Give me the rock!

No, no, no, not talking pro
wrestling – this is about basketball, and the only professional-based hoops
title to hit the personal computer this year. Yep, time to hoop it up NBA style.

EA Sports has brought the
excitement of the NBA to the PC with the latest release of NBA Live 2004. While
the game sports some rather nifty innovations in the controls, it is not without
a few turnovers – and those begin in the installation process.

This is a two-disk install,
and the game had numerous problems transferring files from the second disk – all
connected to the renderxteam.** files.

So what’s really new about
the title this year? Try two different shot options, and the ability to adjust
your shot in midair. The game, which can be played with either a gamepad
controller or the keyboard, will enable you to shoot or dunk – there are two
distinct keys for either shot selection. Further, if you are popping that J and
an opponent gets in your face, you can perform a few aerial acrobatics to get
the shot off around them.

All the best NBA players do
it, and now you get to as well. The game plays out in several modes – you have
the season, dynasty, playoffs, and a one-on-one. You can even practice your
game. In the dynasty mode, you can take on the role of general manager and coach
and manipulate your team down through the season.

Other game features include
the ability to control players away from the ball, enhanced control elements,
improved AI, and the option to sign up for an EA Account and compete against
others through your connection.

When it comes to the AI, be
forewarned, this game plays tough, and smarter. Previous versions of the game
used to allow players to annihilate defenses with the ease of a blender on a
soft tomato. This was somewhat reminiscent of the perception of the NBA many
years ago when it really didn’t matter if you played defense well, just as long
as you outscored the opponent.

The sound of the game is
very good and smooth.

The game control options do
allow for keyboard and gamepad style controller, but do yourself a favor and
plug in a controller. The keyboard controls will increase the difficulty rating
of this title.

Sporting the arenas of the
NBA, this game is stunning graphically. The players move individually and the
animation is remarkable. The sound of the game is also very good.

This is a game about the
action of the floor, and EA Sports has done a good job of realizing that in the
game. Stepping up the defensive AI is great simply because it forces gamers to
play both sides of the ball. This is not about blasting up and down the court,
the one who takes the last shot wins. This is about intelligent shot selection,
moving away from the ball, and bellying-up on the offensive opposition and
forcing bad shots or turnovers.

The install woes were
eventually corrected, but it did take several tries to do so.

If you are looking for a
high-flying, jaw-dropping NBA game for the PC this year – well, you have no true
choices. This is the only game in town, but it is worth the price of admission
for fans of the sport and gaming genre.

This game is rated for
Everyone.

Gameplay: 8.9

The AI is wonderful and the
fact that you can move players away from the ball really adds to the cerebral
part of the game. Hey, these guys have the athleticism, you provide the
brainpower. This edition makes it about ball movement, not just dumping the rock
into Shaq on the low post every time down the floor.

Graphics: 9

The game looks terrific and
the reflective surfaces and authentic arenas add to the flavor of the game.

Sound: 8.7

A tad repetitious but still
very solid.

Difficulty: Medium

This is a game with
challenge, and much of that is credited to the defensive AI.

Concept: 8.8

While there have not been
wholesale changes, the game has been tweaked in certain areas to provide a more
in-depth game experience.

Multiplayer: 8.5

You will need an EA account,
and the game does have some good online support. There is more unpredictability
in playing against another human, but whereas you have the chance to win in
single-player games, there are a lot of NBA Live juggernauts out there who enjoy
the opportunity to rip newer players. If you go online, you’d better bring game.

Overall: 8.6

Installation woes aside,
muddle through all that and there was a solid, well-designed game waiting. It
would have been easy to throw out a repeat of last year’s title considering
there is no competition, but it is nice to see that EA Sports has actually
improved the game. Well done, and a lot of fun.