ESPN NBA Basketball

"Decent game, but a step backwards......."

-ESPN Basketball-Introduction-
Sega tries to out due EA using EA's own tactics. ESPN Basketball is overall a good game, but it's the little, significant disturbances that makes me, at times go crazy.

-Presentation-/9\
They get a 9 from me, quick and easy to use menus, nice intro movie as well. From the startup screen to the in game substitutions are great, well organized and it, as well as the text doesn't put stress on your eyes. Delve deep into the game as some things can get hectic though, like the subs and when you enter season and franchise they can get a little clumped, and the aggressive, ''If you change teams your accumulated points and etc. will be erased'' concerns me at times, but the menus aren't hard to navigate at all.

Sound/2\
Yeah, I know it's harsh, but for one the soundtrack is horrid, the new england rap ain't cuttin it Sega, the announcers are played out using lines from 2k2. The way they put together the play by play and color commentary sounds like they put each announcer in seperate rooms and let them say a whole lot of dumbness. I'd rather listen to the various clicks of moving through the menu then listen to them. The crowd is boring and as empty sounding as if 4 people were in the whole thing. If I'm facing a home team in the playoffs, I should feel mesmerized how the crowd rides behind the whole team, but it sounds like they're enjoying the food more then the game.


-Gameplay-/8\
When EA said the right analog will revolutionize gameplay I didn't realize they meant competitors too. Doing dribbling moves up the court and crossing up everybody isn't what the 2k series was all about, the defense was hectic and a work of art, now can cross people up and enter the lane, do another move, cancel your move and dunk. A simple crossover will do it, not all those other highlight moves, maybe for street, but for the actual game....eh. The opposing teams run the same plays again and again,...post up, pass, pass back, pass again, until one or another player scores. The dunks are terrible, instead of putting the regular well known and simple dunks in you got superman under and over's for regular players. You also got Jefferson jumping up over defenders, way into the air and slamming it down. Last time I recall not even Vince Carter can jump that high and that far over that many players, it gets ridiculous, slam dunk contest ridiculous. Last flaw, the defenders jump as high as the players when blocking, (they won't fall for a pump fake, but when you rise they're right there).

But, the game has it's high's too,
like the alleyopps and the sweet looking jumpshots and I can't forget about the lay-ups and passes, sweet. (They captured Pistol Pete's passes and intricate animated lay-ups) The unlockables are great and will keep you busy for a while. Franchise is better then ever, you can hire assistants, coaches trainer's and all that. If you play the actual game right, it can come off as a perfect game. Like when driving the lane don't use the turbo button, and don't abuse the dribbling moves and you got a near perfect game of basketball, forget the flaws if you love basketball, or want a good game to play just learn to work around it, thanks to the use of the gameplay sliders.

-Graphics-/9\
So many players look so much alike, it's ridiculous, the headbands are beautiful and always change colors according to the team the player's on. The cut-scenes of the coaches are realistic and every coach looks just as real as the players.

-Replay-/10\
Regardless of it's flaws you'll come back to it again and again, updating rosters unlocking things, playing 24/7 or battling your friends.

-Overall-/8\

Rent or Buy
Rent, then rent, then rent....If you still enjoy it after playing it that many times buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/24/04