The last NBA Live had some great ideas, namely it's World Tour mode. A version of this was included in 18, but it's expanded here. It's almost like a sim NBA Street. It works in tandem with The League career mode. Progression happens at a quick pace, and the presentation is well done. Best of all, it can be enjoyed completely offline.

Gameplay is a step below 2K. Movement a bit too slippery and the the game is overly reliant on canned animations. Shooting is also an issue. There were many occasions where it seemed like my player was open, but the game penalized me because it said the shot was contested even though it looked like the defender was a couple steps away. That said, I was able to adjust to these over things and found it to be worthwhile given how much I enjoy the other aspects of the game.

Live 19 is a strong 2K alternative, and it's unfortunate there hasn't been another game in the series since. Here's to hoping it comes back soon.