NBA Live 14
- November 19, 2013
- EA Tiburon
NBA Live 2014 marks EA’s return to the basketball sim, but there’s little reason to play it when NBA 2K14 exists.
NBA LIVE 14 delivers the ultimate on court control, combining the art of basketball with the science of next generation technology. bounceTek, fueled by next-gen visual fidelity and up to 8x the processing power, unlocks a revolutionary new, physics-based dribbling system. Players perform more like their real-life counterparts than ever before, informed by 70+ stats and tendencies, updated not mon…
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Reviews
- The game features a solid ESPN presentation with engaging halftime and postgame shows, enhancing the overall experience.
- Gameplay has improved with updates, offering enjoyable mechanics and a variety of modes like Ultimate Team and Rising Star.
- Many players find the game fun and appreciate its potential for future improvements, especially given its lower price point compared to competitors.
- Graphics and animations are often criticized as outdated, resembling a PS3 launch title rather than a next-gen game.
- Gameplay can feel sluggish and unresponsive, with issues like poor AI movement and awkward shooting mechanics detracting from the experience.
- The lack of tutorials and editing options frustrates players, making it difficult to learn controls and customize their experience.
- graphics41 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of NBA Live 14 have received largely negative feedback, with many players noting that they fall short of expectations for a next-gen title, often comparing them unfavorably to its competitor, NBA 2K14. While some improvements have been made since the demo, the visuals are described as lacking crispness and realism, resembling older console graphics rather than a modern gaming experience. Overall, players express disappointment in the graphical quality, calling it cartoonish and outdated, and hope for future updates to enhance the visual experience.
“The player movement and graphics are much improved over the demo.”
“I downloaded another patch and more player animations were added and again the graphics and gameplay have been upgraded.”
“The graphics look great as well.”
“Players look just fair; if you Google NBA Live 06 graphics, the player models in Live 06 actually look better than NBA Live 14!”
“The physics and graphics of this game could be compared to a PS3 launch title.”
“Graphically, the game is well below the level of the competition and arguably doesn't even look like a next-gen game.”
- gameplay31 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many players noting sluggish controls, poor animations, and limited camera angles that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the daily updates and certain mechanics like bouncetek dribbling, the game is often compared unfavorably to its competitor, NBA 2K, particularly in terms of graphics and responsiveness. Overall, players express disappointment with the current state of gameplay, citing it as feeling unfinished and in need of significant improvement.
“The live feature where you get to recreate games from the past few days and the updated ratings make gameplay more interesting.”
“Solely focusing on the gameplay aspects here, NBA Live is back, but is shown as a rookie that's fundamentally very raw, but has a great potential upside if developed and nurtured right.”
“To see the dynamic player skill and tendency updates happen daily, this helps with refreshing the gameplay experience daily, so you get a nice variety as a user for each gaming experience.”
“The gameplay is sluggish and unresponsive.”
“Gameplay is rough in spots, animations archaic, outside shooting difficult to get the hang of, and responses to button presses sluggish (passes especially are too slow to go).”
“The gameplay is terrible, compared to NBA 2K14 which is a beautiful game and has unbelievable players.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its RPG elements, particularly in the 2K series, but it lacks depth and innovation after the rookie season, leading to a sense of stagnation. Additionally, there are concerns about the game's pricing in relation to its narrative content.
“2K's storyline adds a great RPG feel to the game, but offers nothing new after completing your rookie season.”
“If EA charged $29 or $35 for this game, it would be a different story.”
- music2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's soundtrack is highly praised, with many users noting it significantly surpasses that of competing titles like 2K. However, some feel the crowd sounds are somewhat generic, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The soundtrack in this game is absolutely phenomenal; it completely surpasses that of 2K's.”
“For those who value a game's soundtrack, this one is a standout and truly elevates the overall experience.”
“The music in this game is impressive and adds a unique layer that enhances the gameplay.”
“The crowd does seem a bit generic, though. This leads me to the next thing: the soundtrack. I know very few people use this to rank a game, but for those who do, this game's soundtrack blows away 2K's.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game, particularly in modes like Ultimate Team, where amusing situations arise, such as referees overlooking violations, adding a lighthearted and entertaining element to the gameplay.
“I tried out a mode called Ultimate Team, and that was hilarious.”
“The funny thing is, the ref does not call them for the violation!”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is considered acceptable, though some users feel that earlier versions of the game (Live 07, 08, 09, and 10) provided a smoother experience.
“The atmosphere is okay, but I actually think Live 07, 08, 09, and 10 played smoother than this.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game is criticized for feeling exploitative, particularly due to its virtual currency (VC) system, which many users perceive as a cash grab by the developers.
“2K feels like a cash grab with its VC system.”
“The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of player defensive control is criticized for being inadequate, as players frequently lose their positioning and fail to effectively challenge opponents, often only attempting to recover after a shot is already in progress. This results in a frustrating experience for players seeking reliable defensive mechanics.
“When it comes to player defensive control, its limited presence in the game is very mediocre in performance, as players will give up their position 80% of the time and allow the ball handler a direct lane to the basket. They only attempt a pointless defensive recovery well after the player is about to release their intended jumpshot or layup, or follow through on their dunk.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for clunky animations and physics, frequent glitches during challenges, and an overall impression that it feels incomplete or half-built.
“Clunky animations and physics, lots of glitches in challenges.”
“The game feels half-built, especially in the rising star mode.”
“There are frequent crashes and stability issues that ruin the experience.”
