NBA Live 19

Electronic Arts is on the right path. In terms of presentation there is still a lot to do to challenge NBA 2K, but the more arcady playstyle and the not heavily featured “in-your-face” integration of micro-transactions makes this a decent challenger for the NBA crown..

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked playing NBA Live 19. The core basketball game and its various modes offer plenty of chances to have a fun basketball experience. The new animation system makes action on the court look and act more realistic than ever, and a robust training mode gives plenty of opportunity to improve. Unfortunately, lifeless, canned commentary and little in the way of capturing the feel of basketball culture holds NBA Live 19 back. In the world of basketball games, it’s the Eastern Conference to 2K’s Western Conference – good, but at the end of the season, the odds are heavily in the opponent’s favor.

NBA Live 19 is a good basketball game. It improves on last year's base and includes great new features, such as Court Battle. This, added to its simple and nice gameplay and features, makes it a title basketball lovers will enjoy.

NBA Live 19 is a step in the right direction for the EA Sports saga. The gameplay is fun and simple, more polished than its predecessor, but it still lacks more depth and variety to stand out.

This is not the best year for NBA Live, despite EA's efforts to improve this basketball game. In fact in some ways this game looks like a step back in the series, just maintaining what the game did well a year ago.

NBA Live 19 is a good episode for the franchise with an immersive and fun gameplay. The game is pleasant and easy to handle, but the formula lacks of realism, gameplaywise, and the Career mod still needs some work to be a great success.

Quotation forthcoming.

Is NBA Live 19 worth the money? Yes, indeed. There is a lot to do and no matter the skill level, there’s fun to be had. The upgrade to the WNBA and character creation is a giant step forward in widening EA’s audience and The One is strong enough to warrant its own title. With enough practice, anyone can be the baller they want.

On the whole, NBA Live 19 is definitely on the right path. It’s aesthetics are beautiful, both on and off the court especially in regards to its player models, which are stunning. The inclusion of the WNBA is a fantastic step forward that puts it’s a step above the 2K series. Unfortunately, the “story mode” feels very stale and just doesn’t compare to other sports game’s take on it.

NBA Live 19 is a capable and competent basketball game that offers a multitude of different ways to play and numerous reasons to keep coming back. Its impressive attention to detail complements the strong foundation set by its presentation and gameplay. However, the AI logic and animation problems are impossible to ignore given they're at the heart of the experience the entire game is based on. These issues, combined with a lackluster franchise mode and a push towards microtransactions, detract from what is an otherwise solid basketball game.