NBA Live 18 Reviews
Experts of the game will criticize the simplicity of the moves on offer and it is they which will want more of what the 2K game has to offer. But for me, as someone returning to the sport this Live 18 is as good an introduction to the genre, and the life it aims to promote, as you can get.
With so many modes, any fan of the NBA Live franchise will have a great time. Putting hours into the career mode you can get lost while building your team up to be the next Chicago Bulls (Pippen and Jordan era) and along with the amount of time you can spend playing Ultimate Team. NBA Live 18 has something for everyone. So in conclusion a great comeback for the flailing NBA Live series actually brings this game back into the upper echelons of basketball games. Yes the company is still few and far between, but as with FIFA and PES, each game seems to be pushing each other ever closer to perfection. Are we there yet? Not quite, but its certainly getting close.
Ultimately there's a ton of content in NBA Live 18 for basketball and NBA nuts. While it doesn't have something comparable to Madden's Longshot, making it more accessible and distinct, there's still a ton here to do and enough variance that different kinds of players will probably find something to latch onto. For me, it was The One for sure, with its hodgepodge mix of RPG elements, character customization, and a more casual style of play. When I ran into issues, it usually felt like I had the deck stacked against me in a nasty cocktail of RNG, tough opponent AI, and bumbling teammate AI all working together to take my pride down a notch. A more integrated set of learning tools would have been nice, but the game is simple enough at the beginning to make ergonomic, video game language-style sense, which is a plus compared to the much more complex stylings of Madden or NHL. There's an uphill battle for this one to stand up to the NBA 2K Juggernaut, but it has a chance this time for sure.
Controls aside, NBA Live 18 is better than expected and shouldn't be overlooked.
There's no denying that there are rough edges, but one thing Electronic Arts has nailed is the feel of playing a pick-up game. It's a slightly less technical title than its competitor, but it offers up a far better single-player experience. If you're looking for something fresh, or just want to play as Diana Taurasi, then you can't go wrong with picking up NBA Live 18.
The extra time that EA took with NBA Live 18 apparently turned out to be the for the best. This is definitely the best game they've put out in a while, and they've built a solid foundation for the franchise moving forward.