NBA Live 2002 Preview
We go hands-on with the Xbox version of EA Sports' venerable basketball series.
It was hard not to be a little disappointed with last year's version of NBA Live for the PlayStation 2. The controls were not as sharp as in previous efforts in the series, and the game was lacking a few key features, including the popular franchise mode, which unexpectedly made it into the PC version. While NBA Live 2001 for the PlayStation 2 still turned out to be a good game, it certainly seemed that EA Sports had been pressed to get it out on time and so made a few sacrifices during the development process. However, that's not the case with NBA Live 2002, which not only features a full franchise mode but also includes refined graphics, a variety of new dunking and dribbling animations, and new pregame cutscenes.
There are six modes of play in NBA Live 2002: play now, season, playoff, one-on-one, practice, and franchise. The play now mode essentially functions like an exhibition mode--it lets you pick two teams and then jump right into the game. In the season mode, you get to select one team and take it through an entire 82-game season and through the playoffs. Though the season mode's not quite as deep as the franchise mode, you can still perform all of the basic functions of a general manager, such as organizing your roster at the start of the season and initiating trades with other teams before the trading deadline. The playoff mode bypasses the entire season and lets you compete for the NBA championship right away. Fans of last year's one-on-one game should be happy to know that it's returning in NBA Live 2002. You can still create all sorts of legendary one-on-one match-ups, like Jordan versus Bird or Magic Johnson versus Isaiah Thomas, but other than the addition of new faces to the NBA roster and some refinements to the street court, the one-on-one mode remains largely the same as last year's. The practice mode lets you run around a street court by yourself so you can try out different moves and get a look at some of the new animations in the game. This mode is particularly helpful for becoming familiar with timing on post-up and fade-away shots.
NBA Live 2002's best feature is the franchise mode, which was missing from the PlayStation 2 version last year. As in the season mode, you play through the full 82-game season and the playoffs, and you make trades with other teams. However, each player has a point value, and your team can afford only a certain number of points before going over the point cap. When you try to trade for another player, you have to be able to match his point value, or the trade won't happen. For example, you couldn't trade Doug Christie for Michael Jordan because Jordan's point value is simply too high, but if you put together a package of three or so other players, then a trade is more likely to happen.
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