In the previous games, the superstars (guys like Shaq, AI, Kobe, and others who can be identified by a single name) weren't all that different than the Derek Fishers and Darko Milicics of the world. Basically, they were the same except for the fact that their stats were a bit higher, allowing them to jump higher and run faster than the other players on the court. The also looked more realistic thanks to their scanned faces, but that really didn't add anything to their skills, it just made it easier to identify them in a crowd. Realizing that most people give their favorite player the ball the majority of the time, the folks at EA have devised a new system to separate the superstars from the scrubs.
Called the Freestyle Superstar system, the mechanic gives each of the game's best players a particular label that identifies where their strengths lie. Although we were told that there will be a total of 6 categories (on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball), we were only able to check out two of them. The first category of baller is the Power Player, those guys that can take it to the hole in the low post, bully their way through defenders, and finish with a throwdown. The Power Player has several options once he gets the ball near the hoop, and all of them involve powering through opponents and throwing down with authority. Not surprisingly, Shaq and Amare Stoudemire
The second category is full of guys who can perform miracles with the rock, dishing dimes with no-look passes and threading the needle by bouncing the ball between two defenders. These are, of course, the Playmakers, and the Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash is a perfect example of the players found in this group. The Playmaker can get the ball into the hands of scorers in a variety of ways, throwing it behind his back or faking one way and going the other. However, there's no guarantee that his trickery will work, as a risk/reward system is in place. Although some of your passes will be perfect, the defense will gradually catch on and intercept them if you don't mix things up a bit.
Basically, the system works the same for the two positions, as you must begin by holding down the left trigger (or L1 button for PS2 owners). While it's held, pressing one of the face buttons will pull off the corresponding move. Power players can perform a variety of dunks in their opponents' faces, with several difference depending on whether you're holding the button or simply tapping it. Holding Y, for instance, will cause him to slam home a one-handed tomahawk, while tapping it will let him throw down a windmill.
This year's version of NBA Live looks like it's going to be the best ever, and not only thanks to the inclusion of the excellent superstar system. The graphics have been greatly improved, as well, as the developers have utilized specular lighting and technology du jour normal mapping to make everything from the jerseys to the floor look more realistic. It appears that NBA Live 06 will be bringing the league to life in more ways than one.
