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4.5 stars: Walks the walk, but enough of the
talk (please!)
The search, my friends, is over.
The world finally has been provided with an NBA game that is NOT destined for $5 bargain bin at EB Games.
Ever since 1995, the basketball genre has been dominated by EA Sports with its acclaimed Live series. In fact, EA is
responsilbe for what I consider to be the best basketball game ever made: NBA Live 2000. Yea I know, it didn't have
the All-Star teams, or a retro uniform mode, or today's graphics (but these are still pretty damn good), but as far as simulating
an actual game, nobody else came close. Well, not until this year, that is.
As you might has already known, ESPN basketball is really the product of Sega, and the fourth title
in the '2K' series. Right from the start you are treated to an amazingly current ESPN-themed highlight reel from almost
all of the League's hugest stars. Before you get underway, the menu screen is styled like an ESPN menu which is easy
to break down and get to where you wanna go. As most other basketball titles do now, this game features various game
sliders such as game speed, fouls, shooting, layups, and difficulty. Sega basically pioneered this idea, and it beautifully
crafts your gaming experience to fit your needs. Now, on to the game.
Ah, THIS is where the game puts others to shame. The thing I love most about ESPN is that you
have to actually have a sense of how to play basketball in order to get the most out of your game. For instance, a common
streetball-saturated lazy fat kid can't pick it up and then drain 6 thirty-foot threes while doing somersault dribbles through
your entire defense. Instead, you have to actually move the ball upcourt without making any stupid mistakes; for instance,
if your do a behind the back dribble at the wrong moment, it WILL get stolen, just like in the NBA. Also, full speed
ahead won't work anymore. If you try to pull a Clyde Drexler, put-your-head-down-and-go haphazard fast break, the defender
will read you like a book and draw a charge. Trust me, this takes some getting used to, but it makes all for a realistic
game.
Don't try to be a hero and force a jumpshot either; if you are being closely guarded, you'll probably
get swatted. This makes you work on your ball rotation, pump faking, and passing out of a double team. I told
you this game was realistic!I hope I'm not making this game sound impossible, because it's not.
Basically, as long as you have some sort of a basketball IQ and you execute common court sense, chances are you'll pick it
up in a game or two.
Now for the details. Overall, the courts look as real as I've ever seen them, and I can'd find
one thing about the United Center that differs from the UC in ESPN NBA Basketball. They are really nicely done.
As far as uniforms and shoes, don't worry because they are all there. What else sets this game apart is the graphics
of the players themselves. As far as body proportions, faces, hair, sweat, wristbands, and other gear, this is the best
job I've seen so far. Hats off to the graphics designers. Also, the sound of the game is almost like sitting in
an actual stadium watching a game, from the squeak of the shoes, to players yelling, to the sound of a dunk, as well as the
PA announcer and the crowd. The only bad thing about this game: the commentary. I forget who the other guy
is, but the big problem is Tom Tolbert. A player will grab a rebound and he'll be like "a RARE rebound for _____."
How the hell is a rebound rare in the NBA? Also, his comments about old school techniques are enough to drive one to
consume mass quantities of shoe polish. Other than the commetary, this game rules. There's a shitload of other
stuff, like a franchise mode that rivals EA's as well as a 24/7 mode, but I'll just let you go rent the game to find that
out.
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| For those of you who've never sat courtside, this is basically as real as it gets. |
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| Yeah it's a pretty dunk, but check out his face...now THAT'S detail! |
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| This game is so real, they even re-did the cheerleaders under the baskets. Observe. |
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| "ESPN is sooo overrated....I mean, like....Dikembe Mutombo is on the Knicks! Puh-leese!" |
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