Memory Lane

[Silky Smooth Vlade]

As the anticipation for Live '06 grows I decided to take a trip down memory lane. I have Live 03, 04, and 05 for XBox, and I decided to play a game or two on each version, taking note of what has changed and how the series has improved along the way, and also what elements should be included in '06. I began with Live 03, here is what I noted.

--Live '03--
*The framerate is a huge plus in this year's game. Very smooth.

*Amazing variety of dunks. I know that is far too easy to dunk in traffic, but I'm just saying, there are dunks in this game that make you say "ooooh." And please don't say that they are entirely unrealistic. In real life, if Kobe is on a fast break, I've seen him do a 360. Same with Vince, Lebron, Wade... believe it or not, NBA players do perform above average dunks.

*The dunks actually look real (with the exception of a few). Whoever they motion captured that year did a great job.

*I really enjoyed the passing on fast breaks, crisp, fast, responsive.

*After a game or two, this game nearly becomes pointless, the only way to make a defensive stop is to block a regular shot (because you cannot block dunks or layups), bump into a player and hope that it's a no call, steal the ball, or push the player out of bounds. Because if you're playing against a semi-decent opponent, they can score at will.

Basically I think there are a lot of elements from Live '03 that should come back in '06. Since this game lacked any sort of defense, people dismissed this game as a complete flop, and labeled everything in it horrible. This is not the case. Live '06 needs to have exciting slams just like this game did, also bring back smooth, crisp passing on the fast breaks.

Next, I popped in Live '04.

* After playing '03 I was pleasantly surpised to find out that I can actually block dunks and layups. Although by the end of the first half I had racked up 8 blocks with Shaq... my point is that this game is realistic in the sense that if you take a stupid shot inside, you are going to get swatted by Shaq or Ben Wallace or Duncan or...

* With all of the blocks inside, there is actually a point to shooting outside. I like that.

* There is far less of a variety of dunks, and only ONE of them makes me say "ooooh".

* In '03, big men and guards were basically valued the same, as guards can drive in and get free layups and dunks, and big men and just back down and get free slams or hooks. However, in '04, big man are at a premium. Not only on D, but on offense. The drop step spin move, and then the shoot button (not dunk) is a lethal move. Shaq is dominant, on both ends of the court in this game, I like that.

After thouroughly enjoying my Live '04 experience I pop in '05.

* HORRIBLE free style moves. Say you're dribbling with the ball in your right hand and you're moving forward, if you push right on the control stick, you will see perhaps the ugliest dribble move ever.

* Absolutely no sense of speed, at all, period. Ok, I admit '03 had too much speed, but I think '04 was closer to perfection. And even if you jack up the speed in the sliders still... everything is slow in this game. Passing, dribbling, blocking, layups. Can't really describe it, nothing seems crisp in this game. Everything is just.... ugh.

* Fastbreak passing is horrible.

* Bigmen are worthless on offense. Shaq is not dominant, he gets rejected by the other teams power forward time after time. The hook shot in this game is very ugly. The whole post game is ugly. Yuck.

* Out of all the years, this game is the worst at players running in one spot.

* Whoever they motion captured this year should be ashamed (with the exception of the jump shot, it is the best looking jump shot in the entire Live series).

* There is not one dunk in the entire game (excluding dunk contest) that makes me say "ooooh." I had Kobe on a break away he did a plain as can be slam. I had Shaq wide open on several occasions, he did the same exact dunk, the same exact dunk that the computer had just done 3 times in a row, and it is a very ugly one handed dunk at that.

I turned off my Xbox by the 3rd quarter of my 2nd game with Live '05. I was actually disgusted. How could a game get so much worse in one year. '04 was near perfection in my opinion, and now I cannot find a single aspect of '05 that I like.

Basically, this is what I've come up with.

Live '03 is fun, but not realistic.
Live '04 is fun, and realistic.
Live '05 is neither.

I hope Live '06 resembles 04 more than 05, but sadly this is probably wishful thinking. I'd like to hear your opinions on anything that I've touched on.

[Mike Bradford]

i agree completely, i was so dissppointed in Live 2005 that i sold it. 2004 was great, despite complaints from people. the gameplay, realism, and even the graphics i believe are better. i too hope to see Live 06 more like 04 then 05, but with more enhancements. nice thread man.

[Andrew]

I actually preferred NBA Live 2005 to NBA Live 2004, but mainly because of the Dynasty though I wasn't too unhappy with the gameplay after making some slider adjustments, so I'd disagree with your assessment there. I do agree with the bottom line of NBA Live 2004 being realistic and NBA Live 2003 had its moments, but being a realism freak I tired of it long before the release of 2004.

[T-Comm55]

Wow, really good analysis. I agree with you on a lot of points and I hope NBA Live 06 is fun, realistic and PERFECT. lol

[COOLmac©]

Whoever they motion captured this year should be ashamed (with the exception of the jump shot, it is the best looking jump shot in the entire Live series).

my guess my friend? YAO MING

[ntong]

the reason u guys found 03 was more fun is because 03 made a big change from the previous versions, on the other hand, 04 and 05 are basically just made little adjustments from 03.
if u play 05 first, then go back to play 03, u ll see how 03 sucked...

[Sonic98]

Some of the older games had a better post game too. The mechanics and movements were much better.

[BrotherJRB]

If I remember correctly 01-03 had the worst rebounding ever....04 fixed it a bit and 05 has it pretty good(needs more long rebounds though).

The best live for me is still 00 but with people jumping through the rim it didn't look very realistic and became super easy....I have not had as much fun and or consistency in playing a basketball game since 00 been disappointed to say the least by everything besides Inside Drive 04 but that had many flaws.

[Andrew]

Another issue with the rebounding in NBA Live 2001 and NBA Live 2002 was the ratio of offensive to defensive rebounds. Far too often, players grabbed too many offensive rebounds in both of those games.