NBA 2k9 is the game that NBA fans have always dreamed of. It is ultra-realistic in every phase of the game. Game play, graphics, audio, AI, you name it, it feels real. I've never played a game before and had people come into the room and say "I didn't know there was a game tonight", until I played NBA 2k9.

It has everything you could expect/want from a sports franchise. Picking it up and playing one game with a group of a friends is just as much fun as starting your own franchise (aka The association) and running every facet of your favorite team. It's impossible to not have fun with NBA 2k9.

Fitting for a Boston fan like me, that a game this good has World Champion Kevin Garnett on the cover. Champion player for a champion game.

NBA2k9 keeps the 2k series at the top of the basketball game. The game looks phenomenal, with more detailed faces than previous installments and new animations. Compared to last year's game the gameplay has been slightly tweaked. Blocking the ball is easier this year and driving to the basket is generally harder. Now while you would think this would shift the balance to the defense, shooting is more rythm based and fallaways, threes, and shots taken while moving are all way more likely to go in than they used to be.
Unfortunately the running threes seem a little too frequent, especially those shot by A.I. opponents. The result is that it still feels a little too hard to play defense against the A.I. Also, occasionally your character will get stuck in an animation and you'll either go out of bounds or have a shot clock violation. These factors sometimes combine to make for some geninely frustrating moments. Occasionally it really seems like the game is cheating to beat you. On all-star or harder the game will always make open threes. Aley oops seem way more easy for them to make than you will ever be able to. Your help defenders are usually useless while theirs will block your ass. The game's difficulty, though frustrating, makes wins and clutch performances all the more gratifying.

The create a player which was broken in previous installments has finally been revamped. There are no longer random colors appearing on your character's face as yo adjust their appearance.
The presentation is solid with newcomers Cheryl Miller and Clark Kellog replacing Craig Sager and Kenny Smith. Unfortunately, Kellog seems to be reading from the same script since he says almost the exact same things that Kenny said last year, save for a few corrections in Kenny's grammar. Still, why rerecord the same lines with a new commentator?
The new in game replays really add to the feel of a TV presentation and the highlights are always fun to watch, as they showcase some of the games new animations.
Despite some frustrating aspects, this game is still the best NBA experience out there. Just don't go in expecting the A.I. to lay down for you.