So I´m back from Cologne and played about 10 games of Live 10 against the CPU and other visitors from GamesCom.
Let me start by saying that I really needed to get used to the new button configuration at first as for example Lock on Defense is set on R1 on PS3 and the pick and roll control was on the circle button. After a few games I got used to the controls and had lots lots of fun.
Presentation
Ok I think you all seen the pre game presentation from the videos that have been captured from cologne so no need to tell you about that. Let me say that the videos out there don’t do the game justice it looks and moves so much better when you actually play it.
There were some sound effects I really liked like the players screaming ooh and aaah after a foul or dunk. Commentators were a little better than last year but nothing to special about them.
The player models look awesome and I would say 90% of the animations do too. Especially walking, sprinting and leaners look incredible. Look at the video from xboxyde I think there you can really see how the game is looking.
Controls
The first thing youll notice is that the players feel a lot heavier than in previous games. You can really feel the momentum and the weight. Player movement was good and you could really run fast breaks that looked fine.
I really got the feeling that there is so much left to learn about that game control wise as you can dribble with R2, left stich and right stick. You can really chain some great moves together. The new size up mechanics worked good against other players (because they kept hammering the steal button) but against the CPU on All-Star I was only able to beat a man once with Kobe. The Jump Shots are way better than last year although I felt like there was a SLIGHT delay when pressing the button and seeing the animation roll in. Maybe that’s fixed in the final game. I cant tell much about the passing as I didn’t know how to use these new passing mechanics and due to some controller issues I wasn’t able to use icon passing. So I was very limited in that area and I don’t want to judge it from that perspective.
Gameplay
On the defensive side I had a really tough time getting used to playing tight D because I overused the Lock on Defense button obviously. I just read in the blog by Mike Wang that you shouldn’t overuse it - so I didn’t know that either. But still I was able to stay infront of guys most of the time. You can really shade an opponent to the side if you play good D. I really liked the arrows under my player – really helped me on D. I had some issues with the lock on controls sometimes where my player didn’t positioned himself infront of the opponent when I pushed the button but it was only 2 or 3 times that happened.
So im talking bout defense already but let me add this: If your opponent doesn’t know how to play basketball and tries to power his way through the lane with some player like gasol – he will always get stripped right away.
Other things I liked was that you could chose how to defend the pick and roll. So there were couple of options available like “show and recover” or “sink”. When you used the pick and roll on offense it was really hard to get a good screen. Because the other point guard was more intelligent avoiding the screen plus I had some moving screen fouls called.
That brings me to the offense. Like I said pick and roll much harder to execute. A LOT of body contact on all star when driving to the rim. Nice spacing as you would expect from Live. And those beautiful looking step to the side and fade to one side leaning jump shots that simply looked amazing (especially with Kobe).
When I used a post-up play for howard he was getting doubled and I got an open three with nelson 2 out of 3 times. That worried me bit but I think I was lucky there. Defensive rotation looked to be fine in the demo.
I thought that the steals looked a bit weird due to some akward ball physics when someone is getting a hand on the ball.
Block Shots were a lot better than last year but still not as great as in 2k9. You know the situation in Live 09 when someone gets an offensive rebound and he goes straight up for the dunk or layup and its almost unguardable? Kind of felt the same in 10. But Ive seen one dunk attempt getting blocked as well as a chasedown block by Dwight Howard. It was hard to pull off but Ive seen it happen. And you have to think twice if you want to drive inside with a small guy like fisher when someone like Howard is guarding the rim. You don’t stand a chance.
Rebounding was better but there were several occations when the ball hit the floor so that a Derek Fisher would get the board over Howard and Lewis. But it didn’t bother me that much, most of the time rebounding was good.
Free Throws were too easy, I really don’t like the system (same as last year). Hustle plays looked a bit funny and unnecessary sometimes.
On the animation side – Ive seen a lot of different animations with players falling to the ground, adjusting their shot in midair just to get something to the rim and some nice dunks and layups. One animation that already bothered me was the one after a made basket where the guy is jumping up and down (I guess you’ve seen it in the vides). Signature jump shots do mostly look very nice as well.
The net and rim physics are still not the greatest out there tbh. If you hit a shot with no rim contact the sound of the net was really nice. But overall the interaction of the ball and rim wasnt 100% convincing.
With all being said - the main thing that impressed me with the Demo was that it felt like a real basketball simulation. And the fact that I wanted to dig deeper into the game and become better. I really felt like there was so much I could do better every next possession from the dribbling, size up moves or plays. The controls felt great, the graphics looked good and the animations were so much better than last year.
Now I cant wait for the demo to drop and hear what you think about the game.
If you have any questions please ask. Im off to bed now and apologize for some strange sounding sentences or words because its 1 AM almost and Im really tired from the last three days. Just wanted to give you guys my impressions.[Reply]
stizz 06:54 PM 08-22-2009
Cheers for the impressions DaWolf. Man Sept 10th can't come soon enough.
[Reply]
Rocboyz101 07:10 PM 08-22-2009
Quick question. When you say heavier...do you mean like how they are in 2k9, where sometimes you can't control where they are going?
[Reply]
Teebone21 07:15 PM 08-22-2009
So im talking bout defense already but let me add this: If your opponent doesn’t know how to play basketball and tries to power his way through the lane with some player like gasol – he will always get stripped right away.
man paint cheesers are gonna be pissed. it seems like live went almost 100% simulation this year and caterted to the mature ballers instead of the 14 year olds who want to dunk all game
[Reply]
Muzyk23 07:15 PM 08-22-2009
Thanks man. Coming back to your DELAY comment - are controls more responsive in general this year? can you elaborate
[Reply]
stephensonmc 08:08 PM 08-22-2009
DaWolf -- good stuff man, hope you enjoyed it!
As for your "delayed jumpshot" we have momentum based gathers that when you press the button to shoot while moving they'll do a number of different gathers which would delay the actual act of shooting. I think that's what you are talking about...
[Reply]
brs2305 08:18 PM 08-22-2009
Ahh...that brings me back to friday...what a day...me, NBA Live 10 and nothing else to care about...:-)
j/k nice impressions. I am glad that you had the chance to play the AI compared to me, and that you had the same problems control wise like me.
However you are right. With every possession you want to make things better, you put more efford in it, you think more on how you can beat this guy...really tactical experience and you feel the great amout of possibilities this game has to offer and how you actually get better every time...
[Reply]
crm968 08:32 PM 08-22-2009
nice impressions man, it got me more excited for the 10th. Some of these little issues you mentioned are probably being fixed or tuned down. But i wasn't worried with the ones you mentioned since it's not a gamebreaker or anything. We can definitely expect a better final product and that makes it even more exciting.
I remember someone saying that the demo is missing some animations after quarters or made baskets and such. if it's true then better for us, if not then i'm still impressed with the presentation. I especially love the pregame view of staples from outside and a zoomed out camera from the inside. Looks just like the real thing.
Best preview of the game iv read so far... i really hope they fix that stupid jumping up and down animation that nearly all the players do after a made basket that we've seen so many times in the final version of the game... as for the net and rim physics im sure they'll get that right next year.
[Reply]
ESB32CrowBonez 09:33 PM 08-22-2009
I got 2 questions have you found out if we can still make defenders fall and if we can set plays without the point guard holdling the ball at the beginning of the play, because 2k9 plays have that problem.
(Looking forward to buying Live 10 this year.):-)[Reply]
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