NBA Live 15 Reviews
I fondly remember playing NBA Live 2005. The addition of the All-Star Weekend Dunk Contest was the hype. The gameplay felt smooth. It was quite intuitive and not overly complicated. What does any of this have to do with NBA Live 15? Let's just say that the reintroduction of NBA Live might have been a mistake on EA's part.
NBA Live 15 is an improvement from the previous year. It contains better graphics, smoother gameplay and feels like a more complete experience when compared to NBA Live 14. That said, there is still some work to be done if it hopes to compete with the NBA 2K series. It isn't quite to the 2K level, but it's now officially on the right path.
Where 2K15 overwhelms me still with its plethora of gaming modes and malleability in almost every respect, Live 15 underwhelms as a ho-hum basketball title that continues to ride the coat tails of its competitor and its past. Whether this should spell the end of hoops games from EA or not I'm not able to say here, but I do believe one thing—if people were hoping that this would be the game to strike fear into the hearts of 2K developers, they inevitably will be disappointed.
At least it no longer plays or looks like an experiment gone wrong.
NBA Live 15 brings the franchise back onto the court with authority and takes the game successfully into the next generation of gaming. While the game isn't perfect, it is clearly ready to take on all comers and creates a firm foundation for EA to build upon for years to come.
Don't let the improved looks fool you – NBA Live 15's good ideas are all stifled by poor gameplay fundamentals.
Still aching to even come close to the technical assuredness of NBA 2K15, NBA Live 15 does fare much better than last year's debacle. However, crucially flawed gameplay, lackluster commentary and a shortage of worthwhile modes leave this player coming up weak on the court.
This year's installment isn't the most polished basketball title or even the best hoops title in general. But it's absolutely safe to say NBA Live has returned and will be sticking around as a contender, as long as it continues to take these positive dribbles forward.
Improvements on the court are hindered by the lack of compelling modes
NBA Live has had a tough time escaping the shadow of NBA 2K—and that trend continues with NBA Live 15, which doesn't deliver believable player movement, shooting, or gameplay flow. The "Big Moments" mode shows the potential that the series might be able to execute in the coming years, but right now, it's like a .500 team trying to compete with a playoff juggernaut.
This is what we should've gotten last year. A workable title with some enjoyment to be found for sure.
NBA Live 15 is a step in the right direction, but that still doesn't make it a good basketball game.
A marked improvement over NBA Live 14, but still far from perfect.
After several years in the wilderness, NBA Live is back and it means business. While it's not yet ready to take on its 2K rival, Live is a fun game of basketball that's easy to pick and play.
While it's a big improvement over last year and a clear step in the right direction, NBA Live 15 forgets that basketball is a team sport. Dunks are overpowered, rendering ball movement and teamwork pointless. Hopefully further refinement can produce a great basketball game in the future, but for 2015, NBA Live's advances are still overshadowed by flawed fundamentals.
NBA Live 15 makes some key improvements, but this franchise still doesn't feel quite ready for prime time.
NBA Live 15 is a nice step in the right direction, but it still falls short of its competition. It is definitely fun to play, but the late game AI and lack of any real additions or modes is sorely disappointing.
If you are looking to pick up an NBA game this holiday season the choice is easy but make no bones about it NBA Live is becoming a contender. Let's just see what they do next year.
NBA Live 15 is an appreciated step forward from last year's instalment. However, thanks to stiff gameplay and undercooked game modes, you'll want to draft NBA 2K15 instead.
If, for some reason, you're not a "NBA 2K" guy or have an undying love for anything EA Sports, "NBA Live 15" can and will provide hours of fun. It's just so hard to recommend when the competition does everything better. At the same time, with a slew of innovative elements on offense, "NBA Live 15" is the little engine that could. Last year's game was pure D-League, but this year, they've earned their spot on the floor.