Freestyle Air is a huge new addition, too, and it's one that allows you to have more control over your player while in the air. If you're fouled on your way to the hoop, you can contort your body a little bit in an attempt to get the shot off. If it falls, you can try for the three-point play, and you'll still get a chance to shoot two if it doesn't. Freestyle Air really comes in handy, however, when you're trying to grab a rebound. Rather than simply gathering the ball and trying to put it back up, you can now either go for the tap in or attempt to thrown down a monster follow-up dunk, simply by pushing one of the face buttons. It's a great addition, and it makes the game feel much more realistic, without ever feeling unfair.
There are still a few gameplay problems, however. The fast breaks drove me crazy at times, particularly the fact that there really weren't many to be seen. Every time I threw a quick outlet pass and took off toward the hoop, a defender would fly down the court to contest my shot. Many times, I wouldn't even make it to the hoop, as he'd get in my way, killing any momentum I might have had. It started to get a bit frustrating, particularly on the higher skill levels. The player ratings could use a bit of work, too, as they have a tendency to be all over the board. Slow players are rated as fast, and amazing shooters (I'm looking at you, Michael Redd) have low shot ratings. And what's up with Tim Duncan being rated an 89? Sure, that's good, but he's arguably the best player in the league!
If there's one place that the NBA Live series really needed help, it's the Dynasty Mode. Last year, many people complained that the menus were confusing and poorly designed, the trading and player signing AI was weak, and there was simply too much extraneous information for the player to sift through. Thankfully, EA listened to all of these complaints, and this game is much better in all of these areas. I was most impressed by the changes to the AI. Last year, a player would accept the minimum contract you offered on many occasions, and we all know that the real NBA doesn't work that way. Now, however, they'll mull over all of their offers, and will even take a few days to get back to you after you submit your proposal.
Graphically, the game has been improved quite a bit, although it still isn't up to ESPN NBA 2K's level. The player models look very nice, though, and the animation is smooth, although there are a few hiccups now and then. The presentation has more-or-less stayed the same, which isn't a bad thing, though again, it's not as good as its rival. The voiceovers remain top-notch, which is usually what happens when you've got Mike Fratello and Marv (YES!) Albert in the broadcast booth. Kenny and Ernie do a great job announcing the Dunk Contest, although hearing their voices made me wish Sir Charles was right there with them.
Sure, the All-Star Weekend (especially the amazing Slam Dunk Contest) is going to get most of the NBA Live 2005 press, but there are a lot of reasons to recommend this game to all of the hoop junkies out there. A deep Dynasty Mode and some cool new gameplay additions ensure that you'll be playing the game for months to come, and while we can't say yet if the game will be able to gain ground on its biggest rival, we can say this: NBA Live 2005 is the best EA Sports basketball game ever.
