NBA training camps haven't even opened yet, but that hasn't stopped Electronic Arts from shipping the latest iteration of its NBA basketball franchise, NBA Live 2005. Live 2005 offers a number of new features, such as a full implementation of all-star weekend, complete with the slam-dunk contest and three-point shootout. There's also been a revamp of the franchise mode and some tweaks made to the basic gameplay. But, as with an NBA team, a game is not just the sum of its parts. NBA Live 2005 plays a solid game of basketball, but even the flashy new features can't hide the fact that it isn't a huge step up from last year's edition.

The biggest addition in NBA Live 2005 is its inclusion of the all-star weekend. You'll be able to play through four events from the real-life NBA All-Star weekend, including the rookies vs. sophomores game, the actual all-star game, the three-point shootout, and the slam-dunk contest. The three-point contest allows you to pick up to eight NBA sharpshooters to compete against each other. Each player must take up to 25 three-point shots within 60 seconds to earn points, with five specially colored balls counting for two points instead of one. In practice, this mode really isn't that exciting, as it boils down to pressing the same two buttons over and over again.

source : Gamespot