NBA Live 07 [Xbox]

Even the most skilled NBA players hang up their jerseys. Those of us who grew up watching Jordan and Karl Malone were saddened by their eventual retirement. EA's NBA Live series has been around almost as long as those superstars, but hasn't lost a step. In fact, it continues to gain speed as the picture of intensity and excitement.

NBA Live 07 continues this run on PS2 and Xbox, and its emphasis on freestyle control and accentuating basketball's larger-than-life personalities. The freestyle superstar system gives guys like Dirk and Kobe the nod over everyone else on the court, with special moves that can allow them to take over the digital court just like they do in real life. It was a clever idea when it debuted last year, and it hasn't changed drastically for 07.

Superstar moves are a bit cheap at times, but it's really the only way to put the game's flow in their hands. Simple star moves (one rung lower) give nods to quality players who aren't All-Star worthy, and allowing role-players to step it up with X-factor to earn star freestyle moves themselves helps get others involved. Make no mistake, though: This is a game about individual performances, even if there is no "I" in "Freestlye superstar."

On-court action is again a mixed bag in NBA Live 07, but it does a lot of things well. The difficulty level of the series has gone from cakewalk to minefield at times, but it's at a good level this year -- requiring smart play, but not punishing you with block- and steal-happy AI. Both rebounds and steals feel natural enough, and the right-stick ballhandling control is excellent.

Assigning different buttons to shots and dunks always seemed excessive, so it's even more ridiculous that NBA Live 07 has a third offensive button for layups. Using the dunk button is often futile in heavy traffic, resulting in a miss where you'd think it'd be an easy two. When driving the lane, you really just want a quick button-press to hammer the rim -- not spend time thinking of which of three buttons to hit. Also, defense still isn't as entertaining to play as it should be. It always feels like you're just waiting around for your chance to score.

Modes are plentiful this year, with Dynasty as the usual highlight. It seems that EA has gone as far as it can with the mode, so only hardcore Live fans will tell much difference. It's still great, however, and starting with the 2006 draft is sweet. Team chemistry is stressed, which is ironic when the gameplay is so individual-centric. The All-Star shenanigans are in full effect, with a slam dunk contest that's quite appealing. Online is available for both systems, and is again solid.

Live's graphics have often erred on the side of being too cartoony, but Live 07 seems to embrace this style. You can only make players look so realistic on PS2 or Xbox, so the comic-book lean is welcome -- even if the players' heads still seem a little too big. On the audio front, Steve Kerr is a little dry on color commentary, but Marv Albert continues to be solid. EA is the master of musical selection, and Live 07's soundtrack scores major points. Crowd noise is also well done, with the fans really boosting the vibe of games.

NBA Live 07 is a lot like its cover athlete, Tracy McGrady: It's capable of some stunning moves, worthy of the highlight reels, but is a little too offensive-minded and selfish. It's got a lot of skill, but doesn't do enough to get to the playoffs. If you're a casual player looking to throw down like your favorite superstars, or you really loved last year's game, NBA Live is still the pick of the litter. More refined, strategy-minded tastes are again urged to go with the 2K series.