Graphically, EA Sport's NBA Live 2001 is smooth and detailed. For the players to arenas, everything is lifelike. However, NBA Live is not the jaw dropper that NBA 2K was. Very nicely detailed, lack the distinguishing characteristics, which NBA 2K has, though the players. The likes of players'tattoos and hairstyles, free throw mannerisms…things that went beyond, and made the players real. Also, unlike NBA 2K, players don't show any emotions (smiling or looking angry when dunking, bench players reacting to the state the game play), which takes beyond the games atmosphere. Once again, as with all EA Sport's games thus far, are flat the crowds. They're not very lively, which hurts the game, taking away from home/away atmosphere,. That's what's worse. Last, the camera angles, specially the default, side view is absolutely not too friendly. It's very hard to distinguish the depth/position through the players on opposite baseline. This can be fixed by changing to the more playable NBA 2K camera style, however.
Now, let's see precisely what the PS2 does with it's superior sound f/x. Right from the bat…well you notice nothing new. At the end, you find nothing new. It's seems and definitely feels like EA does nothing to make use of the PS2 more powerful hardware when it comes to sound f/x. The commentary totally is very much the exact exact replica for its predecessor, NBA 2000. The crowds are dead, rarely can they chant, and if they certainly do, it's unlike NBA 2K, from reacting to game situations.
The single thing that NBA 2K lacked, in comparison with EA Sport's NBA Live series so far, was as it stumbled on options. This still holds true. NBA Live is packed with options…exhibition, season and playoff 3 pt. Shootout, 1-on-1 with Michael Jordan, Practice, NBA Draft…Unfortunately for PS2, and particularly all the die hard sports fans which stayed loyal to Sony and didn't order a Dreamcast, EA's NBA Live 2001 falls short in comparison to NBA 2K series in all of issues with game play.
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First, let's start out with A.I. Only stupid, retarded, and dimwitted come to mind, even though i'm trying to be as nice as possible. Because the CPU players are totally unreactive to any game situations, maybe comatose or dead would be a better representation. In lowest difficulty, a faster player can blow right beyond the slower defender and dunk or lay-up without having the defenders by the paint react. The defenders don't even react late. They only remain still, like mannequins, only addressing their counterpart in the opposing team. As you increase the difficulty, the only thing that happens, is the CPU players become faster and quicker, and they seem to double and triple team the ball handler all the time. Now, you can't just zoom past them, forcing anyone to pass to 2 or 3 wide-open players. From this situation, it's seems easy and logical to pass to the open players for an easy basket, but it seems that the players move faster then the ball. 2 or 3 defenders enclose the player even before he receives the pass, as you pass to the open player. As far as offense goes, as difficulty increases, the CPU shooting % raises greatly. This is not because they play better, or smarter now. They merely shoot a much higher percentage. Whether they're covered or wide open, it really doesn't matter, they simply make more baskets. This too goes for Free Throws…when one has Shaq going 8-8 at stake, you comprehend something isn't right. Having said that, you miss more shots, again, whether open or covered doesn't matter. Repeatedly I have missed fast break lay-ups and dunks, not once in a while, but often 3 times a game. This is not just stupid, but totally hurts the overall game, taking away from its realism (whatever little it may possibly have).
Next, let's evaluate playing the game itself. First, all players have the same special cross over move, but so did the 1st NBA 2K. Also, like NBA 2K, you have some control, calling picks, double teams, ally hoops, etc. You can even have the easy 1-button directional passing option. Alternatively, pass to a specific player. The only problem with passing to a specific player is that, unlike NBA 2K, the players specific button passing is not static, always changing from X to O to Square…First, this makes it harder to use that option, b/c you have to look to see what button a specific player is first, before you make that pass. Secondly, and most importantly, it may take from the flow through the game. Another lacking aspect of the game is the post-up move, or lack there of. You can't back down the defender, or do any special move like a hook, although in NBA Live you can post up. All you can do is turn your back, and then a turn around shot, which happens to be pretty weak, and rather useless option. Last, and perhaps the worst facet of game play, the fast break dunk/lay-up. For a bit of unknown reason, EA Sport's has it in order that you can't use turbo to move up and execute a dunk. Have to release turbo, before attempting a dunk, although that is, you can use the turbo to run to. If anyone played the game, they would realize that once again, the flow of the game would stop, although maybe they didn't realize this.
I couldn't believe my eyes, once i saw your next flaw inside your game. Concerning Free Throws, it appears the any time you foul a player, the 3 players closest to the basket are the types placed at stake to rebound. This might seem funny, but when you repeatedly have Damon Stoudamire standing where a Center should be, next to Shaq or David Robinson, you know your in trouble. If you stand right outside the paint, the rebounding in general is a farce…you seem to have the best chance of rebounding. Evidently by having your players box out, it only helps players boxed beyond the paint to rebound.
Just because I got tired of wasting my time playing this sorry excuse for a basketball game, there are probably a lot more things wrong with the game that I haven't mentioned or realized yet. For the hard-core sports fan, this can't be termed as a Sim. I can't believe they would hurt their name and reputation but releasing something like this, although i know that EA, just like everybody else has been hurting from the stock market. In wrapping up, Michael Jordan's presence can't even help this game, and if he had played NBA Live 2001, he would probably have refused to be associated with such a joke.
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