NBA Live 16 Review

[ClevelandinDistress]

Quote: Originally Posted by Calvenn

Overstatement of the year and I certainly hope you're not saying this strictly because of Jeff Teague. We all know that more work needs to be done, however, the game is a lot closer today with the competition more than at any other recent time unless you include Live10. It's a fallacy that's been perpetuated mainly by people with an agenda or bias. From a pure gameplay standpoint you've got to be blind not to realize the significant advances made this year that place this game on par with the competition. With what they've been able to accomplish I have more faith than ever before that they will address the glaring issues this and the following year. It is simply imperative and I am sure they are fully cognizant of this. In regards to Jeff Teague, come on. A simple search in Google with the words "Jeff Teague 2015" will yield the results you're looking for. Now, compare that to the Live16 facescan then get back with me. Now, if we're talking the lack of certain modes and the requisite depth associated with these modes in contrast with the competition, that's a given and is on the roadmap. We should expect big things next year in that regard as has been announced all over. Listen, I also play the other game and can recognize their wonderful advancements this year. However, due credit must be given when it's deserved and the Live16 team has certainly earned that! It's really troubling and a great disservice to this game, to see people adopt this lemming-like mentality and rate or review this game out of spite ( not necessarily referring to you) or using a flawed demo as the basis for their arguement.

Cute statement but it's easy to see how far ahead NBA 2K is from a gameplay standpoint. Factor In all the little details that makes the game so deep and in touch with basketball culture. It just has soul. If you want to further compare the 2 games, just look at what they offer in terms of modes and depth. I mean, it's not even close. Sure NBA live is getting better, but how could it not? It was literally the embarrassment of the video game industry for a few years. Its getting better, but to even compare and mention it in the same universe as NBA 2K is troubling and a disservice to that game.

[The 24th Letter]

It doesn't matter man, this is about NBA Live....


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[noshun]

This side of the forum sure does know how to make excuses I'll tell ya. Decent review.

[Calvenn]

Very "clique" bunch. Please stay on topic and keep the focus where it was intended.

[Dr. Poe]

Pro am was pretty good. Espn overlays were nice. Live has a more arcade feel to it. It is like NBA street. It the type of game to play casually. 2k is more sim and just has the extra "it" feeling to it.

Live accomplishes the goal of "fun factor" in a cartoon way. It's cool, just different than 2k.

[Dantecamp21]

Couldn't disagree more with the Presentation topic. I won't even discuss Live 16 (and the overall score) against 2K16 since the later is already being discussed as a potential Game of the Year nominee, not just Best Sports Game of the Year. Obviously the game is on a class of its own.

Back to the disagreement: the new sideline camera has received so much praise on the web. I'd rather listen to what Mike and Jeff bring to the table (quality and technically wise) than hear the poorly recorded corny lines from Greg Anthony. The ESPN package can't be compared to the sometimes comically bad interventions (Halloween/Christmas overlays) that we get in 2K. Arena ambiance was universally praised in Live 15, and I don't think it got worse. Arena lightning is also masterfully done in Live 16, while we get the batcave treatment in 2K. Textures are another highlight in Live 16, sweat, jersey fabrics, player skins, scratched wooden floors on the courts, it's all really well done. Player likeness will be hit or miss in both products so that point is moot.

The topic should've focused on animations, which are coming along but still are the weak link of the product.

It's just disappointing to read a review where the strong point of the product gets neglected in such an unfair way. I thought I was reading IGN.

Disclaimer: the reviewer is entitled to his opinion, the one above is mine.

[Playmakers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Luke Skywalker

Isn't worth $60 purchase. Good game of basketball but lacks too much.

You can get from toys r us for about $34 bucks with the purchase of a 2nd ea game like fifa 16 or nhl 16

Awesome deal and the game is definitely worth that price tag

[Honome]

Quote: Originally Posted by SeaTownGamer

If EA wants this franchise to succeed they need to snap out of their company model as seen in all of their sports games where gameplay is not the focal point but instead they choose gimmicks and the casual crowd who can just pick and play without any NBA or basketball knowledge instead of the sim heads. For once they need to snap out of that mindset and target true basketball fans who knows the sport. I've been playing EA Sports basketball games since Bulls vs Blazers and I;m going to be honest when I say none of their games has ever been sim. Yes I admit NBA Live 95 and Live 99 were fun as hell but they weren't sim. NBA Showdown was one of my favorites in the 90s. So much memories with that game but it wasn't sim. Name ONE, I dare you guys to name just ONE EA Basketball Sports game that feels sim? Lakers vs Celtics? Nope. NBA Showdown? Try again NBA Live 95? Keep guessing. NBA Live 99? Notta. NBA Live 2005? No chance in hell. NBA Live 10 probably comes closest and that's not saying much. Another gripe I have for all EA Sports games and it's not just for NBA Live but for ALL THEIR SPORTS GAMES is that EVERY CPU TEAMS PLAYS THE SAME. This has been plaguing their sports games for the longest.. C'mon now in real life the Golden State Warriors do not play like the Cleveland Cavs or Miami Heat. People have been complaining about specific team styles in Madden, Fifa, and NHL games for years and it still hasn't been addressed. I pray the developers put emphasis in it next year but I am not having high hopes. Matter of fact I am tired of saying next year because I been saying it for the past decade or even longer. It's an eyesore seeing the Seattle Sounders play the same style as the German National team in Fifa. This has to be addressed in all their sports games. Bottom line: Developers, if u are reading this please try your best to make a Sim basketball game and I promise they will come. It's time to neglect the casual gamers and give the sim heads what they want. You've already experimented with trying to please the casual crowd the past 15 years and it's didn't work. You guys have deeper pockets than 2K so there shouldn't be any excuse to why it's not on the competition's level at this point.

Perfect post mate. You are absolutely right about EA games, it seems that all games even share the same core AI since we can see the same patterns of AI scripting on all of their games. They really focus much more on atmosphere, graphics and animations to create their "realistic" game than making a proper simulation gameplay and a proper AI.