PSM Reviews - LIVE 06 / 2K6

[JuLiO-R-]

NBA LIVE 06

Aside from Fight Night, there isn't a better two-player sports game than NBA Live 06. It continues to evolve into an admirable simulation of the NBA game and just-plain-damn-fun videogame, all thanks to the mighty "Freestyle Superstars."

Essentially, it's a system that recreates a superstar player's ability to rise above the rest. When you're controling a superstar, [L1] is a shift key, and combining it with a face button performs a different slick move. Better still, there are six catagories - playmaker (Steve Nash), power player (Shaq), sharpshooter (Peja), etc. - and each type has unique moves. The array of jumpers, passes, and dunks is awesome, and endlessly satisfying.

The rest of your team then gets involved off of your superstars, just like in the NBA. Double-team Shaq and he can kick out to Antoine for a wide-open 18-footer. That's right: Live 06 has a mid-range game. Yes!

Only a few breakdowns keep 06 from perfection. Both you and the CPU will too-often shoot balls out of bounds off the back of the glass (huh?), missed dunks and lay-ups are too frequent, and animations are a mix of awesome and atrocious.

Still, a now-online All-Star Weekend, another solid franchise mode, and naturally controlling gameplay make Live a winner again. RYAN MCCAFFREY


PSM SCORE: 8.5

SHAQ
+Satisfying Freestyle moves; great pacing; mid-range J's matter; two-player's a blast.

SHAWN BRADLEY
-Missed dunks and lay-ups; spotty animations; occasional AI flaws.


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NBA 2K6

The 2K series' heart is in the right place, but the results aren't quite there. They added an Isomotion button when Live brought Freestyle, and this year they try again with the Shot Stick, but with the same, "poor-man's-Live" results. You now pull down on the right stick for jump shots, left for hooks, etc.

Problem is, it simply isn't as intuitive as Live. It takes several games to get the feel for it and even when you do, you still can't pull off the same breadth of moves you can in EA's offering. The post-up game in particular is restrictive - you'll find yourself favoring screened jumpers - and dunks underneath the basket can still be hard to come by. Guys, steal the "one button shoots, the other dunks" idea already, will ya? The direct pass button (O) makes for some cool lead passes, though.

Nevertheless, the return of 24/7, a solid franchise mode, and Kevin Harlan's energetic commentary keeps 2K6 respectable. It's just not the champ. RYAN MCCAFFREY


PSM SCORE: 7.5

POSTERIZING
+24/7 mode; Solid commentary; loose ball fouls; TV camera; boxout command.

POSTERIZED
-Unintuitive controls; animations hit-and-miss; game chooses when you dunk.

I was planning on getting Live anyways. This just seals the deal.

[tlo450]

I saw this on the ign boards and they said it was fake review.

[JuLiO-R-]

Originally Posted by tlo450

I saw this on the ign boards and they said it was fake review.

I got this straight out the Magazine. I dont think they would publish fake articles.

[Chronz]

Sad thing to hear, I thought ESPN would improve on its gameplay this year, Ill just rent the 2 to see which I like best. Most Likely live.

[tlo450]

Originally Posted by JuLiO-R-

I got this straight out the Magazine. I dont think they would publish fake articles.

ok i believe you. at first on the ign boards it was said to be fake and someone even said they couldnt find the reviews in thier psm magazines. now its been confirmed that they are real reviews.

[SteveNash3424213421J]

Can you run fast breaks on this years version of Live? Is there realistic rebounding? Does the game play anything like the real thing?

[Dooper]

Like I've said

LIVE >>>> ESPN

[mixmakers.messiah]

i don't know why everyone listens to other people reviews and use them as a base to get a game or not. u need to play the game and make YOUR OWN judegement. everybody has their own preference so one review shouldn't be a mind changing read.

i'm pretty sure everyone here knows more about basketball than those lazy ass game reviewers who play bball games like 5yr olds. all i'm saying is don't look too much into reviews to know if a game will be good or not. if u can't make ur own judegement from playing a game, then u need some serious help.

realistic factor: 2k6
arcade-fun: live 2006
interesting mode: NBA 06

Problem is, it simply isn't as intuitive as Live. It takes several games to get the feel for it and even when you do, you still can't pull off the same breadth of moves you can in EA's offering. The post-up game in particular is restrictive - you'll find yourself favoring screened jumpers - and dunks underneath the basket can still be hard to come by. Guys, steal the "one button shoots, the other dunks" idea already, will ya? The direct pass button (O) makes for some cool lead passes, though.

ok i got a problem with the part i bolded. he either didn't play it long enough, controls were too hard for him to learn, or he was playing a old build of 2k6. it has been cleary stated that to preform dunks, u use the AGGRESSIVE BUTTON(R1) and the shot stick to do different types of dunks. therefore there is no need for a one button shoot and one button dunk. this guy is an idiot. if i wanna read a review, i rather read a more indept review than 2 weak paragraphs for both games.

[wowmanitssean]

yea im getting live , but hey 2k6 is only 20 dollars! it must be only 20 dollars for a reason. the game is priced cheap and so is the gameplay of the game itself. but, it should still be cool for only 20 dollars!

[Vietboi955]

Originally Posted by wowmanitssean

yea im getting live , but hey 2k6 is only 20 dollars! it must be only 20 dollars for a reason. the game is priced cheap and so is the gameplay of the game itself. but, it should still be cool for only 20 dollars!

sry 2 rain out ur party dude but 2k6 is officialy $40 now
http://www.gamestop.com/search.asp?s...=0&find=Search

as for live 06 its still $50
http://www.gamestop.com/search.asp?s...=0&find=Search