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Dreamcast | Sports | NBA 2K2 | Review

There is no Boxart for - NBA 2K2
  • GRAPHICS: 5.0
  • SOUND: 5.0
  • CONTROL: 4.5
  • FUN FACTOR 5.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 4.7
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 5.0
Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

Review: NBA 2K2

Review by TOKYODRIFTER | 10/23/2001 | 10:48:01 AM PST

Can the best basketball game on the Dreamcast truly be the best basketball game?period?

Prime Time Overachiever
Instead of putting the majority of development effort into the upcoming PlayStation 2, Xbox and Gamecube versions, Visual Concepts has gone and made the Dreamcast?s last parting shot a memorable one. NBA 2K2 is one of the best basketball games ever on any console?period. It seems as if every aspect of the game has been honed to a fine edge, starting with the graphics. Player models look fantastic, with improved facial likenesses and no abrupt breaks where limbs connect. There?s not much new animation-wise, but the game makes the most of what it has, resulting in a very smooth presentation.

You get standard modes like Exhibition, Season and Franchise, but the big bonus is the Street Mode that lets you play as any NBA team for a game of two-on-two up to a full five-on-five on various playgrounds and black tops.

Got Crazy Patterns
The improved computer AI plays very aggressively in the final minutes of a closely contested game and also calls smart time outs. Some substitution choices are still questionable?and the computer will sometimes try to foul even if it is behind by double digits?but these are small gripes in the grand scheme.

The audio is filled with great touches like the way your teammates yell at you on the court, or how a home crowd will fall silent when their team is getting blown out. The commentary is the only area where there is still room for needed improvement. The controls are solid, although the increased need to use the D-pad to call for picks and screens can leave your fingers in a knot. It?s nice that you can choose an alternate button layout, but you?ll still end up with having to sacrifice one thing for another.

Regardless of these small annoyances, NBA 2K2 rectifies all other gripes about the previous two incarnations and officially achieves top ranking in its field. One more good reason to hold on to your Dreamcast a little longer.