ESPN College Hoops 2K5

"This game only time Morgan State could win a championship...."

It's debatable, but many say this year Sega Sport's ESPN Franchise defeated “The King” EA Sports in creating the best sports games. How could you not agree? If every ESPN game has the content College Basketball 2K5 has for only $20, then I agree.

Gameplay – 8/10
This game is packed full of options. The “Legacy” mode is great. You can either start with a power house or as a rookie coach just starting his career with a cupcake team. You will have to recruit players to your school by visiting them, calling them and writing them e-mails. You will also have get tapes and visit them at games to evaluate them. This game does have online play, and from what I've heard is solid. I can't say because I have yet to get a modem.. *cries*… moving on…The in game action is good. The ability to call offense and defense plays on the fly is really easy and adds a lot to the game. The AI is pretty good. You won't be able to take the ball down the court and score right away. You have to earn it by passing around and waiting for an opening. One negative about the gameplay is sometimes it's a little too hard to make baskets from close range. That's just a minor problem, nothing to really worry about. Gameplay is way above average. Here is a tip for you. Turn down the “Reaching” slider just a little or you will be called every time you try to steal It gets very annoying.

Controls- 8/10
At first you may not like the controls. There not very complicated, but it may take two or three games to really get them down. To shoot, you have to time your shot and release the shoot button (X) at the peak of the shot. Like I said, it will take you awhile to get down, so don't start shooting three point shots right away. Everything else is pretty smooth. You have many different options of passing and defense is pretty easy.

Graphics- 8/10
The players look great, and the arenas and cut scenes look solid. I guess the biggest problem with graphics is the crowd. Not a big deal. The colors are right on, they did a good job making it look exactly like an ESPN broadcast. Good graphics overall.

Sound- 7/10
Sound is probably the games biggest problem, mostly due to the announcers. Sometimes there slow on plays, other times there just confused. They will get teams mixed up and say things that just don't make sense. Not a big problem if you're like me and usually listen to music while you play games. The on court sounds and the crowds are good.

Buy or Rent? Even if basketball isn't your favorite spot, you should still buy this game. At $20, it's easily the best college hoops game on the market. Since it's a sports game, it has endless replay value, and Christmas is right around the corner so this would be a great gift from a friend.

Overall: 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/21/04