Flashback to 2005: George W. Bush was in office, Hurricane Katrina rocked the gulf coast and Christopher Nolan debuted Batman Begins, the often slept on first movie of the Batman trilogy. I was young, carefree and more importantly playing NBA Live rather than the NBA 2k series. If you fast forward almost 10 years a lot has changed. Ebola is the nation’s newest fear epidemic, Barack Obama is in office and the Fappening blew up the Internet. I’m still relatively young (20 years old), but I am certainly no longer carefree as I am a full-time student preparing for a career I might not have a place in. More importantly (okay not more importantly), like Barack Obama said it’s time for a change (yes I just quoted a Three 6 Mafia lyric) I have long been choosing NBA 2k over any basketball sim EA Sports has put out.
Today, EA released NBA Live 15, hoping to improve on the dumpster fire that was NBA Live 14. And for you basketball fans that heard about 2k’s online problems and were thinking about waiting to pick up NBA Live 15 in hope to return to me in 2005….DON’T!
First, let me give NBA Live 15 the credit it deserves. It isn’t awful. Unlike NBA Live 14 it isn’t broken and it has made improvements. For instance the graphics are a lot crisper and players actually look like themselves now.
NBA Live 15 vs NBA 2k15 graphics comparison. Photo credit: @Steve_OS
Graphics: Looking at the photo above I bet you’d be surprised to find out that the photo on the left is from NBA Live 15 and the photo on the right NBA 2k15. The player models are better, a lot better I mean take a look at NBA Live 14 vs NBA 2k14…
NBA Live 14 vs NBA 2k14 graphics comparison. Photo credit: gamespot
On the right you see Lebron James, the world’s best basketball player. On the left you see the hideous greased up ogre pretending to be Lebron James.
The player models on both versions are extremely close in quality, but NBA 2k15 still holds the edge due to their excellent on court and crowd visuals.
NBA 2k15 cover athlete Kevin Durant. Photo credit: dualpixels
Gameplay: Then there’s the gameplay. This is the area where NBA 2k15 shows why it is the premier basketball simulation. NBA 2k offers smooth crisp gameplay that feels amazing, while NBA Live feels like you’re playing with robots out there…and not advanced high-tech robots, more like dreamt up in the 1940s robots. NBA Live continually suffers from inadequate computer AI and unnatural movements. Advantage NBA 2k15.
Presentation: This year NBA Live 15 includes the ESPN broadcast team and the NBA on ESPN presentation to the game featuring Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Jalen Rose. NBA 2k15 includes the 2k veteran team of Kevin Harlan, Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr. It is a little confusing playing as Golden State though as Steve Kerr is now the coach, but still the team you want broadcasting your game is the one from 2k. Advantage NBA 2k15.
Verdict: NBA Live 15 does improve greatly on its predecessor, but if one of the most common compliments is “Well at least it’s not broken” it’s still not worth $60. NBA 2k15 is the basketball simulation to pick up this fall, but who knows check back with me in another 10 years and we’ll discuss again.
NBA 2k15 – 8.5/10 or Damn Good
Pros: Gameplay, visuals, presentation
Negatives: Online connection issues
NBA Live 15 – 5/10 or There are many other things more worthy of your time
Pros: Player visuals, improvement from last year
Negatives: gameplay, gameplay and GAMEPLAY
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