In the case of basketball, EA's own NBA Street 2 holds its own as an arcade style, over the top three-on-three game, the latter feature also available in other titles. NBA Live has actually been criticised as being too much of an arcade-style series in the past. Like NHL 2004, NBA Live 2004 feels pleasantly realistic despite criticism in previous years, with only the odd setting or option (such as the out of bounds "force field" setting and games speed) feeling out of place in an otherwise staid basketball game with a real focus on serious, straightforward gameplay.

This makes NBA Live consistent with other EA Sports games this year, and the EA Dynasty mode and Bio features therefore feel right at home in this year's update. The Dynasty mode takes your chosen team through each year with access to player trades, team and player training, news and coaching options as you seek to take your team to the top over several seasons.

Other modes such as Season, Playoffs and Play Now are also consistent with other EA Sports titles. Unique to NBA Live is a one-on-one practice mode in outdoor street environments, which serves as much as a primer or training aid as a fully fledged game format.

As usual, there is no 60Hz mode option and the PAL version is properly optimised for 50Hz televisions. The game speed option, though affecting player movement rather than ball physics, offers a wide range of speeds above and beyond the moderate default setting. Changing speed affects aspects such as shot timing and the ability to get passes through the defence (never guaranteed at any time).

Graphically, NBA Live 2004 is excellent. Players have highly detailed models and textures, and lighting is well used on players and the environments to recreate the look of playing under lights exceptionally well. Outdoor one-on-one environments lack the same attention to detail, but still hold to a reasonable standard. The various stadia available contain a good proportion of 3D audience models mixed in with sprites to allow for processing restrictions. The crowds look perfectly acceptable if a little mechanical, and their raucus cheering and reactions sound authentic and match the play on court. Commentary is also suited to the goings on in-game, and it is good to find that the lines keep up with events without losing suitable tone or repeating to the point of becoming an issue as with so many other sports games in the market. Surround sound is available to further enhance these environmental effects.

At a guess, the game looks to run at about 20 frames per second, a little rougher than something you would see on television. This is only really apparent when the camera rotates in real time when possession changes hands, assuming the default, end-on camera view is chosen. Since the default camera moves and zooms with the play, the action is plenty smooth enough and the rate of animation is the only thing that really gives the frame rate away.

As well as the popular novelty with Off the Ball control, EA's Freestyle control involves using the right analogue stick to control the ball in hand. This feature opens up a good passing window and helps to exploit the defence even if your player is simply able to confuse defenders and get around blockers.

Off the Ball Control in NBA Live involves pressing the R3 button to open up icon-based control options. Selecting a player is done in the same way as, say, Madden, which simply requires the corresponding button to be pushed to initiate control using the right analogue stick over the selected team mate.

To maintain the balance and pace of the game, NBA Live ensures the opposing team almost always gets the ball from missed shots through computer player positioning in attack and defence. This has a big effect on scoring attempts. While it should be expected that players will chose opportunities and take risks wisely, the tendency adds to the pressure to perform. It is rare to get a team mate in position for the rebound, and this also affects your mental state as you try to find the right timing in a particularly difficult game for accurate three-pointers.

When shooting, NBA Live offers the ability to choose whether to dunk or lay up your shots rather than automating the variations depending on the situation. A second tap of the shot control delays the release in order to allow you to avoid blocks. You can also attempt an alley-oop at will, which will cause a team mate to jump for your pass as soon as the command is given. Players will always make the jump in this situation, but in doing so you hold responsibility for subsequent offensive fouls as your team mate risks colliding with a defender.

Music on offer in NBA Live covers hip-hop sounds from the expected sort of artist library. Even those ignorant of the genre should find the playlist apt and non-abrasive given the genre's current and historical cultural relevance to basketball in its native US.

The default camera in NBA Live is from an end-on angle and zooms as play moves down court. The zoom is an optional feature of the angles on offer, and the end-on options provide excellent views and help with NBA Live's notable defensive settings which makes intercepts and stray passes quite frequent. For this reason, passing requires more care than many other titles.

On the other hand, reckless blocking attempts frequently lead to defensive fouls. This is a great check against button mashing at the hoop and really takes advantage of the carefully crafted controls and AI without upsetting the balance between attack and defence. When passing and shooting, the dependence on player movement and balance as well as timing of your shot commands for accuracy is masterfully woven into the fabric of gameplay. The difficulty in scoring three-pointers is subsequently more difficult than other titles, and even close-in lay ups are never a sure thing.