NBA 2K2

"It's Ok..."

Let's just put it this way. NBA 2K2 wasn't what I expected at all. I saw several used copies of this game, so I bought one to see why there were so many. Turns out that this game isn't the best basketball game out there. Sure, it's good, but not that good.

Story-1/10

Let's just say that there really isn't a story for this game. If there was, however, it would add some twists to this game, and really hype it up. There is no story for this game, therefore, the game is just another bland old basketball game with no pizazz at all.

Game-play-6/10

The game-play isn't very interesting, either. You shoot the ball, and if you miss, shoot again. If you make it, shoot again. If you have 2 free-throws and you miss one, shoot again. If you miss the second one, shoot some more. There isn't much of a unique game-play, but I can't say it's bad, because that's just the way basketball is.

Graphics-9/10

Here's where God has mercy on this game. The graphics are excellent. This game has real pictures of the basketball players just like on TV, and the 3D versions of the players are just amazing. There are lights on the ground when announcing the home team, and you can actually see the individual audience's head. The bright scenes and dark background really blend together, and I just think that this game has better graphics than any other basketball game ever made.

Sound-8/10

The sound is actually quite decent, and far less annoying than other games. The music doesn't have any funky rapping, and a dribbling sound occurs when you try to select an icon. The ball also makes the dribbling sound, and the hoop makes it classic swish and dunk sounds when players do so. However, the announcers sometimes say something that happened 3 minutes ago, and are kind of slow at announcing a hoop.

Control-7/10

The control isn't too bad. You move around with the control stick, pass with the A button, and shoot with the B button. To accelerate, press the R button, and the L button is to guard. Without the ball, the B button is to intercept, and the X is to steal. Dodging is X when with the ball, and R is to force a shot. The controls aren't too hard, but they aren't easy to learn either, so it's just some old average controls.

Difficulty-2/10

Just when this game had hopes of earning a decent score, the difficulty had to completely annihilate that wish. This game is NOT difficult at all. The players make nearly every shot, and there are no story modes. Sure, they have the playoff mode, but even that isn't hard. This game doesn't have anything to give you at all, and doesn't have much to offer either.

Re-playability-1/10

If you have beaten this game in less than 24 hours, I can assure you that time will be cut in half if you play again. The playoffs will be a breeze, and games against the computers will be even easier. There are hardly any extra modes of offer, except practice, which doesn't help much once you have mastered the game.

Overall-5/10

Like I said before, this game is not the greatest basketball in the game, but it is ok nonetheless. This game has stunning graphics, and great sound. Other than that, this game isn't that great. Seriously, this game had potential, but didn't quite make the cut for the reputation of a good game.

Rent or Buy?

I say that you should rent this game. There isn't much to offer in it, but at least you can experience good sound and graphics. If you do decide to buy this game, however, I say that would be fine, but be warned...this game isn't what you think it is.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 11/13/06