Overview:
EA has show that they plan to be a force in PSX sports games just like
they were on the 16 bit games. EA Live 96 is a very good basketball sim.
It plays very easily and is very realistic in player attributes. The
graphics could have been better, but the sound makes you forget about
it.
Gameplay-- The gameplay on this is very good. It plays easily and the 
controls are easy to learn. Even the serious basketball guru's will find
being able to call offensive sets, plays, and quick plays on the fly a
real treat. Defensive plays are a vailible on the fly as well.
Graphics-- The virtual stadium is very nicely done. The courts look
pretty much authentic( I haven't seen them all yet). The players
graphics are the weakness of this game. The bodies are nicely done but
the faces could have been more detailed. Their are only about 5 or 6
distint looking faces. Nevertheless, I like these graphics far better
than these polygon based, block headed players offered by other b-ball
games(a.k.a. In the Zone, NBA Shoot-out).
Motion-- The players move very smmothly and the shooting motion is very
fluid. Not much else here.
Views-- This is my other complaint. I felt there were not enough cool
views. Many were offerred, but only about 2 or 3 were okay. Sometimes
the camera pans out to far making you feel like you are watching from
the cheap seats.
Sound-- THIS IS WHERE THE GAME ROCKS!! The sound is done in Dolby
Surround. The brief little rally tunes played during the game are
awesome. If you have a system that can pump out the bass, you won't be
disappointed. there are lots of tunes that get randomly played so it
doesn't get repetitive. The sound effects and crowd roar are great and
even has a surround effect that make you feel like you're in the
stadium. Way to go EA!!!
Overall-- This game is not the game to end all basketball games but it
by far the best one yet. The graphics are okay, the players play close
to their real life counterparts, and the sound make you forget its just
a game, ......or is it?
Gameplay 9.5/10
Graphics 8/10
Sound    11/10 (This is not an error!)
Overall  9/10
Julius Rice
jrice@clemson.edu