The only thread I found on this was the NBA Elite one. I’m not one who usually plays basket games if not to recreate Shohoku into it, but someone told me to look at it just because of how visually impressive it is.
This also due to the fact that modders are all over it and releasing all sort of crazy graphic updates. Basically:
1- Shadows/video filters. (shaders effects and such)
2- Jerseys. (this applies better self-shadows on players)
3- Stadium textures & reflections.
The results are quite impressive and especially when it moves it often makes you forgot you’re playing a game and not watching the real thing (watch some match videos on youtube, they are impressive).
Now I’m far from a basket expert, but this game is also filled with hundred of options and seems to have a HUGE depth of gameplay. It’s also relatively accessible considering I’m having fun by just learning the most basic moves.
Beside the fact this is a sport game and so being its own niche I don’t think I’ve seen a more impressive game all around in the whole year, if not ever. It should be GOTY (beside some annoyances in the way the menus work).
Another couple images. And I stress again that this may as well scream uncanny valley in a few cases, but what is actually impressive is not the graphic detail, but the animations that are so smooth and lifelike. If you don’t see this moving you don’t understand why I’m so awed.
I’ve never seen this level of graphic+animations blend.
I checked it out on YouTube. Some of the stuff looks pretty nice. They must have spent a lot of time making star-specific animations: you can almost tell it’s LeBron or Nash handling the ball, and a I saw a pretty convincing Dwight Howard counter move under the basket. Do they include 20 gigs of commentary, or do they just have the team-specific stuff during the beginning of the game?
It still has that floaty sports game look where everyone has to slide around slightly. I was surprised by some other things: it was hard to tell when the ball went in the basket, but maybe that’s YouTube compression.
I haven’t played a sports game on PC since Hardball III. I’ve enjoyed genres I never played when I was younger, like racing and flight sims, so this might be a good opportunity to try one. Especially if modders are starting to work on the game. I’ll keep an eye on it.
I don’t like basketball, but out of Madden, PES and FIFA, NBA2k has by far the best “Be A Leg End” mode. Considering the apparent ME ME ME nature of the sport, the way the game rewards you for passing, defending and positioning more than for throwing the game sphere into the score hole is a nice reinforcement of team ethic.
I have no idea what “filling the lane means”, (In Connecticut it mostly means pulling out to the left of the Merritt and then staying there forever), but I know I get points for accidentally doing it.
However, the amount of sweat in the game could be toned down a bit.
