ESPN NBA 2K5

[StriderKyo]

NBA 2K4 was one of my most played games last year. The level of gameplay depth was amazing; I played a season with a couple of friends and by the end the on-court mindgames we were playing against each other made it feel like sports Street Fighter.

According to EB's website, the ship date's been bumped up to this week - the 28th. Check out the video Gamespot's got running alongside their preview, check out the movement of the players, it looks freaking incredible. They seem to have absolutely nailed the way momentum works on a basketball court, and the effect is alot more dramatic than what VC did with NFL 2K5. It's going to add a ton of depth to the way you play on both ends and how you space yourself on the floor, because you can't just go 0-60 in an instant anymore.

It's tough to tell from what I've seen so far, but the game also looks like less of a block fest than last year, which can only be a good thing - Chris Bosh is good and all, but I probably shouldn't be able to make him average 4.7 blocks in a season on superstar. There's a bunch of new features, but the interesting stuff boils down to:

• Isomotion has a bunch of new moves, and can now be done in the air for those Jordan mid-air shot change moments.
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• Franchise mode now features individual player personalities, so now you get to have mid-season Iverson meltdowns and Kobe telling you how to run your own damn team at the merest hint of a 3 game losing streak. How you respond determines whether that player reacts positively or negatively, and affects team chemistry. Don't yet know what Sprewell's coach strangling stat is.
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• Player models are even crazier, with player's individual heads, rather than just faces, mapped out. Improved lighting and shadow effects and billowing uniforms too.

Anyway, after last year I'm all over this on day 1. It's only $20 US, like NFL 2K5. No word yet on whether Randy Moss is going to be in it again, though.

[Melf]

I will be there as well. After 60+ hours put into NFL 2K5, I will live with this game. ESPN kicks ass.

[kingoffighters]

ESPN NHL and NFL 2k5 are both incredible games (not perfect, but still really fun and addictive). I will definitely check out NBA even if videogame basketball is my least favorite video sports genre.

[StriderKyo]

Hmmm...Hilary isn't big on it. Mind you, he still gave it an 8.1. But I'm not sure how to read that review - on the one hand he's familiar with the game, on the other hand I'm not sure reviewing sports games is his thing. Direct quote: "last year's 24/7 mode was better than the main game."

My ass it was. Unless your idea of a good time is spending hours in somebody's driveway having your crappy character getting dunked on repeatedly by Darvin Ham because only 3 pointers or shots taken after a recovered block count for your character but your opponent can score however he wants (*pause, breathe*) all in the hopes of getting a new gold necklace or Joel Pryzbilla's cel phone number, 24/7 was pretty much just a waste of time.

Meanwhile, his praise of NBA Live seems based around its corny all star weekend mode that has you bouncing balls off the jumbotron and scoreboard to perform NBA Street dunks. Gamespot basically called it worthless fluff. I'm thinking he has a thing for worthless fluff.

He also doesn't seem to know how to play the game - "isomotion doesn't work because like last year there are too many charges when using those moves". Try taking your finger off the turbo button. Wow, now the charges go away! He also can't seem to defend the pro hop - "it's a score at will button!" No, it's a "your opponent has committed, free block for you" button. After enough play last year, anytime my opponent went into the pro hop it was an instant spank-a-thon. They needed to add more to it.

He's right about Shaq, though. Shaquille is nowhere near as dominant as he should be - there is a right way to play him, of course, and he's still one of the best post players, but he wasn't worth my first pick last year. But complaining the "he spends too much time on the perimeter" is a bit silly. Apparently this guy has never seen an actual NBA team rotate. Centers get out on the perimiter all the time without any intention of shooting. I suppose they could have written a special AI routine to simulate Shaq's laziness and have him just stand next to the paint, but would that really be a good thing?

Anywaythe game should be out today - hopefully gamespot will have a review up soon - their Live review seemed alot more grounded than IGN's (8.0 to IGN's 8.9, said it was basically the same game as last year.)

[Spanky McGee]

Game is out today, picked it up after I was done working at Best Buy today. I really didnt put much time in as I'm getting to leave for my other job, but from the little I played I liked it better than last year. Looks like they fiddled with the controls a little, so that will take a little while to get used to. Anyways, looks like it should be an awesome game again. I'll have to wait until i get home to put some decent time into it.

[Do You Like Erotic?]

Might go out and pick this up today if I can get motivated to move...

[TobalRox]

I picked this up and played the 24/7 mode for the most part... seems cool so far. First basketball game (well, Sim) I've played since NBA2k1.

[JMET]

I take it that the XBOX version is online again...

I wonder if there will be less lag this go around...

[Korly]

I've had no luck with ESPNs online service this year. I haven't been able to get going on NFL or NHL, so I think I'll not even bother with NBA.

[TobalRox]

I've had no luck with ESPNs online service this year. I haven't been able to get going on NFL or NHL, so I think I'll not even bother with NBA.

Sorry to hear that, I've been playing both (haven't tried NBA yet). You should give someone at Sega a call.