NBA Live 2004

by Electronic Arts

Product Features

• Play the Point: Run team-specific offensive and defensives sets for every NBA team. Be the point guard on the floor and own the flow of the game.
• Enhanced EA SPORTS Freestyle Control: Express your game in the ultimate authentic basketball gaming experience.
• More Online Options: Go head-to-head against the best ballers in the country, now with deeper stat tracking so you can rate your game.
• Build a Powerhouse Dynasty: Recruit the top free agents and import your top college players in a revamped Dynasty Mode. Run your franchise your way and build the perennial NBA champion.
• New All-Star Announcer Team: Marv Albert teams up with on-air partner Mike Fratello to provide the most authentic play-by-play available.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009WAVE
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: October 14, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (111 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,867 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #23 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Sports > Basketball

Product Description

Platform: PlayStation2

From the Manufacturer

Step up your game with NBA Live 2004. With brand-new 10-Man Freestyle, authentic gameplay, and stunning graphics, NBA Live 2004 delivers the definitive basketball experience. Whether running the point with one-button Quick Plays, spinning free in the lane for a vicious dunk, or locking down on "D," NBA Live 2004 puts players in total control. With a dramatically enhanced Dynasty Mode, the ability to take the court at all NBA arenas, and all-new commentary from Marv Albert and Mike Fratello, NBA Live 2004 is all about authenticity.

Thanks to extensive motion-capture sessions using ten players in real game situations, the NBA Live 2004 team captured lifelike positioning, technique, and movement for each player on the court for use with 10-Man Freestyle. The motion-capture data allowed designers to build individual players from the ground up, as single data points morphed into wire-frame figures, which were then shaded and textured to produce amazing player reproductions The result is a fluid, seamless reproduction of life on a real basketball court, where all 10 players work both independently and in conjunction with each other to produce dynamic and intelligent offensive and defensive play.

Recruit the top free agents and import your top college players to build a powerhouse dynasty in a revamped Dynasty Mode. Run your franchise your way and build the perennial NBA champion. Online, you can go head-to-head against the best ballers in the country, now with deeper stat tracking so you can rate your game. (EA SPORTS Online service is available only in North America and Korea for the PlayStation2 console and in North America for PC-CD.)

Product Description

Step up your game with NBA LIVE 2004. With expanded EA SPORTS Freestyle Control, authentic gameplay, and stunning graphics, NBA LIVE 2004 delivers the definitive basketball experience.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FINALLY, A GOOD NBA LIVE GAME..., October 20, 2003

By 

D.L. "generasian" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: NBA Live 2004 (Video Game)

Against my better judgment, I went out and purchased NBA Live 2004 after swearing off the franchise after last year's debacle. Though I loved the hyped Freestyle Control, I found 2003 to be incredibly frustrating for it's emphasis on arcade-like game play that allowed the opponent to score at will. But like a battered wife, I eventually found myself coming back, hoping that things would change for the better. I'm happy to say that NBA Live 2004 is light years ahead of it's predecessor.

Two major gripes I had with last year's version were the opponent's high shooting percentages and their ability to almost always snag the offensive rebound. Not only are these two issues fixed in this year's edition, the entire game play engine has been overhauled as well. Based on the "All-Star" difficulty setting, which is geared towards more experienced Live players, the opponent's defense is stingy and tough as nails. The Freestyle Control, which made it easy to breeze past defenders to the basket through a series of jukes and cross-overs, is not as effective, though it sure is pretty to watch. It's refreshing to have to work for a score. To do so, the emphasis must now be on setting picks and using motion to free a player for an open shot. Thankfully, EA has implemented a few tools that you can use at your disposal. A new feature this year allows you to control a player without the ball. Once you feel that you're open or have a clear path to the basket, you can call for the ball and go for the shot. Furthermore, EA has now implemented a control scheme in which you can either choose to go for a jump shot or a dunk. I guess they were tired of the complaints about the two foot jump shot from the basket. In addition to the new dunk and jump shot buttons, you can now alter your shot if you feel that it is about to be stuffed. For instance, say that you're driving down the lane, hell-bent on dunking the ball in your opponent's face. However, you notice that another defender has shifted over so that now you're facing a two on one challenge at the hole. By pressing the dunk button and then quickly tapping it again, your dunk now becomes a sweeping lay-up, a la Jordon around Sam Perkins in the '92 Finals. Sweet... Also, a welcomed addition to this year's game is the hop step, or traveling according to basketball purists. Regardless, by pressing the Y button when facing an opponent, your player will now "hop" towards the basket to free himself for an open jumper or a dunk. The closer you are to the basket, the better chance the move will be more effective. I also noticed that for some players, the move is much more effective than for others. While playing as the Houston Rockets, I found that it was harder for Yao Ming to pull off the hop step as opposed to Steve Franchise. Thankfully, you can't overly abuse this move since it hardly guarantees a score. It just allows you more breathing room to get a shot off.

Rebounding. This has been a thorn in the Live series for as long as I can remember. I don't know how many times when my man was about to snag a rebound when the ball magically teleported to the hands of an opposing player. It took almost a decade, but I'm glad EA has finally fixed this problem that oh, so haunted past games like the angry ghosts in Poltergeist. By pressing the jump button on defense, I'm happy to report that the ball will most likely be rebounded depending on the position on the player and the timing of the jump. I could never figure out why this concept seemed so difficult for past developers. Granted, the computer will occasionally snag the offensive rebound, but it is less often than before.

Graphically, NBA Live 2004 is visually impressive, especially on the XBOX. The colors are vibrant and the player models are smooth and detailed just enough to distinguish one from the other. However, they are still too cartoonish-looking, with large heads, hands and feet. If Sega can realistically render it's players in their upcoming ESPN NBA Basketball down to the pimple, I don't know why EA can't either. I also miss some of the in-game cut scenes that were prevalent in 2003. They captured the fun and essence of an NBA game, but are sorely absent in this year's version. So far, I've only noticed one which happened during time-outs when the players converged around the coach. Also, EA finally took the effort to model the stadiums based on their real life counterparts. Gone are those generic courts that seemed indistinguishable from the other. Unfortunately, the game suffers from serious frame rate issues from time to time. I have yet to play the game on other camera settings than the press box view so I don't know if that has an affect. If not, then EA's quality assurance team should be fired.

After NBA 2k3 unofficially won the title as best basketball game last year, the ball was in EA's court to face up to the challenge. I'm relieved to say that they have. By overhauling the game play engine, serious issues such as rampant scoring and offensive rebounding swayed towards the opponent's favor have been fixed. NBA Live 2004 now feels like a real basketball game. The flashiness has been toned down with the emphasis more on defense and basic fundamentals. One can only hope that this is the benchmark for future Live games.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Play it for a while and you will learn to apreciate it a lot, November 4, 2003

By 

Michael Jenkins "jenkx00" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NBA Live 2004 (Video Game)

I hope that EA reads these reviews and hears from those who actually play the games. This is one of the better basketball games I have played. When I first turned it on and started to play I was a little disappointed because the player models had changed. I like the player models from last year's game better. These models are not bad but they are small. I liked the right joystick action better in last year's game. I could actually do a real crossover instead of just changing hands. I do like the addition of the hop step. I do that a lot when I play ball. It can really help you go strong to the rim. The game flow in this years version is more like pro basket ball. It is advantageous to run plays, exploit mismatches, and pass the ball to beat the defense. This game is no dunk-fest like last year. You actually have to think about and use every part of your basket ball skills and I.Q. I like that about the game. I love the arenas that are true to each city. It gives you the feeling of really being on the road and playing in front of fans that hate your team. It also feels good to have a home game in an arena that you are familiar with even though they are just eye candy and have nothing to do with the game play. I also like that the computer now runs fast breaks and will take the ball to the hole on a steal. I'm glad that a small guard will not block the shot of a7 footer like in the previous versions of the game.

I still hate the fact the computer can still catch up with you and prevent your progress to the basket when you have a few steps on a fast break. I also like that the stars on the A.I. controlled teams step up and do the scoring. What really sucks is that there are way too many missed lay-ups. You can have a seven footer right under the rim and he will miss the stinking lay-up...consistently. That is unrealistic. I also hate that after a shot or a missed lay-up it takes the player a couple of seconds to recuperate instead of going back up and trying for a tip or a rebound. And why does my player bounce back 10 feet when I try to dribble past a guy and he blocks my path. That is unrealistic. Hope EA fixes these things in next year's game. To bad you can't install a patch on the PSX2 like you can on a computer. The franchise mode is fun. This it it is better than it ever has been before. I hope that next year it will be as deep as Madden.

I know that I sound a little negative but I do like the game. I am a professional that likes to play sports games and if this is a simulation make is as similar to the real thing as possible. it is just a matter of programing the game to do whatever it should do. All-in-all I enjoy this game and will play it till I get board with it like anything else. Right now I rush home to play it because I love Basketball and I am competitive. If you like the statigy of basketball you will like this game a lot. If you just like to run and gun you can adjust the sliders and you will love this game too.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars EA, why has thou forsaken me?, October 22, 2003

By 

Mike Mendez (Huntington Beach CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: NBA Live 2004 (Video Game)

First off, I love EA, all their games and LIVE up until now. In fact, I thought that Live 2003 was so good, it renewed my love of basketball and got me back into a sport I missed for so long. And with everyone talking about the improvements over 2003, I knew I had to get 2004.
Now before I verbally tear this game to shreds, let me start off with some of the highlights of it. Ummm... well I guess the Dynasty mode is a little better. It can store records now, like College football and even gives you Player and rookie of the months awards. But if it isn't your player, then who cares? Training mode is cool, but it would be better if you could run the drills yourself like Madden. NBA Store is cool, if you like wearing old school Jordans, and I do. And realistically, the Lakers have a powerhouse team and LeBron James isn't as good as you think he should be.
Alright, I can't hold it back anymore. This game SUCKS! Freestyle control got worse, not better, for now it's even far more limited on defense. The players don't get down and into the opponent's face, they just put an arm up. Offensively, when you crossover, you don't cut and change direction like in 2003. You crossover left and keep going right. The passing game is a joke. They must have gone to the Magic Johnson school of passing. No more chest pass or bounce pass here, just no looks, behind the backs and ridiculous over the shoulder passes. And this seriously limits your transition game. They won't catch it on the run anymore, they stop, jump and give the D time to catch up. And if they are wide open, they turn around to catch it. I saw Ray Allen on a fast break in the space of ten feet and two seconds, run into the key, stop, turn around 180 degress, catch the ball, turn back around, take two steps and dunk it. I love Ray Allen, he played Jesus, but no way. And taking my crossover button away and making it a lay up button? Who thought this would be good? Graphically, the characters are much smaller and look, quite frankly likes Sega players. The music sucks, about half the songs as last year and they were scraping the bottom of the barrel with artists. I'm glad they didn't out in a free CD, I'd have thrown it away. GM is hard because as you trade players, it won't tell you how many years they have left. So when you trade off your point guard and a draft pick for Mike Finley, you'll be mad when he's only got a year left. Those cut scenes that I liked are gone, so sad. Marv and Mike are good, but pretty dry, they never give to fired up and Marv never even says YES! Too bad Corso and Herbie only do college football. And my t-meter is now some weird optical illusion on the backboard. What geek thought of this?
But the worse thing has to be the fact that EA has made basketball a CONTACT sport. No more moving around players, through players to score, no no. Everyone is equipped with velcro and will be sticking to each other at all times. It frustrating on offense, because whenever you get touched, it throws you off so bad, you have to start over. No more quick passes into the paint or isolation plays from the top of the key. One man touches you and you have to start the sequence over. And herein also lies the new Freestyle Air, which will change your dunk into a lay up should someone make contact with you. Like other improvements before it, you must either master this or watch your shooting percentage go to hell. If you don't change to a lay up with contact, you'll miss the shot, but the players are so small, you cannot see if contact is made. And if it is and you don't, you won't. Get it? Me neither.
Remember how one things comes into play and you have to adjust the whole way you play to win? You are going to have to rethink your whole attitude about basketball to win at this one. EA took my favorite basketball game ever, yes better than Arch Rivals, and traded in the feel of it for some Air Jordans?! WTF? I wouldn't wish this travesty upon anyone. Luckily, you can buy 2003 for about...bucks now. I gonna play this some more. Why? Because I dropped...bucks on it!!

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