But the true joy in playing WLB is gameplay. It starts with some little touches that might not be noticed immediately, but which you begin to appreciate as you play. And the real shock settles when you understand that these ratings actually affect a player's game. Thus, the coaching aspect of the game suddenly becomes way more important than in NBA Live , since you truly need to consider how well your five guys are going to cope with the situation on court. But WLB does not stop there, when it comes to realism.
Players use their bodies effectively in defense and offense, just like real players do.
The invisible refs are the first in the world of PC basketball to actually know the rules and call them realistically. Charging, in particular, pushes the change from NBA Live in your face, as defenders position their bodies well to receive a call from an unsuspecting opponent waiting for a pass. Passes simply do not pass magically through opponents, NBA Live style, and passing ratings really affect the passer. I have seen things in WLB that I have never seen in any of it's rivals, like stripping the ball from an opponent going for a lay-up. The whole thing feels so much more like real basketball, although a bit European in nature, which means play is much less aggressive.