NBA Live 06 (X360)
Published by: Electronic Arts
Developed by: EA Canada
Genre: Sports
Release Date
US: Unreleased
E3 2005: NBA Live 06 Impressions
Hands-on EA's new basketball game from behind closed doors.
by Jon Robinson
http://sports.ign.com/articles/616/616015p1.html
May 18, 2005 - Sweat drips down the neck and back of Ray Allen as he steps to the line. It's a tie game against the Pistons with no time left. Allen just grabbed a rebound moments earlier and followed the miss with a thunderous two handed jam that knocked Big Ben Wallace down to the floor.
And one.
This is when the Xbox 360 controller was handed to me to check out the all-new free throw shooting mechanics. Using the right analog stick, you now have to use a fluid stroke, almost a Tiger Woods-like swing, to knock down the game-winning shot.
Pull back to raise the ball up, push forward for the release.
A simple and fun way to move free throw shooting past the simple button press, and a great way to make you feel the pressure of sinking a game winner.
Hit the shot, and your team mobs you in celebration. Miss, and you'll see the frustration of teammates at your horrible choke.
NBA Live 06 simply looks amazing, from the court to the tats to the freckles on Tayshaun's face. For the first time in the series, you can actually tell the different body types of players beyond mere height. Now you can see the skinny nature of Luke Ridnour and the muscles of Jerome James. There are no more feet sliding across the floor, no more skating on hardwood as the athletes run, jump, and hit the floor with the fluidity of their real-life NBA counterparts.
And to top it off, nothing from the current gen game will be ported over. Sure, you can still expect to see freestyle moves, but it will all work in context with the new AI written from scratch, the new presentation and graphics system, and the new way EA hopes to make every character more human.
And from the way things are looking, from the way Rashard Lewis' wrist bends after a shot, to the way Rashard brings the ball up with one hand, then circles it back down to start his dribble, to the full 3D crowds cheering your every move, I have never seen a more human-element brought to an NBA videogame.
In fact, we could be looking at the most impressive sports game of E3.
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