i love the gameplay now of NBA live 08, played a couple of games. i had to revese my comment on the HOT SPOTS issue i wrote yesterday coz i played 1 on 1 with computer. it's different when playing 5on5, if ur shot got contested and if its not his HOT SPOTS + no MOMENTUM meter its hard to drain a long jumper. that is if you play the conventional way. BUT...
TO BEAT THE GAME....
the best way to score is pass it to your wingman and drive to the basket hard for the dunk, before AI could setup their defense coz AI doesn't react that well to a fast breaking 1 man SG superstar like KOBE. never lost a game in the dynasty playing SUPERSTAR mode, if theyd react i'd stay inside no charge zone and dunk before 3 second buzzer sounds. a lot like NBA 07, but sometimes defense would catch you which is an improvement to last year. all you can do about it is take the charge and hope you get the call.
the 1st game - sonics(me) versus portland(computer) which i lost by a blow out 20+ points(AI defense was good and i played run and gun and pick and rolled in setup all game) had a hard time stopping their fastbreaking guard in B. ROY coz they had momentum meter up
2nd game Phoenix(me) Wahsington - got into deep trouble early, deficit by 10 points but when my own momentum went up and trapped fullcourt 2-2-1 i had a lot fun this time coz my defense went to work and turned the deficit around - was amazed of MARIONS signature 2 hand chest 3 point shot -
hehe. finally they got his shooting in the game, won by a decent margin this time.
3rd game Greece(me) versus(Lakers), PAPALOUKAS went to work early and so was ODOM. Hard to stop player (Odom) who's in his hot spot plus momentum meter up, even if i jumped in his face he'd still make it 4-5 FG% unlike last year wherein you won't make shots even if you hit the superstar inside scorer button vs a contested shot. trapped again and didn't had momentum but nonetheless it was a good scoring ball game(tit for tat) went inside with PAPADOPOULUS - Power C play(lobbed it in of course). 4th quarter came and KOBE took over 10+pts in the quarter, i had a hard time hitting the clutch baskets with the GREEKS and i lost the game. but its worth it coz my defense was good.
4th game Spain(me) versus Argentina. went inside to GASOL tried to dominate the paint, but defense is good. sometimes i'd dunk it in and sometimes AI blocked my shot underneath then took the ball. hard to pass inside if you didn't lob the pass in, easy pcikup if bounced pass and got deflected if outside defender has good defense like (Ginobili) etc. 4th quarter - Ginobili torched me with timely and clutch 3 pointers together with the other guards. whew, tough to stop a superstar and in momentum.
i feel sorry for that guy who had to save money, from where i'm from we don't spend that much. it's cheaper here.
hehe, i played Dynasty with the lakers. you should consider buying it man, i suggest you play the whole game coz dats when u get to feel the game.
i noticed that when i put the fatigue to high AI doesn't get that tired compared to my team, maybe because i took a lot of trapping defense but we'll have to see. i took 2 full quarters 3rd and 4th but still not that much fatigue in AI, only my players got exhausted and i still played it through. does the AI get affected by fatigue settings equal to the player controlled?!
MOMENTUM METER + HOT SPOTS are UP its hard to stop THE PLAY OF THE SUPERSTAR AI.
MOMENTUM METER + HOT SPOTS are DOWN take a timeout or go to your SUPERSTAR and let him go to his GO TO ZONE to stop the drought.
you can now play crucial moments of the game so u don't have to play all 82 games in the 2nd half. much more like MADDEN 07. but sometimes CRUCIAL won't trigger if the games a blowout. so u have to intervene occasionally and go back and re-simulate it again.
FINAL GAME BREAKDOWN...
THIS GAME IS GOOD IF YOU PLAY IT NBA STYLE...
HAD A LOT OF FUN TODAY PLAYING AGAINST THE AI, I FEEL SATISFIED WITH THIS YEARS GAME CONSIDERING IT'S VERY MUCH PLAYABLE NOW.
WANT TO TRY IT VERSUS A HUMAN PLAYER THOUGH TO SEE IF I CAN STOP THE TRANSITION GAME OF A 1 MAN TEAM. MY COUSIN'S PLAYSTYLE IS LIKE THIS AND THAT'S HOW WE SEE IF THE GAME IS GOOD. IF IT'S STILL LIKE LAST YEARS UNSTOPPABLE THEN TOO BAD, BUT IF ITS LIKE THE AI VERSION THEN I TAKE MY HATS OFF TO EA. ALL YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT IS TAKE THE CHARGE OR TRAP HIM ALL DAY LONG. keep you posted...
NBA LIVE GAMERS...
my friend says they like 2k8 more coz they play at home player vs player. maybe i'd buy it this weekend and try it with the AI first then player vs player.