NBA 2K8 – PS3 – Review

Every year
the hype is the same: developers say they’re making a sports game that will
rectify last year’s issues. They speak of the graphics and how each player moves
realistically. They also say that the latest version will entertain the hardcore
and casual fans – a game for every type of player.

Surely every
developer wants to believe that their product is the best. But only one can
safely make that claim. Only one captures the excitement of a sport that runs on
exhilaration: NBA 2K8.

NBA 2K8
isn’t a perfect-looking game but your jaw is still going to drop every time you
play it. From the moment the first game begins, you will be amazed at the player
intricacies. Facial detail is immense – you’ll be blown away by the work applied
to Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Tim Duncan and other star players.

And it isn’t
just their faces or jersey numbers that clarify which players are on the court.
Their shape, size, and individual animations are unprecedented. The developers
have said that they wanted to make the players look and move less like video
game characters and more like the real thing, and they weren’t kidding. Each
player walks, runs, and stops differently. Players handle the ball differently
as well, and have a unique way of throwing and dunking. It’s really incredible.

The player
animations seamlessly mesh with the controls, which are amazingly well done.
There are brief moments of imperfection (such as a player sliding a few inches
when he should have stayed put). But the majority of the ball interactions and
player collisions are met with unrivaled realism. If you collide with an
opponent on the rebound, expect the ball to bounce away. If a teammate is near,
the AI is strong enough for him to intervene and potentially save the day. You
can also switch to that player and manually snatch the ball, if it has bounced
in your direction. Then again, if another opponent is standing by, the battle to
take control of the ball will only continue.

Running
doesn’t come easy. You must build up to it and fight the effects of inertia when
it comes time to stop. This is another area that trumps NBA 2K7 in mechanics and
animation. The game accurately reacts to your moves, good or bad, and follows
with the appropriate consequence.

Shooting,
especially three-pointers, is another astounding element. Players that don’t
often shoot (or can’t shoot) three-pointers in the real game are not
likely to succeed at that in the virtual world. The same can be said for dunks,
albeit with a bit more leeway. However, being a great shooter doesn’t guarantee
you’ll score every time. It’s not always easy to determine when a shot is worth
taking. But if you didn’t throw the ball far enough, it will be obvious the
second the ball leaves your player’s hands. Balls don’t merely fly through the
air and miss for no reason. There is a great sense of direction involved, and
high depth of field.

In the
Association mode, player roles need to be assigned with the team and the players
in mind. If a player sees himself as a starter and you think he’s a bench
warmer, expect his morale to drop. Low morale reduces player performance. Free
agent signing is conducted in real-time against other teams, increasing the
challenge of acquiring a great player. Simulation games can also have a
real-time element, if you desire, that adds a slight amount of interactivity to
a mode that’s typically hands-off.

Though
you’re likely to be too distracted by the gameplay to notice, there are many
subtle graphic details roaming in the background of each arena. Look closely
when approaching either net and you’ll spot the team mascot bouncing around.
Non-playing teammates can be seen waiting on the bench, each moving with slight
differences. The audience animations are steps above most other sports games,
featuring a cluster of lively spectators.

Hitting
the Blacktop

In creating
NBA 2K8, the developers hoped to obtain new players with the series’ first ever
Dunk Contest. This mode is fun but you’ll need a lot of patience to enjoy it.
The timing mechanism is hit-or-miss, and you aren’t likely to get it on the
first try. It’s just you and the ball in this mode (and a loudmouth MC who
bashes every play).

To start,
push or spin the right stick in any direction. That’s the first of a three-part
entry. Second, before the player jumps, push or spin the right stick again. It
can be in the same direction as the first move, but you can enhance the dunk and
gain a higher number of points by mixing up your stick formations. Lastly, you
have to study the dunk meter (which appears once your player is airborne) and
push the R2 button when it reaches the designated marker. All three moves must
be executed within a short window of time – approximately 3-5 seconds.

The Dunk
Contest is a part of the NBA Blacktop mode, which also houses quick games
ranging from one-on-one to five-on-five players. Pickup Games, 3PT Shootouts,
and Game of 21 modes are also available. These games are played out on the
street, with a darker court and urban backdrops that are very different from
what you see in the NBA. Even so, the sponsorship (product placement) remains:
Sprite logos appear all over the game.

On the
upside, the ads aren’t very obtrusive. Their most common placement is on the
arena banner space, which is where you’re likely to see the ads in a real game.
That’s expected, and since this brand has been associated with the sport for
several years, it doesn’t feel as gimmicky as having Burger King in a boxing
game or Jeep billboards behind pro skateboarders.

You’ll play
and read about a lot of sports games this year, but only a select few are
universally appealing. NBA 2K8 has the gameplay of a hardcore game, the modes of
a mainstream hit, and the graphics of a game that attracts both audiences.

Review Scoring Details for NBA 2K8

Gameplay: 8.7
Basketball in its
most realistic, exciting, and entertaining form. The controls and seamless
player interactions make NBA 2K8 an instant showstopper – deep gameplay and high
replay value provide the longevity you’ve come to expect (and demand) from 2K
Sports.

Graphics:
9.3
Jaw-dropping,
player-specific models and animations that will blow your mind. By far one of
the best-looking sports games of the year.

Sound: 7.9
The commentary is
good but does not come without a large dose of repetition. Musically, NBA 2K8
has a soundtrack that’s bigger and more varied than most basketball games. It’s
also quite good, featuring techno and jazzy sounds with the usual array of
hip-hop.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Easy to learn,
moderately difficult to master, NBA 2K8 has a great balance of fun and realism.

Concept: 8.0
NBA 2K8 isn’t as
groundbreaking as 2K7 but is a highly polished and highly refined basketball
game that’s been fully updated for the new season.

Multiplayer: 8.7
Whether online
(10 players) or offline (seven players), NBA 2K8 offers the best multiplayer
gameplay of any basketball game released this year.

Overall: 8.7
Games don’t have
to look the best to play the best. But when both the gameplay and graphic
features are at the top of the league, you know you’re playing more than another
annual update. You’re playing the next evolution in NBA 2K.