NBA '07 (PS3) Review
Posted by Andrew Mellick on 12.22.2006
This time Sony is taking the reigns in trying to create a NBA video game actually worth playing. Did they pull it off?
Title: NBA ‘07 DeveloperSCEA Genre: Sports Release Available
For years developers have been trying to capture the fast paced action of the NBA. They’ve tried everything from virtual simulations to slapstick arcadey fun (i.e. NBA Jam). However, unlike the Madden franchise, the title of best NBA video game has been relatively untouched. With the release of NBA ‘07 it looks like it will remain that way.
Here is where I usually put the story of the game. In case you have never seen a basketball game before, the idea here is simple; just win baby! (Surprisingly fist fights has little to do with it.)
Get used to that dunk.
Graphics
Graphically this game is…creepy. It’s hard to put your finger on, the game is almost next gen but there are just a few too many things that hold it back. There are two sides to this so let’s examine each individually.
First, the in game action is only a slightly more polished version of a PS2 game. There is no slowdown or choppiness to speak of, but that isn’t surprising considering it probably doesn’t tie up the hardware too much to run this game.
Second, are the cut scenes, such as dunks and free throws. The dunks are absolutely nothing to speak of. If you like slow motion one-handed dunks then this game is for you. Nothing about them captures the excitement of an NBA dunk at all. As far as free throws are concerned, the movements are fine but the look on the player’s faces is nothing short of creepy. They’re eyes are wide open all the time, their mouth is hanging and the brow is slightly furrowed. They look more like deranged killers than professional athletes.
Gameplay
Offensively the game is so unbalanced that you’ll want to pull a Ron Artest in frustration. Shooting is ridiculously simple. You hold circle and a little ball moves up your shooting meter, let go in the green and you hit your shot, EVERYTIME. I fired up 3 after 3 and it didn’t matter who was in my face, as long as that little ball was in the green it was as good as in.
Passing on the other hand is very frustrating; if you pass the ball where it will be within 5 feet of a defensive player they will steal it every time. I’ve played basketball enough to know that passes get stolen sometimes and an ill conceived full court lob will most likely get picked but, these passes shouldn’t get stolen every single time!
Fast breaks are virtually non existent. If you can get ahead of everyone on defense than you should be fine but if one of them gets in front of you, it’s over. At one point, I got a rebound and passed the ball to Shaq who was at half court with only Mike Bibby in front of him. As Shaq drove the lane, Bibby tightened up his defense and forced Shaq completely out of the paint. That’s right, I watched in awe as 6’1” 190lbs Mike Bibby forced 7’1” 325lbs Shaquille O’neal to put up a 15 foot jumper!
Defensively, you have no hope. I played several games and I saw not one blocked shot. I tried several steals only to be called for reaching. The computer would juke my guy and he would fall for it automatically, even when I was controlling him and tried to move him the other way. It’s the worst defense I’ve ever seen in an NBA game bar none.
Notice the shiny, alien like skin
Sound
The sound is lacking. Of course, you have all the expected sounds; the dribbling of a basketball, the screeching of sneakers, the swooshing of the net with every made shot, and the clanging of iron as you throw it down. Unfortunately, that is where the realism ends.
The game has no announcers at all. It’s like they knew how bad it could go so they didn’t even try. All you have is the PA announcer who says things like “Are you ready for Timber Wolves basketball?” in a way that you would expect your 8th grade English teacher to ask you about Hamlet.
Apparently Sony decided what was missing from basketball was quiet time. Nobody talks at all! The fans hardly cheer, there are no coaches yelling, no players taunting, nope just a quiet game of basketball.
Lasting Appeal
If you like this game at all in the first place than I suppose it will have lasting appeal for you. However, that is a pretty unreasonable “if”.
The online play is pretty limited. You can play others in games of 5 on 5 or go check out the leader board, that’s about it. There are also a few graphical issues pertaining to the frame rate during games online as well. Not what you’d expect from a next gen title.
One thing the game does have going for it is the ability to download new challenges each week that are based off what happened in the NBA. Want to see if you can lead virtual Kobe to a 45 point game against Sacramento? Now you can. It’s a nice attempt to bring realism to the game.
What a surprise he is calling for a “3”
Fun Factor
First, the game is far to buggy. You can step out of bounds and not get called for it, stay in bounds and get called for going out. You can commit a backcourt violation without getting called, or goal tend a shot with no penalty. Also, your player will slow down or speed up at odd times and for no reason and you can dunk right through the back board.
Second the game is far too unbalanced. You can make a three virtually any time you want, but you can’t drive past a 6 foot guard. You can’t pass anywhere near a defensive player, or expect anything other than a one-handed, or backwards dunk. You can’t block a shot and you can’t steal the ball.
Third the game is far too sterile. Players show no emotion, playing the game like robots. There are no coaches or referees anywhere to be seen. The crowd is quiet and subdued with passing cheers. The PA announcer is a joke that barely talks and often updates the score well after it has changed.
The 411
This game is the definition of rushed. A few things are quite polished, but with such a lack of balance and a ridiculous amount of bugs the game just has too much going against it.
The game lacks variety. All you can do is play a season. You can not create a player, a team, a coach, a location, anything. So, if you enjoy playing straight forward games over and over again, than this title is for you.
Bottom line, stay far away from this one. It is best that we just never speak of it again.
Graphics
7.0
The graphics are decent for the most part. But they are nothing compared to what a next gen game should be. Plus, the players look creepy.
Gameplay
3.0
So unbalanced and frustrating that it is barely playable.
Sound
5.0
Very sterile and totally forgettable. Nothing to create the feel of an NBA game.
Lasting Appeal
6.0
A few nice things online to try to add to the game, but the overall bare bones game play and frustrating mechanics make it too annoying to play.
Fun Factor
4.0
A few seconds here or there were exciting but they were broken up by hours of frustration and glitches. Overall, not a fun experience.
