|
NBA 2K9
|
|
|
|
|
Publisher Region Released 2K Games NA 10/07/2008 |
|
Your Account Options
You currently have no privileges related to this game profile because you are not signed into an HonestGamers account. Please log in, or click to register for a free user account.
|
More Reviews by Marc Golding
|
|
 |
My Hero (Sega Master System)
You play the role of The Hero, but you look like Edward Carnby, specifically from Alone in the Dark 2, right down to the blue leisure suit and pitiful de... |
 |
Silent Hill HD Collection (Xbox 360)
I am not enamoured of any two old games slapped together (just Silent Hill 2 and 3 in this case) being called a “collection” in the first place, e... |
 |
Silent Hill: Downpour (Xbox 360)
Some might argue that the canon was lost once it left the hands of its original developers; since that time it has been passed from studio to studio, each with ... |
 |
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PlayStation 3)
My team went through a checkpoint door and encountered enemy resistance. I noticed one teammate was absent on the front lines, and looked for her. Naturally, sh... |
 |
AMY (Xbox 360)
Tragically, though the poor presentation is the first thing you’ll notice, it’s not the worst. Not by a long shot. In fact, an argument could be made tha... |
|
Best Xbox 360 Games
|
|
|
Mass Effect 3
Average Rating: 10.0; Reviews: 2 |
|
Batman: Arkham City
Average Rating: 10.0; Reviews: 2 |
|
Mass Effect 2
Average Rating: 9.7; Reviews: 3 |
|
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Average Rating: 9.6; Reviews: 5 |
|
Red Dead Redemption
Average Rating: 9.5; Reviews: 2 |
|
Assassin's Creed II
Average Rating: 9.5; Reviews: 2 |
|
Earth Defense Force 2017
Average Rating: 9.5; Reviews: 2 |
|
Trials Evolution
Average Rating: 9.5; Reviews: 2 |
|
Super Meat Boy
Average Rating: 9.5; Reviews: 2 |
|
Hitman: Blood Money
Average Rating: 9.5; Reviews: 2 |
|
Looking for a good read?
Check out a selection from our database of more than 8000 reviews! jeeeehad has weighed in on Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for the Xbox 360 and figures it rates 7 out of 10. What do you think? Read the review, then be sure to leave feedback or chime in with one of your own! |
Systems > Xbox 360 > N > NBA 2K9 > Staff Review
Sign up for a free user account and you can leave feedback for this review or even submit a game review of your own!
Review by Marc Golding
November 05, 2008
That’s how good NBA 2K9 looks and sounds. The commentating of Kevin Harlan, the colour tidbits added by analyst Clark Kellogg, and the sideline ‘scoops’ by Cheryl Miller are as varied and vital as we can reasonably expect from a game (sure there’s repetition, but this is as deep a bag of lines as I’ve heard).
The cheering of the raucous fans swells and ebbs – and you can pick out scores of individual noisemakers responsible in the crowd, filling out each unique stadium. You’ll gladly pick out curvy cheerleaders as well, as they hasten off the court after half-time, and mascots working the masses as the score causes drama to mount.
Player animations as they juke and jive and spin and crossover and fadeaway are sights to behold, and you can nearly feel the lift and hang of your legs on Kobe’s jump shot release and your fingers clawing the rim on Dwayne Wade’s one-handed slam through traffic.
Put simply: it doesn’t get better than this for videogame basketball. NBA 2K9 basically took a blueprint which was already established as genre-defining and leading, and made some tweaks in order to provide the best experience available. That being said, my score reflects the fact that they left room for improvement for subsequent releases -- this year's minor refinements are just that: minor.
We’ve already established that for atmosphere, 2K9 is peerless. While that’s true, it’s also true that player models at close range reveal that they could use some work. And sure, 2K9’s options are vast and deep: from blacktop play to all-rookie games to dunk-offs to online stats and hotstreak updates (dubbed “live rosters”), to the epitome of sports game depth in “Association mode” (which is actually running an NBA team – replete with trading functionality) – everything you could want is here. But oddly enough, accessing this baller options cornucopia is a bit clunky due to a decidedly dodgy and counterintuitive menu tree.
2K9's controls continue the counterintuitive trend. I accept that nothing comes easy in 2K9, and that makes scoring and defending all the more rewarding. But the controls could surely use some tweaking – not in terms of responsiveness, but in terms of simplicity. I’d love to see an overhaul for next year, where the general button and stick command layout feels more natural (aside from the right analog shot-stick which is already brilliant). And in particular, free throws should definitely come more easily, as they seem quite the undertaking at times, for even the better shooters in the league.
All in all, these are minor niggles with a robust product that speaks to casual sports fans with its rookie mode, and to the hardcore, with modes from pro to all-star on up. On offense, the computer can be deadly effective -- you'll have to be adept at switching defenders, closing the gap, knowing when to risk steal attempts and timing blocks to keep them from running up the score.
On D, the computer AI is just as capable, even on the easiest setting, adapting to your cornier money plays in short order – expect to get your stuff swatted very unceremoniously on about your fourth clumsy bulldog spin into the lane, Allen Iverson-quickness notwithstanding. You’ll have to spread the floor and look for open men to set up easy shots – just like real round ball.
And just like real round ball, a shot taken just right will feel right. Ball release timing on a shot furnishes a level of verisimilitude not readily approached in gaming; it’s a joy to sense the timing on a given player’s ups and pull off a perfect release when you’re beyond the arc and down points in the closing minutes. And even on your own, it's not a one-man shooting gallery.
Your computer-controlled teammates actually set screens, cut, and get open automatically, making intelligent plays off the ball without your assistance. When you get better and know what you're doing, you'll call your own plays that your team will follow diligently amd it's beyond satisfying to see your coaching strategies pan out to the tune of points on the board.
Of course, as is the case with any sports game, it's the multi-player capacity that takes the fun to the next level. Playing 2K9 with a friend, or against one, is my favourite way to play the game, but if you're more of a net competitor, rest assured that the online mode is no slouch. New for 2K9 is the ability to assign five human players to one team, which can make for some raucous online parties with buddies.
The verdict is in, and if we're being honest, it's been in for some time: NBA 2K is the best basketball series out there, and 2K9 simply serves as this year's reminder. If you're a fan of the sport, you need this game. It's not perfect, but it's close, and it's comforting to know we have next year to look forward to.
|
|
|
|
You can click the tabs on the above bar to choose whether you wish to read comments from visitors who have posted on Facebook, or from registered site users who have left feedback on the forums. Please leave a comment of your own if you have anything to say!
|
|
|
Info |
Help |
Privacy Policy |
Contact |
Advertise
|
© 1998-2012 HonestGamers None of the material contained within this site--from reviews, guides, cheats and editorials to message board posts--may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. NBA 2K9 is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to NBA 2K9, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors. |
