NBA ’08 (PS3) / 2007 Sony / http://www.us.playstation.com/NBA07 / http://www.playstation.com /
I remember when NBA Jam was the big basketball game. Obviously that has been a few years back, but looking at that game for the arcade and Sega Genesis console and looking at NBA ’08 is selling two related games, but with countless evolutionary steps taken between the two. Let’s see what all NBA ’08 has to offer in regards to the graphics; one just need look at the player models to understand that this is a next-gen console. All the big stars of the NBA are immediately recognizable as such; one does not need to look at the back of their jerseys (which exhibit realistic physics as the players jostle and otherwise move around the court) to see that. Furthermore, the crowd present during a game is rapidly approaching the detail level of the player.
Gone are the days of the same character being repeated ad nauseum – members of the audience have on different uniforms, clothes, have different body types, and the like. The graphics are immaculate, besting the work of an EA at points. However, a game is always more than the pretty aggregation of colors, and NBA ’08’s style of play provides individuals with pretty much the most realistic simulation of playing basketball than actually lacing up and going on the court. Sixaxis is used here to differentiate the options available to the players; there are different methods of dribbling, defending against shots and progress down the court, and offense to ultimately get the ball down the court. Continuing the discussion about customizability, NBA ’08 allows players to complete different min games to make their custom player the best that they could conceivably be. Merely ratcheting up the skills as far as they can be in the default settling that will make a mediocre play; players need to actually build their skills up like the real life players that are present in the game.
Finally, the “games of the week†setting allows individuals to go for the gusto – come back from large leads, hold a lead, and place themselves in real-life situations. NBA ’08 will keep individuals interested for years to come; the range of opportunities available to the player are endless, and the gameplay solid enough to stand the test of time, or until the NBA ’09 game comes out – whatever comes first! Give the game a go if you want to get into the NBA mindset
Rating: 7.4/10