NBA Live 2001

• Platform:    PlayStation2, No Operating System
• Media: Video Game

The first thing players will notice is how the graphics represent such a tremendous leap beyond the series' previous instalments. In general, players are nicely animated, and there is a good amount of detail to the arenas. However, the individual-player graphics are uneven. While most of the bodies are well rendered, many of the faces are way off the mark. Virtual Shaquille O'Neal's face looks nothing like the real Shaq's face, and most of the NBA's lesser names are completely unrecognisable. Some marquee players, such as Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan, look fairly authentic.

While the PS2 usually plays an intelligent game of basketball, the controls in NBA Live 2001 have a slightly sluggish feel to them and take some getting used to. Also, EA stripped away both the franchise mode and the NBA challenges (three-point contests, etc.), which had been in previous incarnations of the Live series. There is, however, an excellent one-on-one mode, as well as many legendary NBA players of the past to play with and against.

While NBA Live 2001 doesn't have all you'd hope for in the first pro-basketball game for the PS2, it does have enough game to keep you playing all season long. --Mark Brooks

Manufacturer's Description
Year after year, EA Sports brings new features to the mix while finely honing those that are already established. NBA Live 2001 is no different. While there isn't much left to add to the Live series at this point, somehow EA has managed to bump up the realism even further. NBA Live 2001 is the best playing b-ball sim on any system.NBA Live 2001 truly comes into its own in one area especially: control. It's really hard to find one single move innate to the NBA game that isn't included. You can get your feet wet with just the shoot, pass, turbo and jump commands, but after a few hours you'll be looking for more control, and Live 2001 delivers. Spinning, crossing over your dribble, faking and calling for picks are all at your fingertips, just waiting to be used. You may even post up and choose from four separate moves to go hard to the rack or use icon passing to hit your man at the back door. On defense, you can face up on your man and challenge him to drive to the hoop, call for a double team, or swat the ball away with either the steal or jump commands.

• PC & Video Games > Games