NBA Live 07 Review

Where Live 06 came to 360 with almost all the best features chopped out compared to the current-gen version, Live 07 goes some way to stuffing the better modes back into the box, but without addressing the majority of problems from last year. So we get the Dynasty mode and NBA All-Star Weekend, complete with the Rookie Challenge, 3-Point Shoot Out and Slam Dunk contest, but each addition is hampered by the shoddy control mechanisms and awful animations.

It's impossible to enjoy the nuances of the sport when the players jerk across the screen and fumble shots, passes and dunks. Wrestling the right stick and button combinations becomes the priority, and context sensitive shots such as dunks and layups don't do as you'd expect when preparing to rock the rim. The right stick - used for freestyle control of the ball - is too sensitive and can see players passing the ball to the crowd instead of team-mates, or practically handing it to the other team. Mapping layups and hop steps to the same button is just asking for trouble and confusion.

Slam dunk YOUR MOMS.

Live 06 often amounted to teams simply taking it in turns to score, but Live 07 isn't as happy to let you do that. Although not that challenging, team-mates do a lot of the tactical thinking on your behalf, driving the lanes and positioning themselves at your call with a tap of the D-pad. Defensively they're not as efficient, struggling to click that it's time to defend, or chasing balls when they'd be better off letting it go. It's not a massive improvement, and it's clear that EA still needs to work on the AI before its NBA series becomes a fair single player experience.

Animation is clumsy and affects gameplay. There's a physics system that theoretically uses momentum to stop players from changing directions in the blink of an eye, but the player can't tell the difference due to choppy animations. Collision between defensive and offensive players happens often, and if not entirely down to poor controls, can still leave the game looking like the Chuckle Brothers have walked onto court.

There are some highlights. Player models are great, they look the part and there are plenty of player-specific moves captured and used within the game. Arenas look nice, but we're not going to get too excited about that. Because when it all begins to roll, with stuttering animation, a lack of flow between moves and clipping issues, it becomes a £50 joke.

It looks better in screenshots, seriously.

And then we have online play, which as you might expect, isn't up to scratch. There are serious lag issues taking the experience into almost unplayable territory. When it does work decently online, a lack of options is yet another sting. The Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shoot Outs, both fine examples of quick multiplayer fun, aren't supported online. Neither is the ability to create leagues. It's just too basic to warrant any serious time or effort.