NBA 06 – PS2 – Preview

Pre-E3 Preview 2005

The idea was a simple one – provide gamers with a
behind-the-scenes look, an all-access look if you will, into what it takes to
become an NBA superstar. To that end, the development team at 989 Sports took
the NBA franchise for the PlayStation 2 and gave it a completely new look and
feel.

“We created a unique gameplay-driven NBA story with
mission-based objectives,” stated Senior Producer CJ Connoy, during a Gamer’s
Day held in San Diego. The result was a game that they called NBA Life Vol. 1.

The game tracks the story of an NBA rookie, from the
pre-NBA draft workouts, through the draft, and on into the season. But players
don’t have to worry about playing out the entire, grueling NBA season. The game
drops players into key moments within the scope of the season.

While the game does have all the NBA players, teams and
arenas, it begins with a terrific premise. Gamers create the point guard who
will be the focal point of the game. The EyeToy can be used to create the
avatar, then gamers choose the team they would like to play for and attend the
workouts, you earn attributes and learn to play, acquire an agent (who is
responsible for the contract and endorsements). You even get to attend draft
night in New York City, then it is off to the summer pro league to earn that
all-important invite to the NBA team training camp.

There are innovative training drills, mini games, and
crunch-time scenarios. Of course, the team you are going to play for has a point
guard, and it is up to the gamer to force management to make the hard choice and
deal the former point guard away to make room for his or her avatar. That, in
itself, creates an archrival.

The game evolves with the team management wanting selfless
team-oriented goals while the agent pushes for more flamboyant showmanship to
earn the big endorsements.

Because of the cinematic nature of this NBA Life Vol. 1,
more than 25 actors lent their talents to the game, which also features more
than 200 scenes, and more than 60 unique NBA game types.

Players will build up attributes, develop relationships on
the tame, and how those play out will affect how the team chemistry combines to
either drive toward the playoffs or fall short.

(Oh, and don’t worry, there is a full array of multiplayer
modes available for those who thrive on taking other gamers to the hole. SCEA
offered one of the types for hands-on, a LeBron-Kobe shootout that demonstrated
the game’s basic shooting mechanics. This was quite good, though the development
is still a little early to make hard-and-fast determinations about the game
itself.)

The game’s graphics uses tandem animations to take the
player graphics to a whole new level. Screens, blocks, steals are all
exceptionally rendered and look amazingly lifelike.

Core gameplay features include attribute-driven AI,
data-driven simulation contests as well as a new shooting system.

While this is very much a 5-versus-5 NBA simulation, with
tradition features, the uniqueness of the NBA story-driven gameplay and the way
the team concept and style concept plays off each other creates a game that
steps out onto the hardwood with a new direction and some truly interesting and
immersive basketball action.

The release date for NBA 06 is Fall 2005.