NBA Live 2003 (EA Sports PC)

By PETER ELEY

(Herald rating: * * * * * )


NBA franchise goes back the best part of a decade. With such incremental games the question is whether the jump from last year is enough to make it worth spending $100.

That question is largely answered by the fact that NBA Live 2002 was never released for the PC, possibly because the game wasn't quite ready.

Certainly, the console version suffered from some gameplay problems.

The good news for basketball fans is that NBA Live 2003 is a high-quality basketball simulation with excellent graphics and unbelievably fluid motion.

The game itself isn't that much different in its structure from the last release, but the enhancements are more than enough to make it a worthwhile buy for basketball fans.

The controls are a delight — you can pull off sweet crossovers, triple threats or strip steals easily with NBA Live 2003's new freestyle control system.

You can turn the game's momentum with the new Charge button or clean the glass with one-button rebounding.

Rating: G