Okay...PART 2 of my review...thanks for the nice words to all who PM'd me. As some asked me if they should buy it, and what negatives it has, I felt it fair to post a follow up after more play.
After about another 10 hours play, I'd just like to add the following points.
Warning : some of them are negative, so the more emotional posters may want to pass
FURTHER GOOD POINTS
While the player graphics are poor IMO, I've really enjoyed 'travelling' around the various arena's. They are not ESPN standard...but some look great. Orlando really shines, MSG looks good, The Nets home court, Air Canada center...some really nice looking arena's.
The player off ball movement is even better than I thought. The more you play, the more you appreciate this aspect of the game. They strike a good balance also with ISO plays...I played Boston and they isod Pierce a tonne...really good balance, something ID 2003 lacked.
Reactive AI : Yesssss...this is in the game. I put La Frentz on the C's...and one time, Pierce drove the lane, and kicked it out to RLF on the three point line who nailed it. Sweet...and there's no way that Bostons original centres would have had 3 pt plays set up. The CPU adapted to the changed roster
Now the NEGATIVES
There is almost NO MID RANGE GAME...and this is almost a game killer for me
It's all inside or three point plays. There's more penetration in this game than a Wilt the Stilt autobiogrpahy.
It kind of ruins the great off ball movement...because the CPU guys move well, but hardly ever pull up for the mid range J once they get the ball. It's all pro hopping or out for three's.
It's a real shame...I saw Duncan take a mid range J in one game and Dirk in another and it was sweeeeeeeeeet.
Why there's not more...damm it's a shame. The LIVE series has never had a mid range game, so I really hope they work on it by 2005.
Game pace - the pace, even when reduced with sliders, just isn't a real NBA pace. The reason for this is twofold:
1. The outlet pass is pretty ridiculous. The CPU gets a board and BASEBALL passes way, way too much. There's no grab the board and wrestle like 2K3 and ID2003...the CPU get's a tough rebound and then turns and fires a half court pass to it's streaking PG WAYYYYYYYYYYY too much IMO.
Shawn Bradley, Kelvin Cato...everyone. It's a very cheap way to do fast break AI in a computer game...and it is more of an arcade element.
Passes are too fast overall. Again, this results in the unrealistic game pace. It's not basketball passing here fella's...it's baseball. The ball rockets across court, inside and out.
So...in final summation, I'd say that really hard core players may find some of these elements poor. The game pace just isn't right because of the passing...and the absence of any real mid range game is dissapointing.
It is still a VERY good game...one of the best b-ball games ever made...but it does have arcadish elements that ID players may grow tired of and it does need better game pace + a mid range game.
Going back to play again though...it's damm addictive
After about another 10 hours play, I'd just like to add the following points.
Warning : some of them are negative, so the more emotional posters may want to pass
FURTHER GOOD POINTS
While the player graphics are poor IMO, I've really enjoyed 'travelling' around the various arena's. They are not ESPN standard...but some look great. Orlando really shines, MSG looks good, The Nets home court, Air Canada center...some really nice looking arena's.
The player off ball movement is even better than I thought. The more you play, the more you appreciate this aspect of the game. They strike a good balance also with ISO plays...I played Boston and they isod Pierce a tonne...really good balance, something ID 2003 lacked.
Reactive AI : Yesssss...this is in the game. I put La Frentz on the C's...and one time, Pierce drove the lane, and kicked it out to RLF on the three point line who nailed it. Sweet...and there's no way that Bostons original centres would have had 3 pt plays set up. The CPU adapted to the changed roster
Now the NEGATIVES
There is almost NO MID RANGE GAME...and this is almost a game killer for me
It's all inside or three point plays. There's more penetration in this game than a Wilt the Stilt autobiogrpahy.
It kind of ruins the great off ball movement...because the CPU guys move well, but hardly ever pull up for the mid range J once they get the ball. It's all pro hopping or out for three's.
It's a real shame...I saw Duncan take a mid range J in one game and Dirk in another and it was sweeeeeeeeeet.
Why there's not more...damm it's a shame. The LIVE series has never had a mid range game, so I really hope they work on it by 2005.
Game pace - the pace, even when reduced with sliders, just isn't a real NBA pace. The reason for this is twofold:
1. The outlet pass is pretty ridiculous. The CPU gets a board and BASEBALL passes way, way too much. There's no grab the board and wrestle like 2K3 and ID2003...the CPU get's a tough rebound and then turns and fires a half court pass to it's streaking PG WAYYYYYYYYYYY too much IMO.
Shawn Bradley, Kelvin Cato...everyone. It's a very cheap way to do fast break AI in a computer game...and it is more of an arcade element.
Passes are too fast overall. Again, this results in the unrealistic game pace. It's not basketball passing here fella's...it's baseball. The ball rockets across court, inside and out.
So...in final summation, I'd say that really hard core players may find some of these elements poor. The game pace just isn't right because of the passing...and the absence of any real mid range game is dissapointing.
It is still a VERY good game...one of the best b-ball games ever made...but it does have arcadish elements that ID players may grow tired of and it does need better game pace + a mid range game.
Going back to play again though...it's damm addictive
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