EA Sport's latest basketball game arrives on the PlayStation 3 with NBA Live 10 that boasts some tweaked gameplay, the latest NBA statistics and some interesting online abilities. And thankfully it has moved away from the negative press that plagued the franchise a couple of years ago.

Although EA have had a fairly smooth run of their NBA Live series of late, the current instalment tweaks the control system and incorporates the Dynamic DNA, the system that mirrors real-world events into your copy of the game and basically makes the season more official and realistic to the player. However, the most noticeable difference is the speed of the play which is now faster and easier to pull off maneuvers with some realistic fluidity.

Features

• Gameplay, Gameplay, Gameplay – With an overhauled gameplay system, NBA LIVE 10 brings the most fluid basketball experience ever seen in the LIVE franchise. From an all new player movement system to improved AI for your teammates, and from a revamped passing system to the numerous options you have when attacking the basket, NBA LIVE 10 recreates the speed, intensity and creativity of basketball to an unparalleled degree

• Dynamic DNA—The brain behind the game is powered by Synergy Sports Technology - the premier analytics provider using NBA data for over 25 NBA teams – which evaluates Player DNA that breaks down how a player scores, Team DNA that rates how the players on the floor play as a unit and Tendencies that refer to the percentage a player drives left, right or shoots from each spot on the floor.

• Enhanced User Control—–NBA LIVE 10 gives you control never seen in a basketball videogame. From breaking down a defender on the perimeter to driving the basket and choosing to finish strong or with a light touch, NBA LIVE 10 lets you play ball the way you want to.

• Authentic Presentation—–From hearing the crowd in Toronto boo Vince Carter when he touches the ball, to seeing LeBron do his trademark chalk toss, NBA LIVE 10 captures all the excitement and passion of an NBA game. A player underperforming? Powered by Dynamic DNA, evolving storylines throughout the season keep the commentary fresh so that when you hit the final games of the regular season you’re still hearing something new.

• Team Differentiation—From the Lakers’ triangle offense to Cleveland running their offense through LeBron, no team in the NBA plays the same way, and neither will the teams in NBA LIVE 10. With authentic NBA playbooks powering the AI decisions of the players on your team, and your opponents, look for players to run the same sets that they would in real life.

• Player Differentiation – From fast breaks to owning the paint, some players are just better at some aspects of the game than others. In NBA LIVE 10 players mimic their real life counterparts with an alarming degree of accuracy. From speedy point guards to lumbering centers, each individual player will feel uniquely different

• Throwback Jerseys, Shoes and more—With throwback, holiday and cultural jerseys, deck your favorite team in some nostalgia. With over 500 shoes in the game that update throughout the course of the season and authentic tattoos on 75 of the top players in the league, NBA LIVE 10 is as real as videogame basketball gets.

Even though the game borders on arcade and simulation, the ball physics of NBA Live 10 is quite realistic at times and seeing the real-world players in virtual form allows a stronger link for the gamer, provided you are a fan of NBA. Needless to say, it's quite an impressive sight on the PS3.

The control system on the PS3 is rather intuitive, mirroring a plethora of basketball maneuvers from offence to defensive play. This current game gives the player more control over their players that makes for some interesting strategies and the instant playbook option assists in this process. In terms of control, the learning curve is medium and a tutorial level would have been nice.

In terms of online play, the online leagues of NBA 10 is very cool as it allows you to in essence to join your own leagues and offers some great customization options for the user. Adidas Live Run has replaced "Be a Pro", giving a much more enriching experience in a five-on-five competition, each of your friends picking one star to play. It would have been nice to create your own character with your own face to get some ownership but hopefully NBA Live 11 will address this.
 
Graphically, NBA 10 has once again received a facelift and for us, this is easily the most realistically looking basketball game that we have seen in years. There are dozens of new player animations which of course translate to more moves in the gameplay and gives some decent scope to your basketball tactics and to really thrash your controller around.

The animation of the players moving across the court is like watching TV and the stadiums are perfect with some great cheering from the crowd. The commentary is fun to listen, however not as enthusiastic as say Fifa 10 but Marv Albert and Steve Kerr do give the game that extra level of realism, even though at times, they are a little dull. Finally, the menu system is pure EA, very slick indeed as is the great soundtrack of the game.

At the end, NBA Live 10 is a decent basketball arcade simulation that only slightly offers the world of sport sims something new. This current version is more about online features, however the increased speed and maneuvers of the gameplay does take this franchise to the next level. Good stuff!