NBA Live 2003 Demo

The NBA is by far one of the most watched competitions in the world, especially in the United States, since that's where it originates. Since almost every state has its own legendary basketball team, the matches tend to get pretty intense and the supporters are sometimes a bit too involved in the action, but it's all in the name of fun and competition, as the athletes repeatedly expressed.

NBA Live 2003 is the latest installment in the widely successful EA SPORTS franchise, featuring a wide variety of improvements and new additions to make the gameplay richer and more entertaining. Thus, beside the obligatory graphics engine update, new mechanics have been added, as well as more fluid and natural movements for the players out on the court.

Just like until now, the game includes a large palette of teams from all over the country, although they do feature only the big names in the sport and leave out the smaller teams. Hence, you can choose from clubs like Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets, although it is also possible to play with some other exciting additions, such as East All-Stars or 90's All-Stars.

In case you are not aware, basketball can be quite the fast-paced sport, since the field is pretty small and the ball can quickly travel from one end to the other. Because of this, counter-attacks can happen in the blink of an eye and turn the tide of the match almost instantly. This element is very nicely implemented into the game and even the AI can take you by surprise in some moments, making for some very exciting matches.

The fluidity is also pictured in the heavily improved graphics quality and the smooth animations that are now possible with the help of the new engine, while many of the players have been closely modeled to depict their real counterparts. Sound-wise, the crowd chants are more or less pleasant, but the commentary gets boring and repetitive very quickly, practically demanding to be disabled.

Every year, the series at hand makes one step forward toward providing you with an authentic basketball simulation, which is the case with the game at hand as well. Hence, while NBA Live 2003 may not be the pinnacle of technology, it certain paves the way toward it.