates aren't smart enough to cover thier men. So, what do you do?

# 49 RayDog253 @ Oct 11

Great Review I agree 100%......

# 50 thunder008 @ Oct 11

"There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to do something with your player and having to wait until 2K’s miniature movie plays out before you regain control of your man."

Really? This sounds a lot like it's controls-related. If you haven't mastered the controls (which you said you haven't) than it's premature to claim that the controls are jacked.

# 51 sportyguyfl31 @ Oct 11

NBA Live, to me, is becoming what NBA2k used to be all about. Meat and potatoes basketball.

I remember the days when the casual gamer would rant and rave about 2k being too difficult.

Now, I think the roles are reverese. 2k seems to attracting more of the run and gun gamer lately.

It's a good game, with a lot of incredible annimations, but to me..many of the animations either cause gameplay issues/exploits, or mask others.

# 52 Sovartus @ Oct 11

No.... thunder.... wow son. The animations take over the action a lot so until the animation plays out you can't do anything different. Just drop it if you don't get it after that clarification.

# 53 thunder008 @ Oct 11

sovar - But in your review you're making the claim that you don't like how 2k "feels" or "controls," yet you haven't mastered the controls... The feel of a game can change drastically after mastering how to play it...which takes weeks or months.

# 54 Sovartus @ Oct 11

No. I don't like how the animations have to play out. I have great control of what the game allows you to control. Did you even see the videos I posted? If so watch the one where Zach Randolph gets sucked out of bounds to hug the referee. That's the sort of thing I'm talking about when I say control. I gave up a free lay up to 2K's presentation. I couldn't ever use Zach until the hug sequence was over. That's what I mean. Not stick skills. Having to go through a "run into a pick and do the swim move to get around it" animation when my man doesn't even use the pick, before I can contest a shot annoys me.

# 55 Lieutenant Dan @ Oct 14

Sov, it would be cool if you're going to provide updated impressions here after both games are patched. The basic nature of the two games won't change, but I just saw the list of stuff they want to work on for the 2k10 patch and it's enormous. Could be an almost different game if they get it all in.