My NBA Live 09 PSP Review

[JumpmanJordan]

Well, it's been some time since I've posted here at the NLSC, probably close to a year now. I finally got around to picking up NBA Live 09 for the PSP yesterday (got to have something to do on road trips), so as I did last year, I figured I'd share my review of the game since online information about Live for the PSP always seems to be scarce.

Before I even stepped on the court for the first time, I immediately viewed the rosters to see if there was a mass amount of mistakes as their were in Live 08 for the PSP. The opening credits read that the rosters are accurate as of July 18, so I guess I can't really complain about some of the transactions not being executed. I spent about 2 hours getting the rosters up to date.

Roster notes:
- There are 2 Mo Williams in the game; one is on the Clippers (are the Clippers & Cavaliers really that similar... how'd they mess this up) & the other Mo Williams is either on Milwaukee or the Free Agent pool (can't remember which)
- Robin Lopez (Phoenix Suns) & Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) are both in the free agent pool
- Numerous Rookies missing in the game once again, although not as many as in Live 08
- Player ratings once again leave much to be desired
- Your roster line-ups do not auto-save after changing them, you must manually save your roster or else your line-ups will reset after your roster is loaded the next time

Now onto the actually game, NBA Live 09 for the PSP. Upon first getting into the action, I immediately noticed that EA had put some (maybe a lot?) of time into switching the gameplay from NBA Live 08. Live 09 has a much more simulation style gameplay than 08 did. In 08 it was pretty much possible to turn on the jets, give a couple of spin moves and get a dunk. Live 09 takes this away by replacing it with much more realistic game speed, improved and more realistic freestyle controls and improved CPU defense.

EA also made a huge jump with their AI in Live 09 for the PSP. Not only is the CPU defense improved, but the offense is as well. Swingmen running off of screens on the low block to get open jumpers, and a fair amount of lobs are thrown if your big man gets lost and the CPU's big dives to bucket.

The passing aspect for Live on the PSP is also much changed in this years version. In Live 08 you could simply pass the ball around, anywhere in the half court with not much worry of turning it over. Now, in Live 09, there are many defensive steals, so if your man is not fully open... don't pass the ball. Also, if one of your offensive players is in the middle of an off ball action (setting a screen, getting open, etc.) and you pass it to them, get ready for a turnover with either the ball going out of bounds or right into your defenders hands.

One pet peeve I have about the gameplay is lay-ups with PG's. I understand if they miss them when they're in a large crowd, but if you're not using an all-star PG and get out on the break for a wide open lay-up, expect to see it go off the back board and roll off the rim.

Hot Spots are also added in Live 09 for the PSP, which were absent in Live 08. Love this feature, was disappointed when it was left out of last years edition. Along with Hot Spots being added this year, the FIBA World Championship game mode has been added. I've only played one FIBA game so far, and was pleased to see they changed the shape of the key, unlike last years FIBA court.

Dynamic DNA is also another feature added this year, although on the PSP it's basically a stat tracker for what players did last season, and do in your Dynasty.

I haven't gotten too far into the majority of game modes, so I can't report on whether or not the freezing problems which some experienced last year have been corrected.

Overall NBA Live 09 is a breath of fresh air as a hoops game for the PSP. Much improved gameplay, new game modes and added features all put NBA Live 08 to shame.

If you have any other questions about the PSP version of NBA Live 09, feel free to ask in a reply and I'll attempt to get back to you with an answer ASAP.

- JumpmanJordan

[doven]

Yea I like the gameplay of this years version on the PSP. More interceptions and rebounding / dunking looks better. It just boils my blood that they didn't even bother changing the players ratings.

I ordered NBA 09: The Inside. And once I got it Ill compare both games.

[Andrew]

Thanks for checking in and posting a review.

- There are 2 Mo Williams in the game; one is on the Clippers (are the Clippers & Cavaliers really that similar... how'd they mess this up) & the other Mo Williams is either on Milwaukee or the Free Agent pool (can't remember which)

Are you sure one of them isn't Marcus Williams? There are two players named Marcus Williams in the NBA, one who was just traded from New Jersey to Golden State and another one who played for the Clippers last year.

[The X]

Andrew has a good point, although I've got a feeling it is the Arizona version who is like 6'7" SG/SF....I think he might have originally been with Spurs....completely different from the PG version who played with Nets & now with Warriors....

EDIT: Whaddaya know, I was right. Please see following link which proves the game has it right: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... ima04.html

[Valor]

Yea I like the gameplay of this years version on the PSP. More interceptions and rebounding / dunking looks better. It just boils my blood that they didn't even bother changing the players ratings.

I ordered NBA 09: The Inside. And once I got it Ill compare both games.

i got both, while live has better gameplay, sony's nba 09 has better graphics and more up to date rosters

[Andrew]

Andrew has a good point, although I've got a feeling it is the Arizona version who is like 6'7" SG/SF....I think he might have originally been with Spurs....completely different from the PG version who played with Nets & now with Warriors....

EDIT: Whaddaya know, I was right. Please see following link which proves the game has it right: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... ima04.html

He's the one that played for the Clippers last year too, so I too would suggest the game has it right.

[JumpmanJordan]

It's two Mo Williams'. Mo Williams who currently plays on the Cavaliers. There is one of him on the Clippers and one of him on the Bucks. Both PG, both rated 72, both have the same picture.

If you don't believe me, could somebody else with the PSP version please confirm. I don't have a digital camera at the moment.

[Deng09]

Yeah its true (image to blurry...)
But I have to say something disappointing to add about the game, the "crown feature".
I tested this with two seperate versions, two different psp's, four memory cards and a lot of time. When trying to complete the 5on5 acomplishments it doesen't say that you have achieved any of them (*apart from 2 or 3 and there are 170 or so objectives) after seeing ingame that you have (looking at stats). But when the game finishes it says you have only completed one or two. Now this is very annoying to try to get your ranking up and to unlock things!
Someone tell me if they have had the same problem please
Hopefully EA can release a patch (highly doubtful though)
Oh and JJ, could you maybe realease the roster?

Oh and another thing about the rosters, on LAC two players have the number 5! I don't know how many other teams have the same problem aswell

[megidoflare]

It's two Mo Williams'. Mo Williams who currently plays on the Cavaliers. There is one of him on the Clippers and one of him on the Bucks. Both PG, both rated 72, both have the same picture.

If you don't believe me, could somebody else with the PSP version please confirm. I don't have a digital camera at the moment.

Here are the two Mo Williams in the game (was shocked too when i saw this)



how could EA miss this, i don't know

[JumpmanJordan]

^ Thanks for backing me up with that picture.

Oh and another thing about the rosters, on LAC two players have the number 5! I don't know how many other teams have the same problem aswell

Yeah, this was a problem in NBA Live 08 PSP as well. There's numerous teams in the game with multiple players assigned the same number. Once again, we can't really complain because although some transactions are completed before their roster cut off date, players aren't always assigned new numbers right away. EA just leaves them with the same number they wore for their previous team, even if there's already a player on their new team who wears that number. Another example is Jermaine O'Neal still wearing #7 in the game. He now wears #6 in real life because Bargnani wears #7.

[benji]

Clearly EA needs to find someway to let you edit the numbers.

I can't believe more games don't let you do this. When you save the roster it saves the entire database file anyway.

[Andrew]

I stand corrected. Still, I would assume that one of the instances of Mo Williams is supposed to be the Marcus Williams who played for the Clippers last year and was originally drafted by the Spurs; clearly an error has been made and gone undetected.

I just checked and the same error has been made in the PS2 version. Certainly an example of sloppy work.

[megidoflare]

^ Wow! This is in the PS2 version as well??? Yikes...

For the duplicate jersey numbers in the PSP version, I think one workaround we can do is release that player, then re-sign him. Hopefully when the game recognizes that he has a duplicate number on that team, the game will then increment/decrement to the closest vacant number.

So, let's just hope that when we release and re-sign Baron Davis and Jermaine, they'll be assigned their correct numbers (#1 for Davis, #6 for J-O).

Clearly EA needs to find someway to let you edit the numbers.

I can't believe more games don't let you do this. When you save the roster it saves the entire database file anyway.

Since the roster and profile saves have been separated now, I hope there is a way wherein we can edit the roster file (kind of like DB Commander-ish editing to correct the numerous errors)

[Andrew]

The PSP version doesn't allow you to edit jersey numbers?

[megidoflare]

The PSP version doesn't allow you to edit jersey numbers?

Nope. There is no Create a Player mode in the PSP version Hence we cannot edit jersey numbers.

As for the two Mo Williams, I just bought the PS2 version of the game (yay!), and I can confirm that the one in the Clippers is indeed MARCUS E. WILLIAMS. Now, I don't know why EA used Mo Williams' portrait and ratings on him, when he clearly has his own cyberface.

So, the PSP version must get it right, since both rosters are virtually the same (although I could not find Louis Amundson in the PSP version)

[Andrew]

Probably just a database error then, with the entry for Marcus Williams pointing towards Mo Williams' art and his ratings imported as well. Still sloppy, but not as bad as it could have been.

[doven]

I've been playing the NBA 09:The Inside for the PSP now for 1 day and its good.. I would say overall its equal to NBA Live 09.. If only the ratings and Rosters are updated NBA Live 09 would be a lot better

[Andrew]

The early cutoff dates certainly don't help any versions of the game which do not benefit from official updates, to say the least.

[Deng09]

I found something else, it says that Greg Oden is a rookie (which he isn't!)
Oh and when I was going on about the crown I realeased waht a tool I am , You can only play 5 min quarters (max) to get the 5on5 challenges

[Fizdale]

^^Dude, are you from Pluto? Greg Oden is indeed a rookie, where you from? lol

[JumpmanJordan]

Greg Oden is indeed a rookie, where you from? lol

I'm not going to ask if you're from Pluto, but Greg Oden is indeed a rookie this season.

[Fizdale]

ROFL, do you get me man? I said GEREG ODEN IS INDEED A ROOKIE not the other ways..lol

[JumpmanJordan]

ROFL, do you get me man? I said GEREG ODEN IS INDEED A ROOKIE not the other ways..lol

What? I was simply backing you up.