Score
Gameplay:	8
Graphics:	9
Sound:	8
FunFactor:	9
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	8.6

ESPN NBA 2K5 Review
March 2, 2005 by Zac

by Zac - March 2, 2005

Visual Concepts has great a reputation for creating quality NBA games, and for anyone asking if VC has delivered again, the answer is a resounding yes. Of course there are a few problems, but the generally great gameplay, the great graphics, and the great price make ESPN NBA 2K5 a must-buy for any hoops fan.

Simply Great Basketball

For those who played 2k5's prequel last year, the biggest change comes in the form of the new momentum system. Visual Concepts has simulated the physical attributes of different players, so big guys will move slowly and take longer to stop, while point guards will be able to cut and stop with ease. This might sound like it wouldn�t change much, but it changes gameplay, and especially fast-break gameplay, quite a bit. Fast-break threes and stop and pop jumpers may take a little getting used to.

The IsoMotion system got an overhaul as well. The offensive post game is amazing, with a huge variety of effective steps and fakes. When you�re not in the paint, you can rely on plenty of cross-over and dribble moves to break your man down. And after you break your man down and drive to the hoop, you can adjust your shot or switch hands if a pesky Center wants to block your lay-up. Of course, circus shots have a considerably lower chance of being made, so you can�t just drive at anyone.

24/7 mode is back with a vengeance. For those who have never played it before, it�s essentially arcade-styled streetball. You create a player, train him, and take him around the country, competing against mostly NBA players. After beating another player, you receive his phone number, which you can call if you need a partner for a team game.

In 24/7, you can unlock new items, play in new game types, and play against a friend, online or off. Just don�t take a break from it for too long or your player�s stats will start to suffer. It�s not too fun to get distracted by the franchise mode and come back to 24/7 a month later to find that your player sucks.

Speaking of the franchise mode, it has been changed quite a bit. Called �The Association�, there are a few options that can drastically change the way your team plays. Special coaches, retired players, and trainers can be hired to help your players in different ways each week. Some help your team�s low post game, some improve shooting, some improve injury resistance, some improve defense, etc. In addition, at the end of the week, one of the players on your team will wish to speak with you about whatever is concerning them. If you reply to their concerns appropriately, your team�s chemistry will go up and your players will play better with each other. Of course if you say something the player doesn�t like, team chemistry suffers. It�s a pretty simplistic system, as there are only three player personality types and three available responses, but it�s a good starting point for something more substantial next year.

The strongpoint of this year�s franchise mode is however, Full Authority. Full Authority is a sim that makes you the coach and gives you control over roughly how many shots each player takes, where they take them, and what kind of defense they play. At the end of each sim period, which is approximately half a quarter, you can sub players and adjust your strategy, optionally viewing a few highlights. It�s a fun and interactive system which can eat up a lot of your afternoon.

Ben Wallace Has Never Looked So Pretty

ESPN NBA 2K5 simply looks great. The facial models are both accurate and detailed, while the character models are generally of the same high quality because of the inclusions of the little things, like sweat and light reflection. As always, the arenas look good. The crowd also looks good and generally stays active, making it pretty convincing unless you�ve zoomed in a lot. ESPN NBA 2K5 is the best looking NBA game on the market.

Sound Header

ESPN�s sound effects are accurate and convincing. The crowd generally sounds believable as well. Bill Walton and Bill Fitzgerald provide the commentary while Michelle Tafoya breaks in every once in awhile. Generally the commentary is good, and it takes awhile before it becomes repetitive.

The soundtrack is generally rap-themed, though there is some variance. For those who aren�t a big fan of the music in the game, you can create custom menu and arena music with music on your hard drive.

Not Quite Perfect

There are a few problems with ESPN worth mentioning. For one, trading can be obnoxious at times because you cannot view contract lengths for players not on your team. This makes clearing cap room needlessly tedious, as you have no idea which other players have expiring contracts. Thus you�re forced to guess and make a trade. If the acquired player doesn�t have a contract you�re interested in, you have to reload your Franchise from the last save point.

There are some balancing issues as well. For instance, sharpshooters like Ray Allen and Peja Stojakovic will shoot 60% from beyond the arc pretty consistently at default settings. In addition, the low post IsoMotion moves turn what should be a good post player into an almost unstoppable one. In single player, you can simply adjust the gameplay sliders to fix the problem, but custom sliders cannot be used on Xbox Live. Thus, online play can be unenjoyable if you�re playing with someone you don�t know. Usually strangers end up picking a good shooting team and switch off between jacking up circus threes and using abusive post players.

Finally, if you don�t have Xbox Live, you�ll have to add a few players as some are missing. None are stars, but there are some notable MIAs such as Andres Nocioni of the Bulls. Most of the other missing players are rookies as well.

 

 

The Bottom Line

While some of the problems previously mentioned can be obnoxious, ESPN NBA 2K5 is a thoroughly enjoyable and generally well-made basketball game, easily recommended to NBA fans.