PlayStation 2

ESPN NBA 2K5

ESPN NBA 2K5 isn't backing down from anyone. Having built its rep on solid basketball fundamentals, this season's revamped software engine tightens up its game another notch. Oh yeah, that $19.99 price tag is pretty darn aggressive, too.

The changes are not as drastic this time around, but Visual Concepts' efforts are just as praiseworthy. This is still the best playing, most rewarding, and realistic basketball game that money can buy.

Basketball is definitely one of the most difficult sports to recreate in video games. It's stop-start, high scoring, slow and then quick paced, and the physical contact can play havoc on the physics. The game's plays are simple, continuous, yet deep. It's a reactive game, and its fans know exactly what it looks like. This year ESPN is taking their plucky but determined series in another head-to-head showdown with sports leader EA, but this year they've got some new moves and a very attractive price point.

Like the Los Angeles Lakers, Visual Concepts' ESPN NBA basketball series has spent quite a few years lording over their competition. Widely recognized by gamers as the best hoop sim around, the franchise broke onto the scene in 1999 and blew people away with smooth animation, intelligent AI, and fast-paced gameplay. However, all dynasties must come to an end, and just as the Lakers were taken down by the Pistons in this year's NBA Finals, the ESPN series must withstand a charge from EA's NBA Live 2005, which features an innovative dunk system and a deep dynasty mode. Can the champion stay atop the throne?

Rounding out the gameplay highlights are the pressure/tempo strategy settings. 24/7 is back and still brilliant, but I'm undecided about player personalities in The Association mode, which can be unbalanced. On the other hand, simulating games via Full Authority is a lot of fun, and I suggest you take advantage of it, just like this title as a whole.

Ah, the ESPN NBA 2K franchise, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: I love how each year Visual Concepts seems to tighten all the things that worked in last year’s game. I also love how the controls feel so responsive and the action moves around so fluidly that you almost forget that this is a genuine NBA sim. Yes, I love the ESPN NBA game and that’s not easy to say because EA Sports has a very attractive and engaging brother by the name of NBA Live 2005. So who will win the heart of ball fans like me? Who has what it takes to sweep you off your feet and prove themselves to you this year?

Like its football and hockey brethren, which arrived earlier this year, ESPN NBA 2K5 has shipped to stores at a bargain price of $20. And, once again, developer Visual Concepts has delivered a product that resembles anything but a budget game. ESPN NBA 2K5 delivers a fantastic simulation-style basketball experience that is graphically appealing and chock-full of content.

Those of you looking for a NBA game on your PlayStation 2 should definitely pick up ESPN NBA 2K5. Once again we have a budget price for a quality game that will offer many hours of enjoyment to fans of basketball. It's a shame the online mode hadn't survived from the US version especially as online leagues could be created. I suppose there must be a reason why it has been cut but it's unfortunate for fans of the series who wanted to play online. Still there's plenty of value here for the single player and the game is difficult not to recommend for fans of the sport. Unlockable items such as BobbleHeads and extra teams will keep you coming for more and the 24/7 mode by itself could keep you busy for months which is not bad at all for less than £20.

No hoops game has ever gotten everything right. Some may have good flow, but bad AI, others might have great control but weak presentation and graphics. The quest for the perfect or even near-perfect basketball game is one Visual Concepts has pursued for the past six years. This year's attempt, ESPN NBA 2K5 is a confounding mix of good, bad, and just plain stupid. Like Charles Barkley, the 2K series remains great, but is still lacking that elusive championship ring.

You can expect a nice amount of content for the online mode, too, which includes real-time stats and the standard (and necessary) buddy list to keep you in contact with all the other ESPN loyalist out there. Still, if you already own ESPN NBA 2K4 basketball game, 2K5 is probably not worth the dough -- prettier graphics aren't enough. The $20 price tag puts it in reach of most everyone else, though.

In the middle of Football season we're still talking about Basketball? I'm sitting here on my couch watching NFL Sunday Ticket in HDTV, and wondering why in the world I even care about Basketball right now. Well, the season is about to begin, that's why. If you can believe it, Preseason is about to begin next Sunday, October 10th. November 2nd marks the official kickoff to the NBA season with the Houston Rockets at the Detroit Pistons. With the interesting, for lack of a better word, offseason, there is some serious intrigue to the 2004-2005 season.

ESPN 2K5 does have one odd feature that's quite disturbing. When a player is called for a foul, his rotating head is then displayed (as if on a platter) while his mouth opens and closes. I can't tell if it looks more creepy or hilarious, but Sega really dropped the ball there. As you would expect, 2K5 offers a plethora of option menus and sliders to customize every aspect of the game (except for the rotating heads). Adding replay value, there's an interesting "24 by 7" mode that uses the actual system clock to offer new items and challenges each day, as you advance a player (and his rotating head) from the streets to the pros. Most sports fans will probably favor NBA Live, but ESPN is still a respectable effort.

It's my understanding that NBA commissioner David Stern is a wise man. He can tie a tie and wears glasses, both of which are objective signs of intelligence. The man can read, people. He can read words, decipher their meaning, process their intent and even respond through a series of vocal grunts.

So what to make of ESPN NBA 2K5? Well, it imitates basketball pretty well and at its budget price-point it's certainly worth a look ahead of EA's NBA Live 2005. There are some minor niggles (such as the lack of online play in this European release) and overall it doesn't feel as solid, polished or generally as good as its NFL stable mate, but with the official NFL license vanishing on a cock-horse to EA Land, Visual Studios may well put more of its obviously talented team to work on the next NBA game and this will be a good thing for those of you who "get" this basketball thing.

ESPN NBA 2K5 a certainement les qualités nécessaires pour clôturer l'histoire de la série en beauté et s'imposer comme l'épisode le plus abouti en termes de simulation. Les nouveautés de gameplay bienvenues apportent de nombreux plus au niveau du réalisme et l'équilibre entre l'attaque et la défense est suffisamment bon pour obliger le joueur à un minimum de jeu placé avant d'arriver à enchaïner les points. Evidemment, on pourra regretter l'absence de mode en ligne et le sur-place de la réalisation (surtout sur PS2). Mais le prix doux du titre combiné à son incroyable durée de vie lui garantiront à eux seuls les faveurs des amateurs de basket qui y trouveront de quoi s'occuper tout l'année durant.

When a game is released for less than you would normally expect to purchase a new game for (such as the subject of this review, ESPN NBA 2K5), you tend to feel that it’s the gaming equivalent of a movie that has gone straight to video. For £20 though, with this game I don’t think you can go far wrong.