NBA Live 16
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for NBA Live 16
With no standout modes to differentiate between the competition, NBA Live 16 still is a game without an audience
NBA Live 16 takes incremental steps forward in ball control and online functionality, but its underdeveloped modes and inconsistent mechanics make it a chore to play.
[W]hat we're left with is a solid game of basketball with meat and potatoes features. It doesn't hold up to NBA 2k16 and doesn't do enough to be the breakthrough the series needed. That being said, EA Tiburon is on the right track and if they spend the next year truly fine-tuning the mechanics and coming up with a dazzling career mode, this could be the penultimate chapter before the Live takeover.
NBA Live 16 is made to feel accessible and simple. At least that's what the structure caters to. From in-game learning help to player development, it's all mostly basic. With this pause in progress, it will be interesting to see if Live will be able to rebound from a supposed "beating" it's looking to take once NBA 2K is released the same day.
NBA Live 16 has a few new modes and features that help elevate it above last year's offering, but that's practically a footnote when you consider how the game flubs some of its basic controls and AI.
NBA Live 16 makes a number of well implemented adjustments to the gameplay, but the lack of completely new game modes, or even major additions to the existing ones, prevent NBA Live 16 from being a real slam dunk.
The franchise is still on the comeback trail and may not overtake 2K's juggernaut for a couple more years but the gains this year are significant and the franchise is clearly trending upwards
