ESPN NBA 2Night 2002

"I like this game"

I love basketball...bottom line. And with this years battle between NBA Live 2002 and NBA2K2 for the top spot, one could safely assume that these two games would be enough to quench anyone's basketball thirst. Truth is, neither title was able to do it for me. Live 2002 is the more realistic out of the two, but the game is just outright boring. 2K2 is more of an arcade type game (which was fun) but I just can't tolerate the crappy free throw shooting. So, I decided to look elsewhere for a decent b-ball game...and I found it in ESPN NBA 2Night 2002.

This is the first game I've bought from the ESPN series, and I have to say that I am pretty impressed. There are definitely some snaffu's in it, but overall I like this game.

Presentation: 8

The opening cinematic is pretty cool. They show real clips of the NBA. The music is really nice too; there are several songs that they play, and they are of the hip hop nature. Anytime you can get Brent Musberger to do the commentary in your game, you know you have a winner. However, they also added Stuart Scott and his ''phrases that were in 10 years ago.'' I'm not hating Stuart Scott, because he did his job in this game like he does on ESPN, but he can sometimes get very annoying. There is a lot of delay when announcing players stats, but overall I like the commentary in this game a lot. It is non-stop, just like it is when you're watching the game.

Graphics: 7 1/2

The faces in this game are pretty good. I don't think they are as good as they could have been, but you can definitely tell who's who. I just don't like what they did to Shaq...he has a huge forehead. If you want to try and imagine what the graphics look like, think Run-n-Gun (remember that game?) and 2k2 combined. The dunk and layup animations are pretty tight; the dunks are some of the best I've seen in a video game, and the finger rolls are up there too. Every team has an alternate uniform, and you can even change the arm bands, shoes, etc. The only thing I don't like about the graphics is when they show a close up of someone; they got their shirts tucked in, and it looks like they got their shorts pulled up too high. It looks dorky.

Controls: 7

There several options available to you in reference to using your controller. There is no crossover feature, like there is in 2k2. Instead, you have the shake button. A successful shake is determined by your dribbling skills and the defenders position. Basically, the only ''shakes'' I've seen are the crossover and the spin move. You can also fake a crossover or dribble step, which is pretty effective in the game. When you shoot the ball, you have to release the button at the top of your shot to hit it. I have also found that if you pass it to a wide open man, he will hit the shot 99% of the time, no matter who he is (Shaq was 2-3 from 3 point land because he was sitting out there). There really is no post up control either. If you are a fan of live 2002, you know that you can post someone up and have your day with them, whether you drop step them, hook it, or try a fade away. In this game, however, I have not really found a way to effectively post someone up; the options just aren't there. However, if you are in the inside, you can force a dunk/layup/shot by pressing L2+square. Blocking the ball is pretty fun and POSSIBLE. For some reason, I have a hard time blocking shots in Live and 2k2, but in this game I can swat with the rest of then. Also, this game has tip ins! I've seen the computer do it, but I can't. The passing is really slow in this game, and I think it's because ESPN incorporated a new way (to me anyways) to steal. If the ball is in the air, you can press square and the player you are controlling will actually go after the ball. I've never seen this before; steal has only been used to strip the ball from the player. Rebounding is fairly simple in this game. Also, the ball action is very nice too. Once the ball hits the rim it reacts more realistically than what I've seen in other games. If someone goes for a 3 and misses, the ball will clank off hard or sometimes even over the back board. If someone drives and barely misses, the ball will bounce around a couple of times, roll around a little bit and fall. I even had the ball almost get stuck between the rim and the backboard. Lastly, the free throw feature is different too. You have 2 bars, and you have to hit the L1 and L2 buttons simultaneously to start and stop the meters. It's pretty easy.

Options: 8

You can play an Exhibition, Season, Playoff, or Franchise mode. In Franchise mode, you can play up to 25 seasons. There is a fantasy draft, lottery draft, free agent signings, player trades and retirements. There is also a profile menu for each player, which tells you the players stats, and abilities. It also has a skill section, which is something I've never seen before. In the skills section, there is a pre-made list of special skills that players can have that mirrors their real life personalities. For example, MJ's skills are ''Clutch'' and ''Intimidator.'' There is also the Home Court advantage feature, which you can turn on or off. This simply gives the home team a slight advantage. I still can't beat the Knicks at home :). You can change players attributes, whether or not he can wear elbow pads, and skills. You can create your own players too.

Replay value: 7 1/2

Since there is a 25 franchise mode, with lottery picks and a fantasy draft, I think that this game can keep you occupied till this fall.

Overall, I think that I will be playing this game a lot more than Live and 2k2. If you're looking for a solid game that is FUN, than try this one out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/25/02, Updated 03/25/02