Here you follow the classic story of starting on the streets and making your way into the NBA, and to be honest, it very much copies 2K’s template. NBA Live 18 included ‘The One’, aka, EA’s attempt to counter NBA 2K18’s M圜areer mode. NBA 2K18 vs NBA Live 18 – The One vs M圜areer It looks pleasant enough and follows the EA model of trying to tap into the ESPN flavour of things, but it lacks the oomph created by its rival.Īgain, if you opted for this you certainly wouldn’t feel duped, but NBA 2K18 has this concept down and only improves upon it year in, year out. This doesn’t mean NBA Live is a nightmare, of course, but it’s just bare bones when you place them side-by-side. It never feels canned or stilted at all, and Shaquille O’Neal’s contributions are the clichéd icing on the cake. It’s slick from start to finish, and even the interviews that you get during M圜areer somehow manage to feel like you’re actually participating in a press conference. Everything from the pre-match build, to the visuals, to the animations, to the commentary is spot on, and it makes a lot of its rivals look amateur by comparison. There’s few sports games in general that can compete with NBA 2K18, let alone basketball, so unsurprisingly it walks away with this one easily. It’s not perfect, of course, and it too has some balancing issues, but if you dedicate time to this it’ll easily be your preferred option. NBA 2K wins out, though, because it just plays a more fascinating and realistic game of basketball. Plus, like many EA Sports titles, the defense can feel like a brick wall at times. That will be pleasing to newcomers who are put off with just how much 2K18 throws at them, but it also means the experience is shallower and runs out of steam far quicker. NBA Live 18 certainly isn’t bad, but it’s a lot more stripped back and, in some ways, accessible. If you know what a player’s strengths and weaknesses are, you’ll be able to exploit those in the game. There’s an almost incomparable amount of different ways to play, from shots, to dribbles, to dunks, and the way it replicates how the big stars actually act on the court is ridiculous. It’s hard to argue that NBA 2K18 doesn’t have this sewn up.Īlthough NBA Live 18 certainly is the best iteration EA has offered in some time, it doesn’t come close to 2K18’s sheer depth. How both titles play is what’s going to be of most importance to many, especially if you’re looking for a game that simulates basketball as closely as possible. Now both are here we can easily answer the question as to which is better by running down what matters, and seeing who comes out on top.
After a short hiatus EA’s NBA Live series returned, and has been making solid progress over the last few years.Ģ017’s offering had been touted as the entry to finally give NBA 2K18 a run for its money. I do trust the process.While there was a time when NBA 2K had sole ownership of the gaming basketball market this is no longer the case and hasn’t been for some time.
“I can’t wait to tell Joel I’ve got nothing to complain about,” Towns said. An improved rating of 91 led to an appreciative tweet from the Minnesota Timberwolves star, and also a mild ribbing for Embiid. Karl-Anthony Towns was one player who was actually pleased with the game’s programmers. In fact, the game’s creators had given him 90 last year. Told he’d been assigned a score of 89, Portland Trailblazers star Damian Lillard noted it was an improvement on his 2017 rating. Not all players were as quick on the uptake as Embiid and Irving. By the end of the season, mark my words, I will be a 93 plus.” After a long pause and shake of the head, Irving said, “I love it. NBA players react to their NBA 2K18 rating.Ĭleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving echoed Embiid’s optimism, and figured he should have been closer to 95, but will have to content himself with the status of cover star on the game’s packaging and a far less imposing rating of 90.