Thursday, September 15, 2011

Basketball vs Videogame

While it remains to be seen what kind of video game NBA 2K12 will be upon release. One thing is for absolute certain... It is one HELL of a BASKETBALL game.

As a video game you may not like isomotion vs right stick dribbling. You may prefer physics in real time vs the animations and physics engine of 2k. You may disagree with the color palette or think myplayer is not all that it should be.

However when it comes to actual basketball strategy 2K12 is the absolute best there has ever been...  Period !

2K12 does things both offensively and defensively that have never been done, either at all ... or to this degree; in a basketball game.

No one outside of the dev team has spent as much time with this game as I have. In the last 2 days alone I have spent easily 18-20 hours a day; capturing and analyzing this game.

There are things I don't like about the game. There are very few 2 player animations in comparision with 2K11 but some of them can still be a bit grabby. Although the ones that are allow you to break out of them or spin out of them I still wish they weren't there.

Despite my pleading they decided to leave in some automatic defensive stuff like if you don't move your stick on defense and you man passes or jab steps sometimes your player will feint at the passing lane or react to the jab step. I freaking HATE that with a passion. They have it so that if you start to move when that happens your player immediately reacts to your command. Once or twice however,  I was trying to back up and would get pulled into the passing lane feint move.

Another thing that bothers me is the new physics effect you when your bumped by other players. ( of course) Sometimes the bump causes you to feel a bit weightless and for a slight instant you can loose control of your player. Yes it's a nitpick and it doesn't happen often but hey, I wish the players had more weight on them in these instances.

The fact of the matter is that NONE of the nitpicks above keep me from enjoying this game. It still feels fresh, new, fun, and entertaining.

The reason why is simply this. Animations can get old, but strategy lives forever.

When the offensive and defensive sides of the pick and roll are working like they should; every time you run it your straight Forrest Gump. It's a box of chocolate's and you never know what your going to get.

What that means is each possession you still have to make the right decisions and then execute upon those decisions for 48 minutes to secure a victory. It's complete interaction. No sitting and watching. Almost every move in the game can be broken out of.

The team and player differentiation is absolutely off the charts. No two teams that I have watched or played has felt the same. Their offense is different and although the cpu does not walk the ball up the floor that I have seen, there is a noticeable difference in the tempo's teams play with. It seems that the cpu get's the ball into the front court at the same speed and then varies from there. So it is difficult to detect at first but after awhile you start to feel the difference

And on top of that it is absolute F.U.N.

Those who have been with the SIM Nation know that if I don't like something I tell you. ( NBA 2K9, NBA 2K10). You also know that I am never afraid to like something that most may not.

With that said I absolutely LOVE NBA 2K12.

I know without a doubt that some people legitimately may not like NBA 2k12 as a video game. But as a BASKETBALL game there has been no better attempt to replicate the intracasies of the NBA. If you haven't checked out the series on Inevitability . Check it out to see what kind of strategy awaits you on Oct 4.

On that day all of the SIM Nation, young and old, will all join hands and sing that old SIM Nation spiritual

Don't play video games. Play BASKETBALL !

Your President,

Da_Czar

11 comments:

  1. Really appreciate all the reviews and enjoy your youtube videos. Is there any chance that, by leaking the game out to guys like you, 2k12 hopes for you guys to create a rookie roster before the game launches? I mean, if you guys can do the thing that 2k12 is legally unable to do at this moment while they've developed an amazing game, then why wouldn't true basketball fans buy this game?

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  2. Very insightful as always.
    Too bad the AI might now walk up the court. but as long as it is mostly cosmetic than it is fine by me, i guess.

    You're doing a good job (IMHO) of not hyping too much and staying balanced while dishing out all this goodness.

    Oct. 4th can't come soon enough.

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  3. Wow, jealous of you playing 2k12 18-20 hours a day ....

    I hate 2k10, it is completely a bad game. So, I believe you Dzar, if you think 2K12is great, it will be great. I know you are not like someone advertising for 2K.

    I am looking forward to seeing you post new videos....can't wait to see.

    Also, I expect to see the online game will be more interesting as play call will be truly important than simply abusing the paint.

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  4. Lol@your mlk reference. Hahaha but man this is what I have bee waiting to hear... I wanted to hear something negative about the game and to hear that collision animations and auto feints is your biggest gripe makes me in a word.... Ready!!!! I don't care about video games unless I'm playing modern warfare or uncharted ... Basketball is not about turbo buttons and triangle hop steps... It's about angles and footwork...timed aggression and defensive anticipation. 2k 11 is the closest I have seen any game come to replicating a sport... The enhancements they are making for 2k 12 sound like they have made it to the mountain top. So since I dream of a world where sim players own video game players it sounds like on oct 4 I will be free at last !!!

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  5. @2k12 fan I don't have a copy of the game. I am at 2k headquarters. I am sure it will not take long for the fantastic roster guys to get the rookie class together and uploaded shortly after release.

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  6. @rdub glad someone caught that. LOL !!!

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  7. Hey Czar. I saw that the arms still break when you go for blocks still. Anyway you could bring to to 2K's attention? It's really a big issue, and I feel as if I'm being penalized for playing great defense. And is streetball still in the game? If so, is there still only one court with black & white jerseys? Thanks for your response, keep up the good work!

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  8. when can we play the demo? U now anything further about that? Or maybe a suggestion? Since they're going pretty fast on the insights now i guess it'll come next week?

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  9. only thing i'm concerned about now is the shot stick czar. used it since it was implemented but started using square from outside after a friend told me he shot a better % on jumpers with it and you know what? HE WAS RIGHT. if the shot stick is gonna be the future they can't punish me for using it...can I switch back or is the shot stick still Rondo 2.0?

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  10. Good write up about the good and bad. If those are the most stand out problems, then that's awesome. Glad you mentioned the fun factor. I am imagine it's hard to keep something fun and sim at the same time.

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  11. I can dig it Czar! just like my Sig. on Operation Sports says (2K at Last 2K at Last thank god allmighty 2K at Last)-Martin Luther King
    Keep up the good work Czar i see you! last year you had them on smash and I know you got something up your sleeve for this year, 2K gives u a inch this year and I know your gonna take that mile!(And I mean that in a good way)Pause lol

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