NBA Live 2002

Why couldn't Michael Jordan STAY retired??!! Good for EA Sports that he did not.

This game is fun. The newest NBA Live contribution delivers hours of shoe squeaking action for the basketball enthusiast. I am one. I don't care as much for the real-life pro basketball action, but will be first in line when it comes to video game action. Maybe it's because I know I can bench a player anytime I feel like it. 

Each year, these games get better. Like most sports games (OK, forget golf), learning the moves is the key. Once you can execute a pick call, hand check or other maneuver with ease, the game becomes a lot more fun. Personally, it took a while to get good at steals. Once I was up to speed at that aspect of defense, I was quite a threat. If your fingers do not like the pre-set configuration, you have the option to adjust that to suit your style. 

You can play a variety of games in this EA Sports offering. Exhibition, Season play, 3-point shootout, etc. One of my favorites became "Jordan one-on-one". In this street ball game, you go head to head alone against the mighty MJ, or any other player offered. Being a glutton for punishment, I stuck with playing against MJ. I lost every time, but kept coming back for more. There is quite a bit of trash-talk in that game, which is not up to Michael's character. I tolerated that. I selected various players to challenge him, but with varying degrees of success, never manages to beat him.

The Exhibition was great for tuning and honing your skills. After that, move on to the Season mode and really give your fingers a work out. The player's styles and strengths seem true to life. I often played using the Memphis Grizzlies as my team. Using Shane Battier was helpful as he is, in real life, an excellent defensive player as well as good shot beyond the arc. Giving the players genuine skills helps in knowing your teams' strengths and weaknesses. You can rotate and rest your players, which helps keep them fresh. One by one, you hopefully win your games and go through a NBA season as a winning team. No easy task.

The 3-Point shootout was another favorite. Again, you can select a player with REAL skills. Choose a player with a good 3-point percentage, and you will do well. While each 3-point shot made is worth one point, the last ball on the rack is worth two points. That helped me more than once. The key to success was get your timing worked out. Grab the ball, shoot. Grab the ball, shoot. Another bonus was that Michael Jordan was not there to smack them back in your face (see Jordan one-on-one comments)!!

Multiplayer mode was fun. I usually prefer playing against a human. Then, the trash talk can be REAL. You can gloat as your dunk is replayed in slow motion, or at different angles as you see fit. Don't tell anyone, but my winning secret is to go inside, collapse the defense, then kick it back out to a strong 3-point shooter. Oops; did I say that out loud?

The graphics are great, but the faces did not seem too realistic for the player. Close enough for the system's abilities. The courts looked nice, and the scoreboard is present, but not invasive. The music was good, but the action is so rapid, you do not have time to listen and play "name that tune", lest you get the ball slammed over your head for a mind-numbing dunk. 

The sounds are very good. The Artificial Intelligence works well, and it is fun to hear the player's actual name called out instead of a generic number as in the early days of video game basketball. I did experience a couple of glitches, as credit was given to player for scoring---  though he was on defense, and could not have! The commentators offered advice, which was fairly silly at times. After getting dunked on, it does not take a genius to offer "The Raptors really need to work on that defense". Still, the play-by-play was accurate and timely. I did notice that no matter how you make the basket, you get the "swish" of the net. Watching the ball bounce on the rim, then SWISH through the net was strange. 

Have I mentioned Michael Jordan, yet? It was interesting to see him in a Washington Wizards uniform. That is how current this game is. The NBA season is barely underway, but the game is up to date. NBA Live 2002 also allows you to select all-star teams from the 60s through the 90's. You can bring in a team of yesterday's superstars and play against today's hottest rookies. That is fun to watch. 

The game keeps all the statistics that a number cruncher might crave. Defensive boards, shot percentages, etc. Even awarding the player of the game honors, based on his game stats.   

I recommend this game to all fans of the court. MJ fans can rejoice as you see him suit up in his latest professional incarnation. Playing alone, or against the loud-mouth you loathe, there's plenty to enjoy in this 2002 version of NBA Live. Don't blame me for the numb fingers. Pass the sports drink, and put me back in, coach... it's show time!!

Install: N/A

Gameplay: 9
Plenty of fun and reasonable challenge.

Graphics: 8 
Problems with faces, but good for the system’s capability.

Sound: 7.5
Good play-by-play commentary. Minor player recognition errors.

Difficulty: 8
Are you kidding? Real life or video games— no one beats Michael Jordan!

Concept: 7
Basketball video games are nothing new. One on one is a fun twist (see comments about Michael Jordan!).

Multiplayer: 8

 Two player action was fun, and easy to do. Let the trash talk begin!       

Overall: 8.5
NBA Live 2002 is a lot of fun. Good use of the PSX graphical ability.