How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Talk about NBA Live 18 here.

What score out of ten would you give to NBA Live 18?

10
0
No votes
9
0
No votes
8
6
38%
7
4
25%
6
3
19%
5
1
6%
4
1
6%
3
0
No votes
2
0
No votes
1
1
6%
 
Total votes : 16

How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Fri Dec 15, 2017 7:08 pm

After a couple of months and all the patches so far, what score would you give to NBA Live 18?
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Dee4Three on Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:54 am

Graphics: 5 (No large heads, better lighting)
Gameplay: 3 (Can't fully get over the input lag, robotic movements)
Presentation: 7
Depth: 3 (Added WNBA, later added basic roster editing, but still no multi-user Dynasty, no classic players in regular roster)
Ethics: 7

Overall: 5.0

I tried to change my vote (I put in a 4.0). But either way, It's a step in the right direction for Live.

I grade hard.....
"I don't know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody - somewhere - was practicing more than me." - Larry Bird

Check out my YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHJXrqit8Dc6HBY5P6EmAA


Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/Dee4Three84
User avatar
Dee4Three
NLSC Team Member
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 9673
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:34 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby ThaLiveKing on Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:19 pm

Dee4Three wrote:Graphics: 5 (No large heads, better lighting)
Gameplay: 3 (Can't fully get over the input lag, robotic movements)
Presentation: 7
Depth: 3 (Added WNBA, later added basic roster editing, but still no multi-user Dynasty, no classic players in regular roster)
Ethics: 7

Overall: 5.0

I tried to change my vote (I put in a 4.0). But either way, It's a step in the right direction for Live.

I grade hard.....


Game play a 3??? LOL....Man you're straight trolling
User avatar
ThaLiveKing
 
Posts: 2459
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:17 am
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:14 pm

Graphics: 8 (Honestly, kind of underrated. Some great player faces and textures in general. Still some work to do with the lighting and some models.)
Offline Gameplay: 7 (Not as realistic as I would like, and still room for improvement, but more fluid than its predecessors. Generally enjoyable, not as many frustrating moments.)
Online Gameplay: 6 (More or less the same as offline gameplay, but it's unusually laggy compared to previous games and NBA 2K18, so a point off for that.)
Physics: 6 (Players definitely have a presence, but there's still not quite enough physicality in the paint. There's clipping, but it doesn't have a big impact on gameplay.)
Animations: 6 (There are some really nice ones, especially blocks and dunks. Still too many stiff and awkward ones though, and some that don't look right at normal speed.)
Depth of Modes: 5 (What's available is serviceable and reasonably solid, but this is still a weakness for NBA Live. A bit of variety though, especially with LIVE Events and the like.)
The One Story: 7 (I'd rather not have a story at all, but it's straightforward and generally not intrusive. It's nothing special, but it's handled well, and that's the main thing.)
User Interface: 8 (Menus are fine and visually appealing. There seems to be a weird issue where I'll quickly skip over an option or tile, but otherwise, no problems.)
Presentation: 9 (ESPN presentation is on point, and the regular season/Playoffs/Finals settings are great. Commentary is a bit dry though, and needs to be updated with new lines.)
Rosters: 4 (The official updates should be a little more frequent, though it's great we have roster editing now. New aspects such as two-way players aren't accounted for, so there's work to be done.)
Fairness: 8 (Not too many cheap or canned moments. The AI can get to the rim a little easier than it should due to lack of physicality, but then so can the user. That needs to be better, but as it stands, it is fair.)
Ethics: 9 (EA may have a bad rep as a company, but they've done a great job with NBA Live 18. Lots of new content added already, no pay-to-win for The One, and good amount of goodwill all around.)
Music: 5 (Never a big deal for me, though I feel there are less catchy/memorable tunes this time around. Doesn't ruin the game or anything, but for what it's worth, it's so-so.)
Fun Factor: 7 (Gameplay is generally fun and could score an 8, but the lack of depth in the modes brings it down a little for me. Games don't feel like a chore, though.)

Overall: 6.8

That's an average of the above scores, and probably about how I'd score the game without breaking it down; somewhere in the 6-7 range, maybe closer to a 6.5 to split the difference. To get up to an 8-9, there needs to be further polish to the gameplay (animations, strategy and realism, and overall feel) and a lot more depth in the modes, but NBA Live 18 feels like it's on the right track. In terms of delivering an enjoyable experience, even without some of the depth to the modes, it's easily the best NBA Live game since the reboot, and not too shabby compared to the best NBA Live games of the past, either. There is still room for improvement, still work to be done, but it's a big step forward. I don't feel the same disappointment or regression as I do with NBA 2K18, nor the same frustration. NBA 2K18 is the more well-rounded product and definitely does certain things better, but in terms of the design choices and feeling fun to play with little frustration and annoyance, NBA Live 18 holds its own. On its own merits, I'm definitely inclined to give it a modestly favourable score.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Dee4Three on Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:12 am

ThaLiveKing wrote:
Dee4Three wrote:Graphics: 5 (No large heads, better lighting)
Gameplay: 3 (Can't fully get over the input lag, robotic movements)
Presentation: 7
Depth: 3 (Added WNBA, later added basic roster editing, but still no multi-user Dynasty, no classic players in regular roster)
Ethics: 7

Overall: 5.0

I tried to change my vote (I put in a 4.0). But either way, It's a step in the right direction for Live.

I grade hard.....


Game play a 3??? LOL....Man you're straight trolling


The input lag, the robotic movement that still feels and looks off, the crazy make-ability of double and triple teamed shots around the basket, the lack of animations (same damn reverse layup constantly whether a big or a guard), the lack of size ups (lack of authenticity), rocket dunks that still are apparent, being forced into drives 10-13 feet from the basket when you want to pull up etc.

I rated this game 1.4 higher than NBA 2K18, so no I am not trolling. That's the way I feel about the gameplay. That is my honest opinion, for all the reasons I stated above. If they can smooth out the game, add a little more authenticity, make the game more reactive, give the game more of a repetoire animation wise, it will be a much higher rating gameplay wise.

Keep in mind, I am not even playing NBA 2K18, I have actually played Live 18 more this year.

I look forward to Live 19, trust me. I have faith especially after the roster editing patch.
"I don't know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody - somewhere - was practicing more than me." - Larry Bird

Check out my YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHJXrqit8Dc6HBY5P6EmAA


Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/Dee4Three84
User avatar
Dee4Three
NLSC Team Member
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 9673
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:34 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby ThaLiveKing on Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:01 am

Still, no way game play is a 3/10
User avatar
ThaLiveKing
 
Posts: 2459
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:17 am
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Dee4Three on Sun Dec 17, 2017 5:31 am

ThaLiveKing wrote:Still, no way game play is a 3/10


It is for me. It doesn't have to be for you. It's clear that I have my reasons for that rating.

I have a feeling that EA is really moving in the right direction though, and I'm really excited for Live 19. If it gets Frostbite engine, the game will look insane.
"I don't know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody - somewhere - was practicing more than me." - Larry Bird

Check out my YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHJXrqit8Dc6HBY5P6EmAA


Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/Dee4Three84
User avatar
Dee4Three
NLSC Team Member
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 9673
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:34 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:00 am

I'm not banking on the game moving to Frostbite for NBA Live 19. Possibly the year after, if I had to hazard a guess. That's purely me speculating, though.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Stress Fracture on Tue Dec 26, 2017 1:00 am

8 so far. A few games in, when a player posts up, it’s an automatic score for them, even with a defender contesting it.

Also, can they fix the players’ appearance? Some players don’t look lile themselves.
benji wrote:LeBron is such a choker. And people were talking about him as an all-time great. As having possibly surpassed Kobe. What a joke.

velvet bliss wrote:Andrew, you the real MVP.

Andrew wrote:He who flops and flails to the Finals and a title, flops and flails best.
Stress Fracture
 
Posts: 2949
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:03 pm

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Tue Dec 26, 2017 1:35 am

They can push through new player artwork, and I believe they are taking feedback on that.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Murat on Sat Jan 06, 2018 6:18 am

Why do people still play 2K18, if Live is better? EA has to take the attention of mainstream players too.
Murat
Contributor
Contributor
 
Posts: 6457
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:07 am
Location: US/East Coast

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby [Q] on Sat Jan 06, 2018 6:35 am

Because playing 2K is the cool or popular thing to do. People would rather follow the crowd than give something else a try
Image
User avatar
[Q]
NBA Live 18 Advocate
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 14396
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 8:20 am
Location: Westside, the best side

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby RayRay_953 on Sat Jan 06, 2018 6:56 am

That's something I don't appreciate from the 2K player base. At this point, it's not just Live, but practically any other game mentioned at this point gets put down by them. They complain about the graphics being subpar in Live, but look at 2K18; the players have larger heads than in real life (Live actually has more accurate head sizes), the crowd is like a bunch of zombies, as well as the arenas being too dark. It's almost like the Jordan vs Jordan Gatorade commercial dark.

A majority of the legends in Live, minus some skintone issues (Richmond being to light, English being too dark, etc.) look better than they do in 2K18. It feels that since 2K saw themselves so high and mighty that they didn't even need to try with the legends' appearances (not to mention big heads all over the place).

Live 18 gets an 8.0 from me. It's a huge improvement from the past three Live games, and it shows that EA is actually making an attempt to improve their game, instead of letting pay to win mechanics sidetrack them and butchering previous installments, as well as deleting non-bias reviews.
User avatar
RayRay_953
 
Posts: 870
Joined: Tue May 19, 2015 5:11 am

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Sat Jan 06, 2018 11:28 am

Agreed. There are a lot of people who are simply unwilling to give Live a try, or give credit where it's due for the improvements it's made. A lot of people are very invested in the 2K brand as well, and because it's "their brand", they'll defend it to the hilt and bash everything else, even if it's not a basketball game.

I recently saw a couple of posts on the NBA 2K Facebook page that sum up that toxic attitude. One person said NBA Live was garbage because the gameplay was too slow, while another person agreed but said the game was too fast and like NBA Jam (which suggests they've never actually played NBA Jam). Now, there are aspects of NBA Live 18's gameplay and whatnot that need improvement, but both of those statements can't be simultaneously true and accurate. I mean, if you're going to critique the game, by all means critique it, but actually decide what the problem is first!
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby RayRay_953 on Sat Jan 06, 2018 1:41 pm

Wow. One person complaining that the game was too slow, then another who said it was too fast. From the sounds of it, neither of those two people are not real basketball fans, since basketball is naturally a fast-paced sport. It also doesn't help the 2K fanbase when they themselves are split on how they see the franchise. You have the side that wants to focus on the actual gameplay and content put in the game, while the other side only cares about The Playground, and plagued non-playground videos with comments like, "nobody plays this game for quickplay lol", and "nobody gives a s*** about all-time teams, just give us park already"

Unfortunately, I have a friend who plays Playground a lot, and while I have to respect what he plays, every time I mention flaws about 2K18 (while acknowledging and admitting the flaws that Live 18 has), he goes ahead and says "2K18 is still the better game." I gave 2K18 a chance, and was not pleased with what I played with, especially since I have modded 2K17 on PC. On top of that, Live 18's demo gave a better impression on what was to be expected, but the updates later improved aspects to the game, the opposite what 2K can do. With The Prelude, all it was, was three games with your created player (who you couldn't even upgrade attributes), and once you completed said three games, you couldn't play it anymore without a save exploit. In Live 18's demo, they had challenges where you could compete against Youtubers like LSK, Chris Smoove, and JesserTheLazer, as well as upgradable attributes, and the 2017 Finals teams (with the Celtics and Rockets added later on) playable with 5 minute quarters.

tldr; Live 18's demo gave a more positive impression on what the game would become like, compared to 2K18
User avatar
RayRay_953
 
Posts: 870
Joined: Tue May 19, 2015 5:11 am

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:31 pm

Ah yes, that's a problematic attitude in a lot of fanbases: "Only the things I care about matter", and "only my opinion matters". We see it a lot amongst basketball gamers, unfortunately. Again, it's just trying to justify their choice or "brand" as being correct and definitive. Hopefully it's something that most people will grow out of, but it's kind of a reflection of a me-first society where we too easily forget that everyone else has the same rights we do, which includes having a difference of opinion. We also tend to overlook that the most respectable opinions can be backed up by facts and reasonable arguments.

But I digress.

The depth of NBA 2K's modes - which is something I hope NBA Live does continue to strive for, in its own ways - does mean that people have very different takes on the game. For example, anyone who plays MyLEAGUE, or even MyTEAM (with its MT), where you can feasibly ignore the situation with VC, may not take the same issue with NBA 2K18 as people who play MyCAREER and the connected modes. Some will therefore dismiss the complaints about VC gouging and call the people making those complaints whiners, butthurt crybabies, or whatever. Again, it comes back to the attitude of "not my problem, therefore not actually a problem". That aside though, you can see how some people would have a more positive or negative impression based on their mode of choice, because the gameplay experience does differ to some extent depending on the mode you're playing.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby StyxTx on Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:47 am

I gave it a 5. This is based on about 2 months ago. I haven't played the game in 2 months so I have no idea how the game play is with the updates since then.

The over-emphasis on the inside game, lack of in-game injuries in played out games (which isn't realistic and I find it amazing that such a basic thing isn't there), the lack of individual team styles of play are negatives to me. Also, I find it too easy to drive the basket, as I did in the last version.

I do like the player upgrade system and the fact you earn a decent amount of SP's or whatever they're called, to be able to upgrade the player at a decent rate without having to grind in gyms or whatever to earn more points. And the biggest plus of all is I don't need to spend real money on VC. Also, the way EA listens to the user base with it's updates.
Last edited by StyxTx on Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:59 am, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
StyxTx
 
Posts: 442
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2015 12:54 pm
Location: Victoria, Tx

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Dee4Three on Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:49 am

I get this comment quite a bit, and it's very telling.

"Isn't Live ass?" Or "isn't Live garbage".

Because if you think about that question, it means that the people who are asking it literally are going by what they are hearing, or by what they see in a comment section, or what a friend may have told them. It's based ZERO on actual hands on experience. It's basically like not trying a food because someone said they didn't like it, how do you know you won't just because they don't like it? Do we all have the same taste buds?

I don't like either game much this year, but for me 2K18 is flat out unplayable, which is why I gave the edge to Live in rating it. But, I've always given Live a chance every year (I buy it every year), because I'm not going to let someone tell me what I like or don't like, that's up to me.
"I don't know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody - somewhere - was practicing more than me." - Larry Bird

Check out my YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHJXrqit8Dc6HBY5P6EmAA


Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/Dee4Three84
User avatar
Dee4Three
NLSC Team Member
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 9673
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:34 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Andrew on Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:35 am

Dee4Three wrote:I get this comment quite a bit, and it's very telling.

"Isn't Live ass?" Or "isn't Live garbage".

Because if you think about that question, it means that the people who are asking it literally are going by what they are hearing, or by what they see in a comment section, or what a friend may have told them. It's based ZERO on actual hands on experience. It's basically like not trying a food because someone said they didn't like it, how do you know you won't just because they don't like it? Do we all have the same taste buds?


Completely agree, and that's a perfect analogy, too.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby atlwarrior on Sun Jan 07, 2018 4:06 pm

A strong 7! As I mentioned before in the other thread, EA's poor roster editing keeps this game from being as great as it could be. They should really put more effort into their rosters. The visuals are amazing and the animations are getting there. Hopefully the Frostbite engine can help them improve in that department. I like the audio as well but the presentation can improve a litte.
User avatar
atlwarrior
 
Posts: 1316
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 5:04 am
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby The X on Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:39 pm

I only picked up game a few days ago due to frustrations with 2K18.

At this early stage it feels like a 6 (I'd give 2K maybe a 5.5).

I'm interested to see if this game can make the leap for Live '19
User avatar
The X
is
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 11499
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:21 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: How would you rate NBA Live 18?

Postby Kenny on Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:03 pm

I'd give it a 7 overall. Just the WNBA mode alone has been the most fun I've had with a basketball game in years.
User avatar
Kenny
Thon Maker's Biggest Fan.
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 3688
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:37 pm
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Return to NBA Live 18

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests