[Gamers' Day 2007] Bouncing Back
Can NBA '08 right the critical wrongs it suffered after the first basketball title? We go hands-on to find out.
Published: May 17, 2007
The rush of just getting a game out in time for launch likely left the boys and girls down at Sony Computer Entertainment America's San Diego Studios a little short on planning. It might explain why the game ran at 1080p and at 60 frames a second, but didn't have the same lighting or level of visual fidelity as the competition from EA and 2K Sports -- even if it did have the absolutely awesome NBA Replay feature that took specific moments from that week's NBA games and let players download and attempt to complete some clutch moments as challenges to either follow or rewrite history.
The series so far on the PS3 has also been something of a trimmed-down version. It doesn't have any of the more story-driven, cinematic bits from The Life in the PS2 game, nor does it have the surprisingly addictive and well-designed mini-games from the PSP version. Instead, this year's game is about taking the basics of NBA Replay and throwing it out into the whole game. Borrowing a little from their own MLB '07, player-specific goals will be the norm here, providing a little extra something during even the most basic of games. They aren't required, of course, but as last year's game showed, they are quite fun.
They're also the key to unlocking new gear; sweatbands, shoes, pads, jerseys and so on, which give equipped players specific stat bonuses. It's not entirely realistic, no, but it is a really cool way to encourage players to participate in all those challenges. To keep track of it all, any completed challenges (as well as any that haven't been notched yet) will all be tracked in a central hub, allowing you to see the visual rewards for hitting the game's new milestones as well as what can be worked on to grab that next piece of schwag.
We were also rather impressed with the implementation of SIXAXIS controls. Any time you pull up from the dribble, you can basically move the SIXAXIS as if you were holding the basketball, holding it back or high up too keep it away from defenders. If you are that defender, you can move the controller up or down to keep your hands in their face or spread them to prevent spins or breaks to either side. It's the same risk/reward mechanic also added to the PSP version that sacrifices boosting shot percentage for the ability to read a big cut or spin while wide, and vice-versa when in the high stance.
Visually, the game has gotten a little nudge too. Gone are the Plasticine dolls seen in the past game. Now, characters sport pockmarks and freckles, with enhanced lighting and the all-important sweat shaders that have been scaled back a little. The result is players that look far better, though we're still not convinced they can give the almost startlingly realistic feel of the competition. If the absolutely killer commentary in [i]MLB '07[/] was any indication, the inclusion of the Sonics' golden-voiced announcer Kevin Calabro (easily one of the best voices in sports broadcasting) for play-by-play and Mark Jackson for color comments.
We'll no doubt be getting an updated build of the game in here fairly soon, and when we do, we'll be sure to run it (and some of the stuff that wasn't in this build, like the create-a-character) through its paces.
The series so far on the PS3 has also been something of a trimmed-down version. It doesn't have any of the more story-driven, cinematic bits from The Life in the PS2 game, nor does it have the surprisingly addictive and well-designed mini-games from the PSP version. Instead, this year's game is about taking the basics of NBA Replay and throwing it out into the whole game. Borrowing a little from their own MLB '07, player-specific goals will be the norm here, providing a little extra something during even the most basic of games. They aren't required, of course, but as last year's game showed, they are quite fun.
They're also the key to unlocking new gear; sweatbands, shoes, pads, jerseys and so on, which give equipped players specific stat bonuses. It's not entirely realistic, no, but it is a really cool way to encourage players to participate in all those challenges. To keep track of it all, any completed challenges (as well as any that haven't been notched yet) will all be tracked in a central hub, allowing you to see the visual rewards for hitting the game's new milestones as well as what can be worked on to grab that next piece of schwag.
We were also rather impressed with the implementation of SIXAXIS controls. Any time you pull up from the dribble, you can basically move the SIXAXIS as if you were holding the basketball, holding it back or high up too keep it away from defenders. If you are that defender, you can move the controller up or down to keep your hands in their face or spread them to prevent spins or breaks to either side. It's the same risk/reward mechanic also added to the PSP version that sacrifices boosting shot percentage for the ability to read a big cut or spin while wide, and vice-versa when in the high stance.
Visually, the game has gotten a little nudge too. Gone are the Plasticine dolls seen in the past game. Now, characters sport pockmarks and freckles, with enhanced lighting and the all-important sweat shaders that have been scaled back a little. The result is players that look far better, though we're still not convinced they can give the almost startlingly realistic feel of the competition. If the absolutely killer commentary in [i]MLB '07[/] was any indication, the inclusion of the Sonics' golden-voiced announcer Kevin Calabro (easily one of the best voices in sports broadcasting) for play-by-play and Mark Jackson for color comments.
We'll no doubt be getting an updated build of the game in here fairly soon, and when we do, we'll be sure to run it (and some of the stuff that wasn't in this build, like the create-a-character) through its paces.
