One thing about the on-court action that I found particularly noticeable was the play-by-play and commentary. Most of the time the in-game commentary in sports games is inane or repetitive, or even both. The commentary in NBA Live 08 is neither, and is the closest thing to a live broadcast that I've ever heard in a game. The Madden NFL team really needs to take some notes here because if I have to listen to the hometown radio guy and his ten phrases again in Madden NFL 09 I'll lose it.

As for game modes, NBA Live 08 provides plenty of them. You get the expected franchise and playoff modes, but new this year is a FIBA mode in which you can partake in a little international competition. It's only an eight team tournament and there are far too many good international teams missing from the game, but it's nice to play a little world ball now and again.

I'd recommend that you give NBA Live 08 a trail rental run before committing to purchasing it. You'll love the visuals and the sound, but some of the gameplay issues may prove to be too frustrating for you.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 72%. NBA Live 08 is a big improvement over prior next-gen versions of the game, but it still has a bit to go before it will truly feel next-gen.

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