Developer – SCE Studios San Diego Publisher – Sony Computer Entertainment Features 1-2 players Online Ethernet Broadband (1-8 players) Memory card 385mb Analog control Vibration function Eyetoy USB camera Logitech USB headset Vancouver once had an NBA franchise, but to tell you the truth they weren’t that good. Sure they were highly popular and the city enjoyed the new sport, but it was only a matter of time before we lost the coveted franchise to Memphis as the players thought Vancouver was not a world-class city and that it rained too much. So what do you say does this have to do with videogames? Well, I just got to play NBA 07: The Life Vol. 2 on the PS2 and while doing so I just couldn’t help but think about the team we once had. With a mix of young promising rookies and a handful of vets, the team just never got the break they needed. NBA 07 actually highlights the young careers of 2 players as they battle for honor and the ultimate championship. The game portrays their rise and fall through an NBA life style. The story sounds good, but can the action match? Graphics While some developers are seemingly able to squeeze more and more from the aging PS2, I think the PS2 has had its day, graphically speaking. While Sony has made some strides, NBA 07 doesn’t bring anything new to the table in terms of the visuals. The players in the game look fine, but they don’t animate as smoothly as I would have expected. Some of the animations look natural, while others are stiff. However, I think I can attribute this view to a next–generation bias on my part as I have been playing my Xbox 360 quite a lot lately and I have been watching a lot of movies of PS3 titles on the horizon. Something that also caught my eye is an ‘ice skating’ effect as some players slide on the court while moving. It’s kind of funny to watch players slide across the floor without moving their feet. This sort of thing is uncalled for and can be somewhat distracting given that basketball player’s feet should be firmly planted on the floor. There are also some bad clipping issues with the game as well, with arms going through bodies of other players and some of the surroundings in the arenas. It’s really quite tough to see something so prevalent and not say anything about it. The stadiums look like they are recreated accurately from their real-life counterparts, although I’ve never seen the inside about 98 percent of the NBA courts. I can only surmise that since each one is different enough in the game that they must have been modelled after each court in the league. The courts themselves are veryshiny, almost like they are covered in glass. They never get scuffed or dirty which was somewhat unrealistic though. The crowds that fill the buildings are surprisingly static as well as they animate very little and for the most part are in the dark. It’s the little things in terms of visual detail that really help a games enjoyment factor, and NBA07 unfortunately falls a few notches here. Sound On the audio front, the voice work is handled by the instantly recognizable Marv Albert and Steve Kerr. I’ve never heard Steve Kerr but his in game commentary is quite solid. At times he can be a little dry but Marv Albert saves any shortcomings. SCE Studios San Diego was masterful in their musical selection and the games soundtrack scores major points. The rap music is great and suits the game very well, although it can get repetitive now and then. Your musical preferences will determine whether or not you’ll like the soundtrack before you pop the game into your PS2. Crowd noise is also well done, with the fans really boosting the vibe of the game. They really add to tense situations and let their players know if they are performing to their expectations or not. If you are lucky, and can run the PS2 through a decent stereo system, you most definitely will not be disappointed. Gameplay Having played a few of the 2K basketball games in past years I was curious to see how the competition’s game played. I’m not much of a basketball fan, but I do love sports games and team sports are usually the ones I gravitate towards. NBA 07 feels to be more of an arcade game than a straight simulator as I found control somewhat loose and arcade like. The game relatively played well enough on the whole, but felt a little unwieldy at times. There were times when I’d run past my targets or times when I’d unintentionally run out of bounds. I did find the Sony’s new-implemented rebound control rather cool. When shots and or passes get blocked, players can now order their teammates to grab the ball and push it into the net. This feature somewhat takes the intensity level and knocks it up a notch or two. Gamers will know when to try the manoeuvre by the white circle that pops up on the court. For the most part the PS2 handles most controls well. On offence, movement is handled with the left analog stick while special moves are handled with the right analog stick. I do believe this is where I find the control floaty but not so much that the short coming cannot be overcome. Hitting the X button allows for regular passes while hitting the triangle button allows you to perform a no look pass. The circle button shoots or performs a pump fake while the square button allows for a dunk, lay-up, or jump stop. Using the d-pad calls for assistance, whether to send someone to the basket or to call for a pick. L1 does a Post Up while the R1 gives an extra speed boost for the player. L2 brings up icon passing for more options for passing, while R2 plus triangle (or the X button) calls up an Alley-Oop. Most gamers will find the button placements pretty straight forward and the PS2’s dual analog is always nice to use. NBA 07's The Life Vol. 2 takes a look at what it is like to be an NBA all-star. The game goes inside the lives of two fictitious NBA players, The Kid and Big W, creating a somewhat compelling storyline. You’ll actually follow the path of both players and take on challenges in the form of mini-games, for each. The cut scenes tell a good story and it all plays out nicely as you progress through each players NBA career. I did have one complaint with the challenges on your path though as it becomes very time consuming to follow through each and every one. Sometimes the game didn’t register that I had actually finished my task and it would keep me from advancing, which was somewhat frustrating. I am not sure if it was a glitch in the game or if I was really missing something. The game also has some insanely long load times in between the screens too and I am sure that this didn’t help matters for me. That being said anyone who has some time to really explore “The Life” in NBA 07 will be rewarded. Of course, you can't call it a game without adding some play. The Life Vol. 2's version of "play" is to me the meat of the title. Gamers here will be asked to compete in timed scenarios, mini-games, one-on-one duels, and other b-ball events. Some of the scenarios include: - Take the lead into the half - Don't let opposing PG score X amount of points - Don't let opposing PG disc more than one assist - Score more points than SF/PG - Make field goals with SF/PG - Dish three assists - Score two three-pointers In addition there are training games where words are verbally and visually called out to announce your objective or objectives. Players will run through an obstacle course shooting hoops and throwing passes. It is somewhat tough to master but once you get some practice it almost becomes natural. There are many other things to do too but just too many to list here. For some strange reason you can play through a season, but for those looking forward to a franchise mode are going to be sorely disappointed, as you can’t play more than one season at a time. This is a serious omission, especially with other basketball games out there, not to mention almost every sports game out there, who have some kind of franchise mode built in. Conclusion NBA 07: The Life Vol. 2 is a sports title that just comes short on a few things. I think the biggest downer is the missing franchise mode. How else is one to see how their management skills translate to the product on the court? I also thought the floaty control and long loading times hindered my enjoyment of the game. That being said all is not bad as the “Life” aspect of the title is actually quite interesting. I think with some tweaking this type of storyline could be expanded, especially on the new more powerful hardware on the horizon. The thought of the PS2’s successor makes this series one to watch in the future and lets hope SCE continues the game into the next-gen as NBA 07 is not too far behind the competition and could one day catch up and even surpass those efforts.