Review: 'NBA Live 2002'

From...

By Dan Elektro

(IDG) -- "NBA Live 2002" makes up for last year's missteps and then some.

The hi-res players look even more like their real-world counterparts, from animated facial expressions right down to authentic shoe styles.

The commentary by Don Poier and Bob Elliott is not only smooth and relaxed, but also fast -- they rarely lag behind the game events. The crowd always emits a steady warble, but erupts naturally when the home team gets hot.

Control is quite sharp (unlike in "2001") and feels instinctive throughout. The game-play finally matches the graphics, and the result is what basketball fans want and need in a PlayStation 2 game.

Graphics

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Accurate shoes and tattoos are just some of the hi-res highlights this year. Player animations are smooth and faces are eerily realistic.

Sound

Natural-sounding commentary and play-by-play mix with an amped crowd and some slow hip-hop beats for a pleasant-sounding package.

Controls

Players all respond sharply and a shooter's touch will be rewarded. The new L2 alley-oop move makes for quicker, easier highlights, too.

Fun Factor

This is what PlayStation 2 basketball should be -- and, some might say, what it should have been last year. But good things come to those who wait, and "Live 2002" is all good.