NBA Live 16

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 76
  3. Negative: 23 out of 76
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  1. Mattyice
    Sep 29, 2015
    7
    NBA Live 16 had me thinking that Live would be back competing with 2k. While it isn't that good, Live 16 provides an overall better experience than its two previous counterparts, with great visuals and great presentation, along with Ultimate Team, which is leaps and bounds better than 2k's MyTeam. Pro-Am and Live Run are great additions as well, along with solid customization, but thereNBA Live 16 had me thinking that Live would be back competing with 2k. While it isn't that good, Live 16 provides an overall better experience than its two previous counterparts, with great visuals and great presentation, along with Ultimate Team, which is leaps and bounds better than 2k's MyTeam. Pro-Am and Live Run are great additions as well, along with solid customization, but there are definitely problems with the gameplay and other modes. The MyCareer is purely meh and the gameplay still feels clunky and unresponsive. However, Live 16 seems to put NBA Live back on the map and hopefully they can keep improving it to get it in direct competition with 2k.… Expand
  2. cdj
    Sep 29, 2015
    7
    If you enjoyed NBA Live 10 and were waiting for the franchise to return to that level, you will be very happy with NBA Live 16. It plays better and includes an Online Team Play mode, LIVE Pro-Am which consists of Summer Circuit (1-5 players versus CPU) and LIVE Run (human vs human teams).

    LIVE Pro-Am games are quick (as short as seven minutes), fun, and addicting - particularly with    If you enjoyed NBA Live 10 and were waiting for the franchise to return to that level, you will be very happy with NBA Live 16. It plays better and includes an Online Team Play mode, LIVE Pro-Am which consists of Summer Circuit (1-5 players versus CPU) and LIVE Run (human vs human teams).

    LIVE Pro-Am games are quick (as short as seven minutes), fun, and addicting - particularly with friends. Personalizing the mode is the NBA LIVE Companion App & GameFaceHD which allow users to scan their face easily (and high quality) into the game. (You must have a relatively new/recent phone or device that can support the app.)

    Users can earn Reward Points (used to unlock clothing, shoes, and tattoos from legendary artist Randy Harris to customize the look of their player) and Skill Points (used to improve the attributes of the player). Reward Points can be earned in any game mode. Skill Points are earned by play LIVE Pro-Am games or Rising Star. You cannot purchase Reward or Skill Points with real-life currency - you must play the game to earn them.

    The gameplay in the title may be the best it has ever been in franchise history. LIVE Motion has CPU-teammates moving away from the ball in a smart, realistic fashion. A new dribble hand-off mechanic adds another weapon to the offensive attack. Touch passes help users whip the ball around the perimeter quickly. An excellent Shot Meter, Defensive Assignment Indicator, and Offensive Playcalling Wheel are among the best in any basketball title ever. Off-ball controls help to make it more enjoyable to play without the basketball and are very helpful in LIVE Pro-Am and Rising Star. Needing improvement is the post-game, defensive help on penetration to the basket, CPU team play styles & AI, along with more animations and animation variety.

    Visually, the game continues to improve behind the help of EA's face-scanning technology. Some players are dead-ringers to their real-life counterparts, however those who have yet to be scanned can sometimes put a dent into the visual realism. As in LIVE 14 & 15, EA has done a great job with the crowd audio and presentation using the ESPN license. The biggest need for improvements in presentation come in team celebrations (during and after games), the crowd going crazy during runs, and increasing the ESPN branding in presentation throughout all game modes.

    Ultimate Team has improved by allowing users to keep multiple versions of a player in their Franchise, more Legends, throwbacks (past versions of current players), Short Term Players (allowing you to use for a specific number of games, no contract extension) and Specialists (required to play some challenges) with the goal of attaining Master versions of players.

    There have not been any major additions or revamp to Dynasty Mode or Rising Star, which are the biggest downfall to the title. Scores for this title will be all over the map due to this fact. Those who enjoy and requested OTP will grade the game high. Those who prefer the single-player experience may want more from the feature set. A lack of roster editing will also be a complaint from the community.    … Expand
  3. BigSmitty81
    Oct 17, 2015
    7
    In regards of NBA Live 16, the game defintely stepped up in the mode areas, and made much needed key refinements in the gameplay area to help it build up even more in regards of creating that progressively organic, basketball gaming experience. While it's not where it truly needs to be yet, there's no denying what has been done here and there's some solid gems that if built upon goingIn regards of NBA Live 16, the game defintely stepped up in the mode areas, and made much needed key refinements in the gameplay area to help it build up even more in regards of creating that progressively organic, basketball gaming experience. While it's not where it truly needs to be yet, there's no denying what has been done here and there's some solid gems that if built upon going forward, will boost this title to be a true titan in the gameplay realm. I'm basically covering the aspects of the game that I play.

    Pro Am/Summer Circuit - This is a mode that's been requested to return for the longest time and I'm glad to say that it's FINALLY back and better than ever. The key is to play fundamental ball here. Can't just spam the same move and treat it like it's And1 or like in past 2k titles. Especially if you play with friends in the same mindframe. Summer Circuit presents a legitimate challenge against the CPU. They capitalize on your mistakes and will fundamentally find the gaps on offense using all the proper tools to get to the rack or create an open shot opportunity. Love that about the mode and is very refreshing to see in a basketball game online mode. As far as the Pro Am, it's definitely best that you play the mode with like minded players as it'll be very challenging to play with randoms that usually are playing for themselves and take the fun out of the mode. Overall, this mode is the strongest aspect of the game, especially with the best quality in my opinion of how you progress via "sweat equity" by playing the game and not via monetary purchase. Plus the Gameface HD FREE app captures your face better and easier than any other method out there (take note 2k).

    Gameplay - In regards of the gameplay mechanics, I love the "Live Motion" player movement in the game. The contextual movement throughout the court with the respecitve player footwork and how virtually every bump, press, shoulder rub, screen, etc. are all visually depicted respectfully and you barely feel as if your player is losing control or moving unrealistically. This especially looks very nice when it comes to the plays called and the flow shown on the court as well. Very fluid, without too many hiccups and very little over animation going on. The shot meter with the various release points is a nice and much needed addition as well along with the new playcalling wheel too. Makes it systematically easier to call plays, whether you press the bumper for the chosen play or hold it down and select your own play for the specified player or the type (ie: screen, isolation, post up plays).

    While there are more individual and sequentially tied animations to depict the post, jumpers, layups, rebound/putback/block attempts, and dunks are nice to see, the animations still feel rigid to a modest degree and still lacks the logical fluidity needed to truly put it on the competitive level of 2K basketball. Going forward, logical fluidity and minimal control loss need to be the focal points for the game to truly advance and truly represent the hashtag #RiseTogether.

    I'll end it with this point, even though this game will get slept on by many, this game does present a legit challenge by the AI whether you play any of the modes in the game. There's also solid basketball fundamentals to be enjoyed and appreciated too (spacing the floor, logically sound defensive rotations on screen situations, legit job on shot closeouts from screens as well, plus with the add-on of sliders now, tuning the in-air collision frequency adds more of a dynamic when driving to the rack in traffic, especially with the improved ball tangibility (still not as dynamic like 2K16 has, but it's better than 15). Also, getting to the paint needs to be more challenging as it's still too easy to score in the paint and need more active hands on the passing lanes as well. Also need more erroneous passes, and need manual passing options (ie: lob, bounce pass) along with the signature dribble animations/styles for the current players as well.

    Like I said, the game isn't where it truly needs to be, but it's undeniable about the true progression made here. Just need to keep the development course going on strong with the updates throughout the year and what Live 17 would have in store at that point.    … Expand
  4. mrprice33
    Oct 9, 2015
    7
    NBA LIVE 16 is, to me, like a basketball team that has gotten the #1 overall pick 2 years in a row and is finally seeing some return on those high picks.

    The on-court gameplay is greatly improved thanks to the new shooting meter, pick and roll controls, and dribble hand-off ease of use. Generally, teams play more like themselves than in 14 or 15, and court spacing is very nice, creating    NBA LIVE 16 is, to me, like a basketball team that has gotten the #1 overall pick 2 years in a row and is finally seeing some return on those high picks.

    The on-court gameplay is greatly improved thanks to the new shooting meter, pick and roll controls, and dribble hand-off ease of use. Generally, teams play more like themselves than in 14 or 15, and court spacing is very nice, creating a half-court game that doesn't bog down like it had it years past. Defensive AI has seemed to take a minor step back due to some lackluster rotations and lack of in-game adjustments by the CPU, but user-user play is fun and challenging. There are still some "gamey" elements of the on-court play, as many happenings around the rim seem scripted, but it's a major leap forward for the series as a whole.

    Off the court, things are a little more mixed. While the Pro-Am suite is a wonderful addition to the featureset, the game is still lacking in a major way on the Dynasty side, which was more or less untouched this year. I do prefer Rising Star to the melodramatic mess that is 2K16's MyCareer story, but I would like some depth added to this mode.

    The team also added sliders to the game, finally. They do impact the gameplay, which helps tailor the game to the individual user preference, and the game generally skews towards the offense, so making those adjustments for single-player play is a must.

    In all, NBA Live is finally starting to show some promise, and Live 16 is the first game in the series in 5+ years that I feel confident in saying will be fun to play throughout the season. While it may not get as much play time as its competitor due to the lackluster Dynasty mode, head-to-head play and Rising Star, along with the Live Season mode, will keep me coming back every few days, which is a minor miracle considering this generation of Live so far.    … Expand
  5. 2Way5ontheHop
    Oct 16, 2015
    7
    Bought this game instead of NBA 2K16 this year. I am having a lot of fun with the create a player portion of the game. The graphics are good, but do drop during certain times throughout a game. I have played a couple of games online and the games are close and lag doesn't seem to play a major issue. I have had a few glitches; first, Joakim Noah is missing his shirt and the middleBought this game instead of NBA 2K16 this year. I am having a lot of fun with the create a player portion of the game. The graphics are good, but do drop during certain times throughout a game. I have played a couple of games online and the games are close and lag doesn't seem to play a major issue. I have had a few glitches; first, Joakim Noah is missing his shirt and the middle section of his body. There is a player on Denver that this also happens to. It doesn't effect the game play, but it is still a glitch. I do not regret buying this game and would do it again instead of NBA2K16.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 27
  3. Negative: 1 out of 27
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 12, 2016
    65
    Live 16 is a substantial step forward for the series and less demanding players will enjoy it, but it falls far short of NBA 2K. [13/2015, p.57]
  2. PlaySense
    Nov 6, 2015
    55
    EA tries to improve with a lot of modes and a new license, though the lack of gameplay depth returns with a vengeance.
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  3. SpazioGames
    Oct 27, 2015
    70
    A good step in the right direction for the series and definitely a more accessible game than its direct rival, but there's still a lot to be done to reach those levels.
    Read full review
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