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Old 10-07-02, 10:15 PM
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Official Nba Video Game Review/debate Thread

So here it is, all of the NBA games are either out now or will be out in a few weeks. If you own the game, heard things about the game, or have links to articles reviewing (patyicularly rating) the games, post here. Be sure to mention the game and the console it was played on.

Who has the best B-ball game in 2003?
EA? SEGA SPORTS? 989?(yeah right)
Old 10-07-02, 10:23 PM
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I'm all about NBA JAMS!! nothing better then being on fire.
Old 10-07-02, 10:27 PM
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Originally posted by Jackskeleton
I'm all about NBA JAMS!! nothing better then being on fire.

BOOM SHAKA LAKA!!
Old 10-07-02, 11:45 PM
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NBA 2k3 got an 8.9 from IGN.com and that's for all the platforms.
The review said it had awesome graphics. Diving for the ball is barely used. One annoying animation, when the ball is getting stolen. I'm probably going to buy it tomorrow.
Old 10-07-02, 11:56 PM
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Live 2003 got a 8.5, very respectable for a game everyone and their mother has been bashing. Live looks and sounds very good, I love the movies I am seeing and the freestyle control is making me drool. I mean if Sega had done something that revolutionary, Live wouldn't have a chance. As it stands, I will absolutely give Live a shot with a rental and such.

That being said, 2K3 just seems too good to pass up. And since this is probably my most debated game decision of the year, I may even buy both.

Check out some images I found at another site. The bottom picture is from 2K3:






Wow, MJ looks amazing. Of course AI too, he is the cover boy. People, post impressions of Live and/or 2K3 asap. I myself might splurge and just get 2K3 already tomorrow. Still decidin'....

Last edited by Mike_AA; 10-07-02 at 11:58 PM.
Old 10-08-02, 12:14 AM
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I know I'm in the minority here - but I actually liked Inside Drive the most last year. Having been a 2k-devotee on Dreamcast, I was surprised by how much I didn't like 2K2. And of course I've been down with Live since the days of Tom Chambers' unstoppable dunks from the free throw line on the Genesis, but Live hasn't been very good for a few years now. I will give all 3 a chance again this year, but with them adding franchise mode to Inside Drive - that will probably be the one I buy for sure, and maybe also one of the other two if they play well as a rental.

Daryl
Old 10-08-02, 04:56 AM
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what about NBA shootout 2003? wait that game sucks.

I can't wait for 2k3 online!
Old 10-08-02, 11:52 AM
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Originally posted by duy37
what about NBA shootout 2003? wait that game sucks.
I'm sorta, kinda interested in NBA Shootout 2003...but, only for the pseudo rpg-ish career mode. Maybe I'll give it a rental.

As for 2k3 and Live...I can't decide! The new freestyle control feature that Live sports looks sweet, but 2K3 just looks sooo purty. Plus, the ability to use historical players in franchise mode (bryant, magic, worthy, shaq, jabar as a starting five would be unstoppable) is a nice touch.

Decisions, decisions!
Old 10-08-02, 01:53 PM
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The biggest complaints about 2k2 were high shooting percentages (Sega admitted programming errors; this apparently wasn't a planned feature) and difficult defense (I know the timing to affect a jump shot, even while right in a guy's face had to be absolutely perfect, with VERY little of the leeway given in NBA 2k1 ).

I've already gone on record blasting Live, but this small part of the IGN really sounds unappealing to me...

The end result is that you'll be scoring on a totally unrealistic number of dunks and wide open jump shots --we're talking 65%-80% shooting percentages for a game-- but it will look and sound like a real NBA game with uniforms and rules and all that. Playing effective defense is the real challenge you're after in NBA Live since blocking dunks, taking charges --another new innovation, it has its own button-- and otherwise shutting down another team are extremely difficult.
It sounds like the worst parts of 2k2 have been taken to the extreme.

As long as everybody is aware of the arcade-style game they're getting with Live (sounds like 5-on-5 NBA Jam without anybody going up in flames, to me), then everything's fine. As the review pointed out, Live and 2k3 are completely different takes on the sport.
Old 10-08-02, 04:32 PM
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Well after playing an hour of NBA 2K3 on the Gamecube I'm not thrilled. I can't get the control down at all. 2K2 was just so effortless to pass and shoot. Its a pain trying to do anything on this game. I can't change players fast enough on defense. Guarding anyone is tough, but Kobe and Shaq are pretty much impossible. They go right by your defender like they are not even there. The darn camera keeps moving up and down, up and down. It follows the movement of the ball. I'm getting seasick trying to play the darn game.

I need to give it more time, but I'm shocked at how much I'm hating this game. I loved 2K throught 2K2 right out of the box, but this one is going to take time.


Update: Looks like the GameCube version as with NFL2K3 is the worst looking version. Either that or I need a new TV (which I do either way). Checked out the PS2 and Xbox versions at EB and they look much sharper, especially the Xbox one.

Anyway, I can't say its a bad game, but its not worth $50 to me. Returned it and put the money on a Metroid Prime preorder. I will live with 2K2 for another year or at least until there is a good sale on the Xbox version.

My gripes: The shooting percentage does not seem fixed to me. The computer shoots way too high a percentage. Lakers and 76ers both shot in the high 70s against me. Defense is much tougher this year. Guys like AI and Kobe will run all over you. I guess thats the way it should be, but I like being able to stop them once in awhile. Switching defenders also seems slower this year. I could never get someone over as fast as I wanted to cut off drives to the basket.

I think my defensive problems were partly due to the camera which doesn't seem right this year. It shakes and bobs around a lot which I never seemed to notice in 2K2.

Pros: The difficulty is adjustable with sliders this year and you can control almost all aspects of the game. Graphics on at least the PS2 and Xbox look good, but the GameCube version seemed grainy to me. I think that may have been a big part of my problems with the game. Game is more challenging and deeper than before, but I still think its a bit cheap how easy Iverson and Kobe can get to the rim.

Overall I can say its a good basketball game, but I just didn't have that instant click I had with 2K through 2K2.

Last edited by darkside; 10-08-02 at 05:47 PM.
Old 10-08-02, 06:02 PM
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Just got mine. Funny, when I called ahead and got there, they gave me a weird stare/answer when I asked for the Cube version. Just for sh*ts, I asked the guy the difference between Live and 2K3 and which one he prefers. The stuttering nerd (what, a nerdy Gamespot clerk? No way) picks up the Cube 2K3 title and proclaims how it is playable online. I just ended the conversation right there

Anyways, time to give it a whirl. Of course I had to read darkside's comments as it was booting up . It's all good, I can always trade it in for Live if it sucks.

Also, dark, I think you need a new TV. Yes, I bitched a ton about the graphics of NFL 2K3 on the GC but after getting my new TV for my apartment, all that has changed. The title looks great, close to the XBOX and above the PS2 for sure.
Old 10-08-02, 06:13 PM
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Originally posted by Mike_AA


Also, dark, I think you need a new TV.
I don't doubt that. Hopefully you will like it. I'm sure once you get the controls down the game is fine.

The EB were I preordered only ordered 6 copies of the GC version compared to the dozens of PS2 and Xbox ones. No one has faith in sports games (other than Madden) selling on the cube. They were kind of shocked I was getting it for the GC as well.
Old 10-08-02, 06:17 PM
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Besides the online factor and maybe some DualShock fetish, there is no reason someone should IMO get the PS2 version over the GC one. I don't care about online play and the Wavebird is just fine in my book.

Although I wonder why the GC gets no respect, if you take a look at the sales numbers for sports titles on the GC, it's embarassing.

Playing Lakers vs. Celts as I type this...it has the same feel I didn't like in 2K2...so far. So with one quarter done, ehhhh. Seen nothing amazing yet.
Old 10-09-02, 12:00 AM
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Hmm, I suppose I'll just copy and paste my own post here.. I originally post this at the site in my sig.
_____

Graphics-wise, the game looks the same as last year during a regular game. The players do get shinier as you play, but you won't notice it much. They added special effects during replay such as psychedelic colors and motion blur. What the heck is up with motion blur anyways? I think it's crap. And the players look even less like their real life couterpart this year. Especially Jason Kidd. He looks like a child beaten with an ugly stick. There are some small graphic changes, such as shooting animation, blocking animation, and post up animation.

The game lost its whole hip hop feel. Now, it's all ESPN presentation. From intro, to menus, to in-game presentation.

You can pull off some moves in this game! You can pull off a move in the middle of another move. There's a new pivot mode. You hold the button and press a direction and your player will fake towards that direction. Keep holding the button and your player will keep pulling fakes. Switching up shots is cool new feature. Since blocking is fixed this year (yes, you can block shots again!), you will use this new move often. Oh yeah, and sometimes when you soar to the basket for a dunk or layup and a defender is there, both players can collapse in the collision. It funny.

As promised, the goaltending problem is fixed. The ball bounces around the rim more often on layups this year (like in real life).

The shooting is also more realistic this year. Since I only play this game in All-Star difficulty, I can only talk about that difficulty level. When VC said that they would make scoring based on your surrounding defenders, they weren't lying. :P Last year, when you had a player near the basket that had a decent dunk ability, they would just slam it. This year, if they are surrounded by defenders, then they will be forced to throw up a layup. Dunking isn't as frequent as last year. You can miss dunks if a player challenges you. I still have yet to make a 3.

I played a game in franchise mode earlier with 7 minutes quarters. Magic (Me) vs. 76ers. The game ended with a score of 55 (Me) to 45 with .375 to .410 shooting percentage respectively. In NBA 2K2, the score would probably be 100 to 90 with .675 and .650 shooting percentage. So in short, the game is much more realistic. I may be able to exploit the AI though if I play a little more.

Of course, there is also a new gameplay slider system. You pretty much tweak the gameplay here. For example, you can tweak AI, layup percentage, shot percentage, dunk percentage, dunk/layup vs. shot tendency for home or away, and many many more.


I still need to read up on the passing system so I can't comment on that yet.

On some hard to catch passes, the player will bobble the ball a little. Diving for the ball is funny looking.

The roster is pretty accurate but a little outdated. Such as:

Shawn Kemp not on Magic roster
Travis Best not on Heat roster
Jerry Stackhouse and Richard Hamilton not traded yet

That's the only ones I check so far.

Franchise mode kicks ass.. again. You can now set your strategy with more depth. You can pick your primary and secondary offensive options. Focus more on offense or more on defense.. and much much more!

There's also a new Sega Sports Challenge mode. I didn't mess with it yet so I don't know what the heck it is.
Old 10-09-02, 12:10 AM
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How's Live? Anyone played it yet?
Old 10-09-02, 09:35 AM
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The 2k3 is the ultimate sim game. People complain about ease of use, but this way people will not master it in a day. Also, try watching an actual game. I have no care in the world about SEGA, EA, Microsoft and others, I pick what I think the best game is, and no question, this year it is 2k3. Microsoft will be good as well. These opinions are going to be purely based on the fact that I want a sim game, not arcade. Live is way too arcade based. Inside Drive could be the sleeper, but 2k3 is very much a dream come true for true Sim fans.
Old 10-09-02, 09:56 AM
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"I played a game in franchise mode earlier with 7 minutes quarters. Magic (Me) vs. 76ers. The game ended with a score of 55 (Me) to 45 with .375 to .410 shooting percentage respectively. In NBA 2K2, the score would probably be 100 to 90 with .675 and .650 shooting percentage. So in short, the game is much more realistic. I may be able to exploit the AI though if I play a little more. "

Ugh... 55 to 45? I'm all for realistic sims, but I don't have the time to play for more than 7 minute quarters (which probably takes around 45 minutes total), and I do want scores to be at least in the 80s to 90s. I don't want it to be too realistic, where I have to play really long games, just to get decent stats. This might be the deciding factor for me... arcadey or not, Live seems to have a lot more offense (which is, let's face it, most of the appeal of the game).

Was this score just because you were just starting out and were getting used to the controls? Or will 7 minute games usually have this low of a score?
Old 10-09-02, 02:02 PM
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I thought I heard Inside Drive doesn't support online play? Could that be true? If so, I find that extremely weird.
Old 10-09-02, 03:04 PM
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I won't buy a sports game (except for Fifa) until the crowds/spectators stop looking like crap.

edit: Oh and by the way - MJ looks best on 2k3 I think.
Old 10-09-02, 03:33 PM
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Originally posted by fujishig
"I played a game in franchise mode earlier with 7 minutes quarters. Magic (Me) vs. 76ers. The game ended with a score of 55 (Me) to 45 with .375 to .410 shooting percentage respectively. In NBA 2K2, the score would probably be 100 to 90 with .675 and .650 shooting percentage. So in short, the game is much more realistic. I may be able to exploit the AI though if I play a little more. "

Ugh... 55 to 45? I'm all for realistic sims, but I don't have the time to play for more than 7 minute quarters (which probably takes around 45 minutes total), and I do want scores to be at least in the 80s to 90s. I don't want it to be too realistic, where I have to play really long games, just to get decent stats. This might be the deciding factor for me... arcadey or not, Live seems to have a lot more offense (which is, let's face it, most of the appeal of the game).

Was this score just because you were just starting out and were getting used to the controls? Or will 7 minute games usually have this low of a score?
I only know as much as you do from reading his post, but the answer seems obvious... shooting .375 seems to be the cause of his low score far more than the seven minute quarters. That has to be a result of getting used to this year's changes in the game.

From what I've read in the Operation Sports basketball forum, though, people playing closer to 10-minute quarters were getting scores in that 80 to 90 range. As far as I can tell by reading people's impressions so far (haven't played it myself yet), I get the general feeling that you can figure on scoring 8-10 points per minute quarter length in 2k3 [a range from 64-80 on 8 minute quarters, for example].
Old 10-09-02, 04:30 PM
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Yeah, I figured it was because he was new to the game, but the computer scored even less (though it's shot percentage was higher).

I don't know why, but there's something in me that needs to have that 20/10 average for my franchise players. For instance, over 20 points and 10 boards for a power forward/center, or 20 points and 10 assists for a point guard, or 20/5/5 for a shooting guard small forward. Granted, that means I force-feed the ball to certain players, but the statician in me loves it (I do the same for NFL games). Doesn't look like I'll be able to do that on this game, though, especially if I don't have an hour and a half to play ten minute quarters...
Old 10-09-02, 05:42 PM
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Its a sim to a bit of a fault.

I for one liked the way the scoring was on previous games. I find shooting 45% to be a bit frustrating.

My friend bought this for PS2 and I played it quite a bit today. Its much more fun against people than the computer, but we ended up scoring about 50 or so points each in a game using the 5 minute quarters. I really don't want to play 10 minute quarters to get realistic stats. I liked the faster pace of the previous games.

The fake passing and pivots moves are great though when playing a human opponent. Changing your shot is nice, but I missed most of the time when changing a shot in midair. After playing it more though I'm pretty much against buying this game again. I'm probably going to give Live a try. I prefer the more Arcade style of 2K2 and hopefully Nba Live will have this.
Old 10-09-02, 06:52 PM
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Day 2 of NBA 2K3 on the Gamecube. Yet another day closer to returning it for Live 2003. Going around to other forums, I can say I am not in a minority here...2K3 is not all it was cracked up to be and Live, arcade-ish as it may be, is getting mad props all over the place.

Just some complaints I had over 2K3:

The game is flat out boring. No real sense of b-ball action, from the sluggish plays to the ridiculous missed layups and lack of fast breaks. The passing system is awful as well, just feels so ridiculous, nothing close to NBA style.

The graphics, for the GC version? Ehhh. Choppy, jagged players. So the stands look better, big f'in deal. The players still look ridiculously put together and lanky. Ugh. And the replays? Where is the creativity? At least NFL 2K3 expanded on replays and in game cutscenes. This game doesn't do anything enhancing the NBA/TV experience. EA Sports seems to do this better. Although I will agree the faces look amazing, VC should've spent MUCH more time on the gameplay, giving it an NBA feel rather than a WNBA feel (no offense to anyone hopefully ). Live doesn't come close to the facial detail, but at least the game keeps moving and has some realistid NBA action.

Why when I hit the crossover button when no one is around does my player pull a full own 360 spin? Why couldn't Sega implement a better control system, ala the "Freestyle Control"? Why when the players shoot does the ball go at a line drive? Oh, and this mid-air shot adjustment thing was overhyped to hell. It's nothing special and actually causes you to miss a layup 90% of the time.

I haven't played Live yet, but it sure looks like a lot more fun than 2K3. 2K3 has an amazing franchise mode (I've enjoyed the fantasy draft and such) but otherwise it is just a mess. I can't believe they couldn't improve the gameplay and TV style atmosphere at all. I didn't want to believe it, but EA is going to clobber NBA 2K3, much like they clobbered NFL 2K3. Wow, Sega has a lot of improvement ahead of them.
Old 10-09-02, 07:20 PM
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Both reviews are up at IGN (unlocked so no need for that insider BS)

NBA Live 2003 (8.7)

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/373/373665p1.html

NBA 2k3 (8.7)

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/373/373620p1.html

Frankly, even though both received the same score, NBA Live sounds a lot more fun to me.

The whole "missed lay-up bunny shot thing while you're ahead ala rubberband AI" really turns me off.

Plus, the review for Live makes it sound like using the right loggy allows for some crazy creative moves that don't seem scripted

Last edited by ufgatorinla; 10-09-02 at 07:23 PM.
Old 10-09-02, 08:21 PM
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I guess you guys like more arcadey feel than realistic feel. I'm all for the simulation..

I'm a little more used to the gameplay now.. Shooting percentage is around low .500's. Alot of NBA 2K2 and 2K3's offense is based around the plays. If you run a play correctly, then your chances of making a shot is greater. It's just that 2K3 shows this a lot more.

I like how VC changed some stuff. In 2K2, you could just run near the basket and call for the ball then lay it up or dunk it. That was pretty equaled instant basket. It's not so easy this year.

The thing is.. you could always adjust the gameplay sliders if you're unhappy on how the game pace is. I haven't tried it yet myself, but I'm sure that's the purpose of why VC put it there.

As to realistic stats.. yep.. You'll have to play the full 12 minutes to get realistic stats. At least rebounding stats are realistic this year. Heh..

Yao Ming isn't in 2k3. Will he be in any of the basketball games this year? Anyone know why? I found Mengke Bateer on the Nuggets...


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