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NBA LIVE 2002
EA Sports
Xbox video game, $49.95
NBA Live 2002 is the first basketball title for the Xbox video game system. The game supports from one to four players. In addition to immediately opting for a single 5 on 5 game, players can select from five other different game modes: Practice (select a single player and practice your shots), 1 on 1 (select two players to battle each other), Season (teams compete through an entire NBA season), Playoffs (teams compete in the post-season), and Franchise (build a franchise by playing and/or simply controlling roster moves with drafts, re-signings, and free agent signings).
We believe this gameÕs best selling feature is its flexibility. It can readily accommodate gamers of every skill level. Those without a great deal of basketball knowledge can choose the arcade/rookie modes and quickly jump into the action. Meanwhile, die-hard basketball gamers can opt to simulate the real game (including all the rules, fatiguing/injuries, substitutions, etc.) and crank up the skill level. NBA Live 2002 is a must own for all sports fans.
The game is presented in a fullscreen version (for 4:3 monitors). The overall video quality is excellent. Graphics are very impressive with players the most life-like we have seen in any video game to date. Great attention to detail is evident in all aspects throughout the game. One can actually see the playersÕ reflections and shadows cast upon the shiny court surface. But the real highlight has to be the realistic player actions as they smoothly execute numerous dunks, dribbles and lay-ups. As for the gameÕs overall colors, they are rich and vibrant with fully saturated hues. There is deep contrast and no major compression or artifact flaws that we could observe.
Video Rating: 9 out of 10
NBA Live 2002 offers audio in full-fledged Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround and it is the basis for this review. All 5 channels are actively utilized and immerse the player in the NBA experience. The announcersÕ commentary is clean, natural sounding, and properly anchored in the center channel. The rear surround channels swell with crowd noise. There is discrete channel information as distinctly different sounds emanate from the front and rear channel speakers. The LFE channel is moderately active and is most noticeable whenever there is on-court music or chants of ÔDefenseÕ from the crowd.
Audio Rating: 8 out of 10
Overall, the tactile sound effects for this game are above average and are present in all game modes. The type of tactile effects that can be experienced range from light to moderate impacts. The best tactile effects occur with dribbling, dunking, and the pulsating background music.