Overall Live '97 was a sore disappointment. EA Sports answers with NBA Live '98 which is vastly improved, providing the quirks and excitement that makes NBA basketball one of the most watched sports world wide. Live '97 looked like absolute crud, and played no better. NBA Live '98 looks much better, the problematic floating camera that plagued early attempts of EA's virtual stadium engine have been worked out providing clear graphics along with much more friendly and useful cameras that track the action much more efficiently. Player detail is pretty good, and there are literally a plethora of useable camera angles.
Players animate superbly and are unquestionably some of the best seen on a sports game to date.
One thing that is still present is the sliding around that seems an EA trademark, players still seem to skate around on air, though this is greatly lessened this time around. One problem with Live has always been that unless you are willing to set the foul sensitivity inordinately high, it is much too easy to steal from your opponents by skating into the ball handler. Hopefully EA will take some measures in eliminating the skating and the cheap steals that are abundant in the game. When compared to Shootout '98 and ITZ '98 however the choice is pretty clear, EA at least for the present time is back on top with Live '98. This is a positive step for EA and for basketball games in general.