College Hoops 2K8

"I've never played a game like this before. Oh wait. Yes, I have. It was called 2K7..."

I seem to go through a lot of College Hoops titles. I have played 2K6, 2K7, and 2K8 on the XBOX 360, as well as 2K5, 2K7, and now 2K8 on the Playstation 2. Although the 360 versions are far superior to the PS2's titles, I have always enjoyed the College Hoops series on both platforms. However, 2K8 really is the final version of this game that I will ever play on the PS2.

College Hoops 2K8 has one incredibly major flaw: It is identical to last year's game. I have never played a sports game that was this close to its predecessor before. That's not to say that it it means the game is bad, really. However, I have played 2K7 already, and every time you buy a new game, you want it to feel new. This game feels exactly like 2K7, which I eventually got tired of and stopped playing long ago. It is very sad that the game designers put forth almost no effort to improve the game for the PS2 whatsoever. It may only be a $20 title, but you should at least get your twenty dollars worth.

The core gameplay is still pretty decent. The same issues that I had with 2K7 are still here however. Primarily, the need to "babysit" the computer is still apparent. What I mean is, the standard sliders for regular gameplay are far too easy. You will have to play many games to to work out a logical system of sliders that makes the game feel more realistic. On the highest difficulty, I beat the first two opponents I played (both ranked) by over 35 points each time. All I ever needed to do was to run around with the ball around the 3 point line until my defender got caught up on another player, and then I would go to the basket and score. Pathetic. That's all you ever had to do in last year's game, too.

The graphics are very average as well. They are similar to last year's models, but they look even older, if that's possible. There is virtually no sense of atmosphere, as everything looks and feels bland. But, that's what happens when you are essentially playing last year's game.

There are new features built into 2K8, such as the momentum meter (called the "6th man advantage"). This feature is broken, however, as it doesn't do anything. I literally let the computer score enough baskets in a row to get their momentum meter up all the way. It should have improved the abilities of the opposing team. Instead, I easily went down and scored 3 straight baskets and the other team missed all of their shots. In theory, the computer should have been better able to make their shots with momentum on its side. But, since the meter doesn't actually do anything, it made no difference whatsoever in the gameplay.

This game boasts unlockable classic teams, just like last year. Problem is, it has the exact same teams to unlock as last year's game. They didn't add Florida or Ohio State from last year into the mix. Very weak. I basically had to play a bunch of games to unlock all of the teams all over again. That was very boring, since the game felt old and I had already done this in 2K7.

To add to the misery, there are glitches in the game, too. In legacy mode, when playing an away game, you will end up playing in Albany's home court, no matter what opponent you are playing. Why? Nobody knows. Also, there is an annoying glitch where you will simulate games and find that your starters are only playing 5 minutes, while your back-ups are playing around 30. How did the game designers screw this one up? This is a problem for me, as I simulate half of my league games (so I can lose some games), but you end up losing a lot of games and having really odd stats for the season because the game puts in the back-ups for 80% of the game over your starters.

-- Bottom Line --

I've said it before, but it has never rang more true than right now: This game is exactly like last year's game, but with updated rosters. You can literally play through one season of 2K7, watch the players leave for the NBA, and use the remaining roster to play through the 2007-2008 season. What you will then have, even though you are playing last year's game, is the "new" game of College Hoops 2K8. The only way to save this title is to add new features. However, the biggest one that is used doesn't even do anything. It looks like 2K7, it feels like 2K7, and it plays like 2K7. Do yourself a favor. If you don't have a 360, but must have a college basketball game to play, go buy 2K7, skip a single season, and play from there. You will save some money and be glad that you did.

Peace.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 01/11/08

Game Release: College Hoops 2K8 (US, 11/19/07)