Gamernode: Reviews - NBA 08

NBA 08

• NBA 08
• PlayStation 3
• SCEA San Diego
• SCEA
• September 25th, 2007

Coming off a promising title in NBA 07, I had high hopes that the series would take another step forward. Well, I was right in a sense, but that step was in the completely wrong direction. NBA 08 isn't a bad basketball game by any stretch, but there are issues that mar the game in almost every facet, making this hard to swallow when you have better alternatives out there.
 

It's difficult to even know where to begin. The on-court action can best be described as a grind; actual NBA defense is nowhere to be seen and instead what NBA 08 provides is a cheap alternative, as defenders will stick to their man regardless of their defensive prowess. You can pull off all the fancy crossovers you want, but your defender is typically going to stay right in between you and the basket. What you're left with on offense is a cycle of calling for picks and waiting for the occasional computer slip-up, which doesn't come often. The same can be said for fast breaks, where you'll find your men covered 90% of the time or yourself surrounded so that you aren't capable of getting off a pass without it being intercepted. The worst part about it is the fact that defenders look lifeless until they suddenly spring to life and snatch the ball away just as it's about to get to your man.
 

So, naturally, playing offense is typically a drag. Passes are extremely floaty, and pulling off the right type of pass comes down to how much pressure you push on the button. Speaking of passing, the triangle button is dedicated solely to throwing no-look passes. Are no-looks so important as to justify their own face button? Sure it's an easy way to impress friends, but there are other ways the button could have been better used.
 

Sixaxis motion controls are also a mess, making Lair's 8-out-of-10 times efficiency rate seem enviable. You can play defense in a high or low stance, enter the triple threat and complete simple moves like the crossover with the motion controls, but I found that pulling them off by rolling the controller and pushing it forward and pulling it back was an exercise in futility and just not very effective. I had little success with it, and after a few games outright abandoned motion control for the right analog stick.
 

Now, the really absurd stuff. The apex of layups is at the same height as a 3-point jumpshot, even on simple finger rolls. Meanwhile, fouls are being committed unbeknownst to you; whistles are so ridiculously late and, at times, completely absent. On layup attempts, you might get fouled as you begin your layup, then have the ball roll around the rim for 2-3 seconds before falling out and then BAM, whistle, and apparently there was a foul five seconds ago. I had one specific instance where I was out of timeouts and losing with only a few seconds left, so I chucked up a shot with Kobe and apparently missed, so I was under the impression that I had lost the game. But no -- a whistle was blown after the ball was done not going in the hoop (about 5+ seconds later), and I was sent to the free throw line.

• (0)
• 
• 
• 
•