| Game Reviews From a Parental Perspective! | |
|
|
|
| Home | Forums | Review Archive | Columns | Feature Articles |
|
Home >
Review Archive >
Video Games
> Results: NBA Live '07
Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Scroll down for our Kid Factor. ESRB CONTENT DESCRIPTORS: Mild Violence GamerDad Found: It's basketball so there are collisions, fouls, and stuff like that but despite the better graphics and animations - no elbowing, hitting, spitting etc., that you find in the real NBA. And you can't start a brawl with the spectators as well. NBA LIVE '07 brings NBA action to your television with all the glitz and glory of televised basketball. Just move your players around with the right stick and use the buttons to switch players, pass, shoot, block, pick, dunk, and more (every button is used, some even have different uses for each action). What's new to the series is a focus on the big boys of basketball. Players experience that "me-first" attitude that tells these giants to take the glory themselves; to drive it to the hole, rather than set up a play. All the basketball games have these superstars but what makes Live'07 different is the way these stars play. They dominate. Players can take control of a Kobe, Iverson, or some other high-topped phenomenon, and using their superior skills, they can dominate the court and run up the score. (Just like on TV!) These players are so much better than the guys who make up the rest of the team. Players will experience better control, faster response, and much better accuracy while controlling superstars. Fortunately, this aspect of the game reflects real life, in that, while Shaq is great at rebounding, he still can't make a free-throw to save his life. While superstar dominance is fun to watch and control, it turns contests between teams that seem evenly matched into routs, simply because one team might have more stars than the other. Even though it's fairly realistic, the disparity makes playing this game a lot less fun. Live '07 offers all the standard modes found in sports games: practice, exhibition, multiplayer options, season, and dynasty. It also provides the player with tools to let you draft players and scout prospects. It features all the NBA teams, stadiums, and uniforms. The players' animations look terrific (particularly on the Xbox 360). The only problem with the game, besides the superstars' dominance, is the controls. There's a button to dunk, a button to make a jump shot, and another button to lay it up. Wouldn't a single button that reacts to how the character is moving make more sense? And it would probably cut down on the hand cramps. NBA Live '07 foregoes a bit of basketball fidelity in favor of glitz, glam, and slam-dunks; but again, it's a terrific way to simulate the highlight nature of the sport in the comfort of your own living room. You might not (to borrow the NBA slogan) "Love This Game!" but basketball fans will probably like it a whole lot. 
GamerDad believes sports games are among the best to play with kids. Competition and complexity intertwine beautifully in video-Football and EA does everything possible to teach the game to new players. Parent and child can even play co-op versus friends or the AI, and bond throughout a long season of play.
Which version to buy? XBox, PS2: Reviewed above. Xbox 360 and PC: Better graphics. PSP: Long load times, poorer controls, wifi play and perfect for pocket play. Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: NBA Live '07 |
Read the GamerDad 2007 Holiday Guide!
|
Please Note: GamerDad is not intended to be read by anyone under 18. We stay clean, but be warned! Content Management System developed by Redbird Solutions. |
