Whether it’s crossing up Pippen, dunking over Shaq, or trying to guard Larry Bird, NBA 2K12, the latest installment of the NBA 2K series is full of action.
The makers of the game used the ongoing NBA lockout as an opportunity to add more depth to the game, as opposed to previous years where it was just the run-of-the-mill classic sports game, with My Player, Franchise, etc.
2K added in more throwback teams, including Magic Johnson’s Lakers, Larry Bird’s Celtics, and Patrick Ewing’s Knicks. Not only are the rosters down to the exact player, but the courts, stadiums and player’s shoes are exact to the decade of choice. I love how the announcers have interesting tidbits to say about the small role players on those teams, which is an improvement from 2K11 where it was the same thing for each player.
The My Player mode is much improved, as NBA 2K12 submerges the gamer in the role of an NBA player. From the pre-draft workouts, to the Draft, to the players overall, the game does a much better job of creating the life of an NBA player. Last year, the game would tell me my player’s approval had dropped, but there was no long term effect of this so honestly I could not have cared less. This year the game shows the player’s approval with the fans and players around the league.
The game-play itself has a few graphical changes, but except for a few new ways to shoot the ball, it is mostly just the same in-game experience. I hoped that this year they would make drawing charges and going for a layups more realistic, but it is not too much of a hindrance to the overall excellence of the game.
The game boasts the new NBA Today 3.0, but due to the continuing lockout, we have yet to see it during the NBA season truly at work. I can say, however, that the homepage has been remodeled and is much easier to use, differently from last year where one had to go through a hassle just to operate the main menu.
For any NBA fan or just someone who likes a good video game, NBA 2K12 is absolutely worth the money.
