[whittleboy615]

I enjoyed the demo a lot. This game is maybe 10x better than MM08 was for PS3, and I can't wait to own the full retail version. Here's my random first impressions.


Good:

• Bench and player cutscenes (players subbing in)
• University seals at Play Now screen
• All the new features (Game tempo, Quickstrike ball-handling especially)
• Improved block and dunk animations
• Ability icons are back
• Stadium signs and better refs, fans, cameramen, and cheerleaders
• The full court press is a lot of fun
• Trapping animations are much much improved
• Guys don't run out of bounds as easy
• CPU jumping passing lanes and waving arms on defense
• Crowd much more reactive and intelligent
• Everyone catches the ball in triple threat
• End half horn added
• "Beep, beep" countdown added with 5 sec left in a half
• Graphics in general are fantastic
• Campus scenery background is pretty
• Loud "woosh" noise after made Home team free throws
• Great responsiveness with kickout 3-pointers
• Getting ball in quick from inbounds to push ahead
• 5 second calls are actually possible. In MM08, the CPU would push off at 4.8 sec every time.
• Floor spacing is great
• Classic teams + Chuck Taylors! Jordan has massive hops.
• Transition game AI improved: players explode toward basket
• CPU is much harder to beat now. MM08 was way too easy on the hardest difficulty level.
• The loading screen is fun. It let's you practice quickstrike moves.
• More mini games could be added like Hotspot, 1-on-1, 3pt challenge, etc. along with user-controlled two-line layups during warmups

Bad:

• Players still go backcourt too much. The CPU can be bringing the ball up court with minimal pressure and they will make a pass to a teammate straddling the halfcourt line and he gets called. It also happens a lot when the CPU's teammates run to midcourt to help break the press. They will get a pass and then pivot back over the line when they get in triple-threat after catching the ball.
• Tennessee's outside men's 3-pt line should be orange
• Directional passing with the analog stick is terribly inaccurate.
• Players need better muscle definition. The beanpole legs on the classic team players look especially too skinny.
• Maybe I just haven't figured it out, but the tipoff is really difficult to win. I'm confused about when I'm supposed to press the triangle button.
• Arrows that demonstrate how to run the plays should be visible when you press R3 or some other button. They had this feature in last gen, and it was very helpful in learning new plays.
• The user doesn't seem aggressive enough when I try to steal ball out of air. The CPU has much better "snatching" ability than the user does.
• Sometimes when trapping, the CPU will pick up their dribble before halfcourt and then throw a fullcourt pass to a teammate and the defense will just stand behind the player instead of stepping in front of him for an easy fastbreak steal.
• The CPU's defense is very good at snatching bad passes like that though.
• Player attributes should be visible at the staring lineup select screen in Play Now
• UNC fans chanted "OOOOHHH" one time while the Tarheels were on offense.
• The free throw light-up system is too small and the colors on the backboard do not provide enough contrast. I had a complaint on EA's Live boards from a red/green color-blind guy who couldn't make any free throws with this system.
• Offesnive fouls can be confusing because the announcer does not acknowledge them and there are no corresponding cutscenes of the refs or players. I thought I had an And1 a few times, but the next thing I knew the CPU was inbounding the ball, and I was scrambling to get in my press.
• The CPU needs the presence of mind to call timeout before getting a 10 second backcourt calls.
• The crowd should chant "5-4-3-2-1" to end halves, and maybe have an "off count" for when the away team has the last shot.