GamesRadar+ Verdict
Pros
- +
Plenty of modes
- +
FIBA World Tournament
- +
The Crown
Cons
- -
Tough to play "D"
- -
Only 2 mini-games
- -
Clumsy icon passing
Why you can trust GamesRadar+
Oct 9, 2007
EA's small-screen roundball series has been jazzing up our PSPs for three years now, tweaking the formula each go-round. Last year, Freestyle controls worked great but tended to relegate non-superstars to the virtual bench. This season, NBA Live 08 invites all comers to the party, from Rajon Rondo to Kobe Bryant and everybody in between. It's a streamlined version of their hoops hit, and it works again just like a charm.
Don't get us wrong - Brian Scalabrine won't light up Tim Duncan for 50 points anytime soon. NBA superstars still dominate the game, and when All-Stars get the rock where they like it, fireworks ensue. However, the emphasis is clearly on finding the open man instead of dropping it in to T-Mac every time down the court and watching him go. It's more even-handed and realistic, and we like that just fine.
Note: Screenshots in this review are taken from the PS2 version of NBA Live 08
On the court, the action is solid if unspectacular. The PS2-quality visuals are impressive enough, and good ol' Marv Albert returns to call the action. We love him, and when he works a game it just sounds like NBA basketball. The controls also do a workmanlike job handling the fundamentals, although we sure would've liked slam dunks to have separate buttons from jumpers like Live's console cousins. Thankfully, foul shots use a traditional approach, which delights us to no end. We're sick and tired of developers coming up with new ways to shoot from the charity stripe each season.
More info
Genre | Sports |
Description | Advanced settings gives you more control - if moving players directionally is considered 'advanced.' |
Franchise name | NBA Live |
UK franchise name | NBA Live |
Platform | "Wii","PSP","PS3","PS2","Xbox 360" |
US censor rating | "Everyone","Everyone","Everyone","Everyone","Everyone" |
UK censor rating | "","","","","" |
Release date | 1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK) |
Manor Lords breaks a Steam city-builder and strategy game record, beating Civilization 6 and Cities: Skylines as it sells 1 million copies just one day after release
Borderlands release date, cast, and everything else you need to know about the new video game movie
Escape From Tarkov devs reverse course on $250 PvE mode, promise it'll be free for all when the game exits beta - but its early access is still paywalled