The NBA Live series has long-carried a reputation as an enjoyable, though fast-paced, basketball game. Last year's NBA Live 2003 certainly lived up to that billing--and then some. It was a great game in its own right, but many criticized its breakneck pace and extremely arcadelike feel. While no one will confuse this year's edition with an ultrarealistic rendition of professional basketball, NBA Live 2004 definitely takes a couple of steps closer to being a more serious simulation, with a slower pace and more emphasis on defense and team play. Offering several new features, as well as improvements to the game's graphics, sound, and overall polish, NBA Live 2004 is a good game for Live fans and general basketball fans alike.

The half-court set looks more authentic in Live 2004.

The first thing veteran Live players may notice is an overhaul of the player animations. The developers at EA Canada have used 10-man motion capturing to mimic the appearance of 10 players working out of the half-court. Instead of moving like individuals who have little or no awareness of their positions on the court, the players working without the ball in Live 2004 react appropriately to one another and use basketball-type maneuvers to move around in the half-court. Players cutting through the lane do so with their hands up in the ready position for a pass. Defenders swim and fight through picks to stay with their man, and post players jostle and fight for position in the low block with a great variety of animations. The new animations do give the game a more genuine feel, when running a half-court offense, and add greatly to the realism and look of Live 2004. Player models have also improved slightly, with faces that generally look very close to their real-life counterparts.

Another great addition is that most of the players in the game are wearing the same brand of shoes they wear in real life. Brands like Nike, Adidas, and Reebok are represented in the game, so you'll see Allen Iverson sporting the "Answer 6," while Tracy McGrady is decked out in his signature "T-Mac" kicks. Even the nonbrand generic shoes bear an uncanny resemblance to other brands, like And1. If you play some of the classic all-decade all-star teams, for example, you'll see old-school players, like Magic Johnson, wearing what look like Converse shoes. Many of these shoes are available in the create-a-player mode, and you're able to unlock additional Nike styles from the in-game NBA Store, which also has unlockable jerseys and other apparel. The footwear doesn't have any real impact on the gameplay, but shoes are a big part of basketball fan culture, so adding real shoes to the game is a great way to represent that.

Antoine Walker has his Adidas on.

The development team has also done a commendable job in the sound department. Aside from a great array of hip-hop tunes to get you in the mood for hooping it up, Live 2004 has gotten an upgrade in the form of new announcers. Players are now treated to the familiar voices of Marv Albert, on play-by-play, and his broadcasting partner, and former NBA coach, Mike Fratello, providing color. Albert delivers many of his signature calls, such as describing a particularly nasty dunk as "delivering the facial." Fratello, in turn, brings up very specific details about many of the players, such as referring to Jason Richardson's recent slam dunk crown and mentioning Gary Payton's nickname as "The Glove." The longtime broadcasting partners do a fantastic job and have so many different things to say that the announcing never seems to feel repetitive.

In the stands, you'll hear the crowd reacting to the activity on the court. They'll roar in response to an exciting dunk, or they'll groan listlessly if the home team starts to fall behind. Perhaps more impressive is the player and coach chatter you hear as you play the game. It's not just there as useless filler either. It's dynamic and changes, depending on the situation. If the opposing team seems to be driving to the lane at will, you'll hear your coach yell for "more pressure on the ball." If you're on defense and an opposing player moves to set a screen on your left, your teammates will actually call out "pick left." Sure, it's a little thing, but it adds a great deal of atmosphere to the game.