NBA 07 – PS2 – Preview

As we inch
closer to the release of two next-gen consoles, developers are working hard to
squeeze that last bit of juice out of the current game platforms. NBA 07 will
be the last time Sony’s own basketball title comes to PlayStation 2 first.
Next year’s edition may appear on PS2 as well, but the main edition will be
the graphically-rich, technologically-advanced version for PlayStation 3. Now
more than ever the NBA series needed to come through for PS2 players.

Not
surprisingly, the basic controls mirror those of last year’s edition. The
circle button still controls your shot-timing mechanism, which has been
tweaked slightly this time around. Shots are a little easier to acquire,
provided you’re standing in the right place and are not being blocked by too
many opponents. Also returning are the spin and juke moves of the right analog
stick, which let you tap or spin the stick in a particular direction to dodge
a potential steal.

 

NBA 07 is
banking most of its success on The Life: Volume 2, the update to last year’s
story within a basketball game. Though the in-game cinematics could use some
work (they’re running in real-time and are limited by PS2’s six-year-old
technology), the dialogue, acting, and the story being told are really coming
together. From the minute it starts you get the sense that these are dedicated
players, vicious executives, and heartless reporters who can’t resist a good
story – even if it means hurting someone in the process.

The
frustrating mini-games that slowed the flow of The Life: Volume 1 appear to be
gone. Volume 2 cranks out fewer mini-games, throwing you right into actual
games very quickly. Specific objectives are still needed to pass the game, and
they often involve more than having the highest score. Dynamic shots are
frequently required, especially if you want to meet the bonus objectives.
Players might have to spin, then shoot and successfully make the basket. Or
you might be asked to make some other evasive move and perform a dunk. The
game switches it up, changing requirements as the game progresses.

The story
enters in between each challenge, with the exception of challenges that occur
back-to-back. Challenge load times are rather long in the game’s current
state, but I’m hoping that changes in the final version. There are some
interesting effects presented, like an overhead camera that zooms in just
before the game begins, cinematic blur and all. But I don’t think that’s
enough to keep the developers from optimizing the load time, especially when
they have the option to stream content and keep the disc loading consistently
throughout each game/challenge.

 

The story
sequences, on the other hand, didn’t take nearly as long to load. This was
somewhat surprising as most games typically falter in this department,
especially if another portion of the game has long load times. But Volume 2
came through, introducing a cast of interesting characters, an intriguing
plot, and a smooth transition between the story and the game itself. Gamers
and moviegoers alike will be equally amused.

Last year’s
rap-based soundtrack has been updated with more from the genre, but this time
the music isn’t nearly as repetitive. The songs have an edgier, more hardcore
sound – not necessarily in the explicit content of the lyrics, but in the way
each song sounds, emphasizing drums and phat beats over repeated loops. The
wait for a game to begin is intensified by a thumping drum that plays during
the load screens.

Character
models are looking very solid. Facial expressions lack realistic fluidity (a
problem many PS2 sports titles are having this year), but the detail among
individual characters is pretty high. Automatic camera changes – including a
top-down view as the ball teeters on the rim – add some flair to the
experience, while the lighting and textures have been moderately tweaked.

 

Hittin’ the
court this October, NBA 07 is positioning itself as the premiere PS2
basketball game. The Life: Volume 2 looks to achieve everything the first game
hoped for and a whole lot more. With an entertaining story that doesn’t follow
any of the typical gaming rules (case in point: this game doesn’t reek
of any cheesy dialogue) and games and challenges that complement the flow, not
detract from it, NBA 07 should be the sequel that scores nothin’ but net.