NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here 360 & PS3

[SXL]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Anybody mention how incredible it is to play defense in this game? I really like the automatic lockdown but even better is the automatic double teams and help defense. Unlike in 2k where it was near impossible to double team and the double teams were stiff, in the Live demo, I can just go near Garnett with Fisher and it goes into an automatic double team animation.

Good point, thats another thing i like.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

2k had team tendencies, so the bucks double team wouldnt work as effective as a Miami double team, you have to raise your defensive pressure, and double teams in 2k really work. Please don't give LIVE props for having broken code. It feels rushed. And clunky

Effective double-teaming means absolutely NOTHING if the floor spacing sucks.

Think about that for a minute...

[btow3]

For you 2kers, coming from a 2k player here are my pros and cons.

Pros:
The new Pick-and-Roll feature is awesome. It might be too easy to pull off.

The blocking and stealing animations look good but the defensive players are more often than not slow off of their feet when the button is pressed.

Shooting is spot on. I love the fading animations you can fluidly fade in almost any direction. Unlike in 2K8 where your player kind of stops sets up and then fades.
The new lay-ups/dunks look more fluid than last year's. No more ******** weird bending knees and floating, referring to Live 08.

The presentation is crazy good. I like the player specific celebrations. The the player models IMO are amazing. They have animated faces after a foul or out of bounds call. My favorite animation is when you knock over someone in the practice gym and when players get up they jaw off and swing their arms.

Cons:
The controls are sticky and are less intuitive than 2k8 IMO. For 2k8 you have the benefit of using ball handling moves on the left directional stick while still being able to control where you want to go. While in Live 09 it's separated onto the sticks.

Passing is messed up. You can never get it to the right person unless you use direct passing which is an extra button press.

Game seems to slow down because of spacing problems. Offense is slower and sometimes I end up doing stuff I don't mean to do. Like when trying to back away from the basket to reset and the defensive player is playing me close I end up bumping with the defender and get sucked into the driving animation.

Defense is difficult sometimes. The animations for trying to pick off a pass or blocking a shot are too slow. Compared to 2K this would be the opposite. In 2K it was too easy to pick off a pass but that's the thing... If a defender can predict the pass they should definitely pick it off or deflect it(if that makes any sense). But the animations have improved over Live 08.

Quickstrike is cool and all but it's too general. All players have the same set of moves and there is no variety in speed between players.

Overall Live 09 is too slow. It tends to slow down enough to see all of the flaws. I hope this is changed before it is released.

Overall I would have a hard decision in choosing between NBA Live 09 and NBA 2K8. Even though I'm a gameplay guy I can see that the presentation is just so much better in Live 09 that it will make me think twice. We'll see what happens when the 2K9 demo comes out.

[SXL]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

The more i play it the more i like it. Im looking forward to this more than 2k right now. (Until the 2k demo comes out lol)

[kwas676]

I think nba 2k9 is gonna be equally impresive as well, its good to have 2 solid games this yr, I can't wait 2 see wht both offer in 2010 I personally feel is gonna be a big year for basketball games, maybe seca will join as well if there not tired of coming in 3 every year.

[Moegames]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

I love how the coaches react on a foul against their team. Anyone else notice this?

Yes i notice that but there needs to be MUCH MUCH More then that in any sports game..im over at madden forums trying to get the dev's to hear me on this. Its so vital to put huge amounts of atmsophere into a sports game..sports games THRIVE on this sort of thing. Think about it when your at home with family and friends watching a NFL or NBA game.. when stuff like that happens in the real game your watching.. it pumps you up just seeing on tv right? Or how when players celebrate after big plays,etc ... along with the pregame stuff, half time stuff, and post time stuff... sports games NEED atmosphere, period and a little dont cut it..they need ALOT OF IT.

Same with the NBA Playoffs in LIVE... madden has this same issue that its Playoff games feel no diffrent then its preseason games...sorry to say this an dim sure you all know what im saying anyways but LIVE hasnt did much on this neither....really, there hasnt been any videogame but NFL2k5 that even tried enhancing the atmosphere for its playoffs and championship games.. this NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED... us gamers what to be rewarded with something when we make it into the playoffs and superbowl, championship games,etc

[MustangMan]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Yes i notice that but there needs to be MUCH MUCH More then that in any sports game..im over at madden forums trying to get the dev's to hear me on this. Its so vital to put huge amounts of atmsophere into a sports game..sports games THRIVE on this sort of thing. Think about it when your at home with family and friends watching a NFL or NBA game.. when stuff like that happens in the real game your watching.. it pumps you up just seeing on tv right? Or how when players celebrate after big plays,etc ... along with the pregame stuff, half time stuff, and post time stuff... sports games NEED atmosphere, period and a little dont cut it..they need ALOT OF IT.

Same with the NBA Playoffs in LIVE... madden has this same issue that its Playoff games feel no diffrent then its preseason games...sorry to say this an dim sure you all know what im saying anyways but LIVE hasnt did much on this neither....really, there hasnt been any videogame but NFL2k5 that even tried enhancing the atmosphere for its playoffs and championship games.. this NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED... us gamers what to be rewarded with something when we make it into the playoffs and superbowl, championship games,etc

Excellent point, there is no difference in nba playoffs in videogames except the floor. Also 2k8 they tend to, in regular season games go tooo crazy at times, instead of in the fourth when it's a tight game.

[©roke]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Anyone played with Player Lock on?

I just did it with Kobe and the flow of the game is ten times better. This makes me think that the weird CPU offensive decisions happen because of my bad defense.

Using one player I can fit better with my man, and the CPU moves the ball around the perimeter searching for a good shot.

In the offensive side, as I don't call the plays, a spot appears in the court, indicating me where I have to stay to start the play.

And all of these to say that Be a Pro mode will be extremely fun. I played a lot of BAP in FIFA 08, and I'm impressed with the same mode in the NHL 09 demo. Very cool idea by EA. Gotta love trying with Rudy Fernandez and some others of my favourites.

[SageInfinite]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Yes i notice that but there needs to be MUCH MUCH More then that in any sports game..im over at madden forums trying to get the dev's to hear me on this. Its so vital to put huge amounts of atmsophere into a sports game..sports games THRIVE on this sort of thing. Think about it when your at home with family and friends watching a NFL or NBA game.. when stuff like that happens in the real game your watching.. it pumps you up just seeing on tv right? Or how when players celebrate after big plays,etc ... along with the pregame stuff, half time stuff, and post time stuff... sports games NEED atmosphere, period and a little dont cut it..they need ALOT OF IT.

Same with the NBA Playoffs in LIVE... madden has this same issue that its Playoff games feel no diffrent then its preseason games...sorry to say this an dim sure you all know what im saying anyways but LIVE hasnt did much on this neither....really, there hasnt been any videogame but NFL2k5 that even tried enhancing the atmosphere for its playoffs and championship games.. this NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED... us gamers what to be rewarded with something when we make it into the playoffs and superbowl, championship games,etc

. EA really needs of heavy dose of this.

[sportsdude]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

I like the demo a lot and I'll probably get the game but my one major complaint is defender jump. I swear I press jump to try to block a shot and about 5 seconds later the guy leaves his feet. Kind of annoying.

[blingballa333]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

I like the demo a lot and I'll probably get the game but my one major complaint is defender jump. I swear I press jump to try to block a shot and about 5 seconds later the guy leaves his feet. Kind of annoying.

I agree whole heartedly. And half the time the player jumps the oppisite direction of the shooter. It seems that the controls are pretty unresponsive and turn me off from this game a bit, BUT, this is game will definitley warrant a purchase this year just for a change of pace to 2k9. I have a $50 Ebay gift card waiting for Live :wink:

[Stumbleweed]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Here's another video that I made last night but forgot to post here. Nothing too special -- just some more gameplay (and I check some Lakers hotspots, so you can see those also) for those fiending because of PSN or whatever.

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My camera was zoomed in a little bit to far, so part of the right side was cut off (like when Kobe got fouled on the deep right corner shot). I'll make another vid tonight probably using the Celtics.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Here's another video that I made last night but forgot to post here. Nothing too special -- just some more gameplay (and I check some Lakers hotspots, so you can see those also) for those fiending because of PSN or whatever.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e2nzu9SN3x4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e2nzu9SN3x4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

My camera was zoomed in a little bit to far, so part of the right side was cut off (like when Kobe got fouled on the deep right corner shot). I'll make another vid tonight probably using the Celtics.

@5:56, first time I've seen the ball spin out of the rim. Very nice!

@Vujacic showing off his And1 dribbling skills.

Nice video.

[23]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Thanks Stumble and I find it amazing neither Chase nor Pared went on in their reviews and QA's about unresponsive shot blocking

[23]

Re: NBA Live 09 Demo Released, Impressions Here (Xbox 360)

Im telling you some of that stuff they have nailed down

That KG mid range shot from the left was SAWEEETTT

Kobe's shooting form and him taking a quick 3 from that exact spot that he always does (and makes sometimes) too looked just like him.

Oh yes, and that rebound KG pulled down and away from someone (radman?)and dunked 2 handed looked like he wanted it more and was also a sweet play