PlayStation 2

NBA Live 06

This is my favorite two-player sports game of the year so far. The Superstar moves really change the way you play the game, and for the better, as for the first time in years you can really tell the difference between players like Shaq and Eric Dampier. I also really enjoyed the deep Dynasty mode and Player Evolution. The ability to take a team like the Bobcats, develop your rookies any way you want, and watch as some young shooter off the bench becomes the next Reggie Miller is something that will keep you in the game until the real Bobcats make the playoffs for real.

Although there are a few problems with the Freestyle Superstar system, it's still one of the most innovative elements we've ever seen in an NBA game. Being able to dominate players with Shaq or throw cross-court, no-look passes with Tony Parker is a wonderful addition, and it actually makes you feel like you're playing the game with real NBA players, not just a bunch of identical players. It just may be the next best thing to hitting that buzzer-beater in your driveway.

EA Sports has done a magnificent job with NBA Live 06, one of the best basketball games to come out this year. While its gameplay mechanics don’t quite come close to capturing the balance between simulator and arcade sports game that NBA 2K6 clearly possesses, this is a solid basketball game that no PS2 owner should miss.

Overall, NBA Live 2006 is far from ground-breaking but still surprisingly fun. Be sure to play on a slightly higher difficulty setting, as the lower-level AI players are too dim-witted. This title is great for multiplayer battles because of the addition of the superstar skills, but aside from that, the game is pretty similar to last year's offering. If you are looking for a completely new NBA experience, this is not the right game for you. If, however, you just want a new game with updated rosters and are curious about the ins and outs of the superstar abilities, then this might be the title for you. NBA Live '95 has also been included on the disc, so there's also something here for retro NBA fans.

NBA Live 06 is a good game, but there's not enough new content to wholeheartedly recommend it as a purchase unless you haven't bought an NBA Live game in a few years. The freestyle superstar moves are nice, but the other new stuff, like hiring staff, online dunk contests, and the inclusion of NBA Live 95 aren't worth shelling out fifty bucks for if you own last year's game.

No final das contas, fãs de basquete e apreciadores de "NBA Live" terão na edição "06" um prato cheio, de vida útil bastante longa - o suficiente até a próxima edição. De qualquer forma, já não dá mais para "esconder a sujeira debaixo do tapete", por menor que esta seja. Sem dúvidas, a série precisa se "modernizar" mais dentro das quadras para manter a sua hegemonia.

NBA Live 06 is best played amongst a group of friends looking to kick back for some b-ball fun without having to worry too much about realism or depth. The Superstar control sets will ensure that each game has a lengthy highlight reel while keeping the gameplay fast and fun. Fundamental issues with the game and its key features keep it out of the upper echelon of basketball titles.

While NBA Live 06 makes a couple of steps forward with the Freestyle Superstar Controls, it manages to make a couple steps backward at the same time. The fact that these abilities literally take over and unbalance the game, as well as show up the flaws that the game had from last year makes the title an adequate upgrade for the hardcore fan at best, a mild improvement at worst.

Those who appreciate the game's arcadelike feel will probably enjoy the superstar abilities a lot, as they are great fun to watch and they bring the game ever closer to an NBA Street look and feel. But for those who want more of a simulation-style game or for those who are looking for more of an evolution from recent iterations of NBA Live, you're probably not going to find what you're looking for in this year's game.

EA is definitely focusing on an area of the sport that I feel that all developers should be, but the series has fallen far behind NBA 2K6 in nearly every category.

Still, it verges on the farcical when you see a guy try to dunk from the three-point line. It also throws the animation and collision system into arrears as it tries to keep up. Fundamentals, people. Fundamentals.

I still would like to see the series evolve a bit more and go back to games like Live 98 when it comes to realistic gameplay pacing and physics. I hope that with the release of the next generation systems and the power they possess, we will see the NBA truly come to life. For now, NBA Live 06 provides a fun and explosive game for fans who want to just run and gun to the hoop, with all the over the top moves and flare that go with such a title.