Ok, right up front, if you play NBA Live 08 on a high-def screen you cannot help but be impressed with the graphical quality of the title. EA Sports has elevated its game into the next-gen console, with only frame-rate issues needing to be resolved for this title to be a clear-cut champion.

But that aside, when you launch the title you are confronted with stunning graphics, play-by-play by Marv Albert and Steve Kerr that is what play-by-play should be, a deep franchise mode and a player-creation system that will have the gamer who wants to create the perfect ballplayer wasting hours in minutia.

Two major titles are using the NBA license this year and quite honestly, each has points to recommend it over the other. But rather than a head-to-head comparison, let’s focus on the EA Sports title and what it does very well.

Dynasty mode is what one would expect from an EA Sports title. You have to deal with a lot to create a viable franchise, from the hiring of staff (and keeping it fiscally feasible) to training players. You can engineer trades with restrictions linked to both economics and player ability. You won’t find yourself able to create that dream team with improbable trades. The game also allows players to restructure game plans during a scheduled season showdown. Each timeout allows players to adjust strategy and you use the D-pad during the game to hot key in formations or plays.

You can allocate some of the responsibilities to the game AI, which will make substitutions or hire staff, scout and so on, leaving you the luxury of just playing the game. There are a few drawbacks to the AI, however. One such issue is with players who, regardless of how you are moving the left analog stick (which controls movement direction), will step out of bounds. And offensive charging fouls can take on a frequency that is semi-ridiculous. You might go a couple of games with no calls, then suddenly hit a game where the calls mirror Major League Baseball’s proximity tag – it’s not even close but called anyway.

NBA Live ’08 has a steeper learning curve, control-wise, than SCEA’s title. The SIXAXIS controller does not play as big a part in the action. You can use it shooting free throws in that you hold down one of the designated buttons, like the L1 or L2 and then bring the controlled up toward your chest (moving it vertically), watching the player the whole time. When the ball reaches the forehead of the player, you ease it back down for a fluid release. Straight up and down is important so that the shot is straight.

The game also features a new 'own the paint' skill in which players press the L2 button to put your offensive player's back to the hoop as he tries to back down the defender. Once you are in the paint, and backing down your opponent, you can tap the O (shot) button to fake a shot, then use the right analog to produce a spin move if your opponent buys the fake and elevates.

One of the editable features in the game is ballhandling and this comes into play when stringing together moves with the right analog thumbstick. If you have a player that is ranked high in dribbling and ballhandling, crossovers, spins, stutter steps will be an effective weapon. However, if the player is not ranked high, you will turn over the ball. The L2 button comes into play defensively as well, allowing you to shadow the player you are guarding.

When it comes to the game itself, there are several options to choose from, including camera angle. You can go with the broadcast vantage point or go baseline for the viewpoint. Personal preference is the latter; it affords a better look for moving players and angling to the hoop. R1 will bring up players with hot buttons attached for selective passing. R2 is the speed burst and Live ’08 attaches ballhandling to the right thumbstick. You can pull off spin moves, behind-the-back or through-the-legs dribbling moves effortlessly.

Graphically, this game has some amazing moments and some that are a bit of a letdown. The players all look terrific in the cutscenes but seem to be a little too bony in the cheeks in the in-game renderings. The framerate is a little off as well, which makes the players appear to move a bit jerky or in slow motion. But there is little doubt that the animations are big-time hoops at their finest. Dunks come in a variety of flavors and players play true to the AI of their real-life counterparts. Because the game takes so many variables into consideration, a player may be aggressive and strong inside and in traffic, but they will not go for the dunk each and every time. Sometimes, a hook shot, a short fade-away jumper or even kissing a short-range shot off the glass is preferred. A rebound might result in a strong thunderous put-back, or a twisting aerial ballet that eventually comes up on the other side of the rim for a wide-open shot.

EA’s NBA Live ’08 will support multiplayer with up to four being able to plug into a game, playing on each side of the rock. Because this was an early build of the game, GameZone.com was not able to test out the online capabilities of the title. There will be, though, online tournaments for players to take part in and up to 32 players will be able to participate in online leagues. This will fall directly into players hands with the 'create online league' tab found when players log on. If you create the league, you are the commissioner and set the rules for the games. While you cannot create that dream team in the dynasty mode, you can select up to 10 players for the Quick Pick game mode in online versus play.

Added game depth comes in the form of the FIBA World Championships, which is a tournament featuring either NBA teams or top international teams.

Once you get past the framerate issues, you will find that NBA Live 08 is a deep basketball title that challenges players of all skill levels and creates an experience that one comes to expect from an EA Sports-branded title. While the title is a leap forward for the franchise, there are still issues that need to be resolved to put it over the top and create the same experience as one would have in EA Sports NHL title.

Gameplay: 7.7
There are framerate issues that give the game a bit of a slow appearance. That aside, this is a deep game with a satisfying dynasty/season mode and strategic elements that you can access quickly.  

Graphics: 8.3
The player’s faces, in the game, appear a little puffy around the cheeks. After you dismiss the lower framerates, and simply watch the physics of the game, you will be amazed by the dunks, twisting layups and fade-aways. The animations are very well done.

Sound: 8.8
Marv Albert and Steve Kerr are on top of the action and call it well. The EA Trax is hit and miss.  

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.5
You have heard the refrain before about EA Sports titles and framerate issues with the PS3. They are in evidence here again. The rest of the game is deep and worth spending a long time working through a dynasty. The things that are done well are being done well across the board in the EA Sports brand.

Multiplayer: 7.8
Taking on another human in a game situation is fun. But head-to-head gameplay is nothing really new.

Overall: 7.8
A great creation system, deep dynasty dynamics, amazing animations and terrific play-by-play are the hallmarks of this title. EA Sports, though, needs to get a better framerate to go along with the high-definition graphics it is pumping into the license.