PlayStation 2
Released in 2004 by EA Sports
Grade: C+
This game feels like a slowed down version of NBA Live 2003, which somehow makes it much worse.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the fifth of nine NBA Live games on PS2. I enjoyed the crazy speed and simplicity of Live 2003, and this is toned down a bit from that, but still moves at an unrealistic speed.
Praises and gripes
Anytime I rip on a basketball game, particularly a “simulation” basketball game, I have to mention that basketball must be the toughest sport to recreate in video game form. Real-life basketball has so many subtle movements, there’s contact but it’s not really a contact sport, and the plays can be complicated.
That said, this game is stuck in a bad place between simulation and arcade. It lacks the strategic depth and satisfying realism of a sim, and also lacks the simple excitement of an arcade game.
Players move quickly but are restrained by a cluttered court and defenders who make them stop on a dime. Using “quick plays” is key to offense, but passing feels stilted, lacking any lifelike fluidity. Defense is basic and simple, not exactly fun, but less frustrating than in some basketball games.
There isn’t a great camera view available. The end-to-end view feels too distant, making it hard to navigate situations close to the basket, and on the horizontal view, you’ll pass to the wrong guy often.
The plays could really use work. Your team plays in a certain offensive set by default, and you have four “quick plays,” such as a screen-and-roll and one where your shooters line-up for a 3-pointer. It’s just not enough. You can either cheese it up with quick plays, or you can mix it up just to mix it up. Neither is a great option, and the halfcourt game never looks or feels like real basketball.
If I were a basketball nut back in the day, buying each subsequent version of NBA Live, I’d really start to wonder when the series was going to get serious. It’s odd, because EA Sports was getting its act together around this time for its football, hockey, and baseball games. Madden NFL 2005, in particular, has tons of plays and great strategic depth. NBA Live 2005 doesn’t try to recreate genuine basketball action at all.