College Hoops 2K7 bests its predecessor and brings the college b-ball experience to the living room. Unfortunately, not enough improvements were made and the game falls into a second place rut behind its counterpart NBA 2K7.

Sadly, the gameplay provides the most frustration. College Hoops certainly plays all right. Players can perform a series of moves around the court, from shooting off three-pointers to going in for near-impossible shots all across the board. They can also spin and drive to the basket. Unfortunately, flaws from College Hoops 2K6 damage the gameplay. Passing can be bothersome, with the ball landing too easily in the opposing team's hands (even with the icon-passing set-up). The lay-ups aren't always reliable either. Sometimes a shot that looks like it should easily drop in frustratingly rolls out, into the waiting hands of the opposing player. The AI shows signs of brilliance, but also falls asleep on some plays. . It's a very mixed experience, and one that players will have to get used to, even with the ability to tweak gameplay sliders to modify the team's performance.

That's too bad, because Visual Concepts has improved upon the other areas. The visuals in the game are much better than 2K6's. Instead of just sitting around and not getting into the game, the entire crowd exhibits abundant energy. Choose Duke as a home team and head to their arena, and the stands will be full with crazed college students bopping around to no end. The players themselves look amazing, although the coach and sideline characters are stale by comparison. The courts look fantastic, whether players choose a huge arena or a typical college gym where there's barely anyone standing on the end of each court. The whole thing looks closer to the next-gen experience than College Hoops 2K6 did, and it shows every step of the way.

Even the sound impresses. The new chant creator allows players to create their own school chants and taunts for crowds to scream at the top of their lungs. Limited options keep it from reaching its true potential (players looking to create obscenity-filled screams will have to work in an inventive manner) but it's a pretty cool feature. The crowd never tires, screaming "THREE!" on an important three-point shot or jeering a player who lets the ball slip away too easily. Vern Lundquist and Bill Raftery provide decent (if somewhat repetitive) commentary throughout each game, noting key plays and announcing players with problems. (Granted, no real players are in the game -- the NCAA license prohibits it.)

Legacy mode continues to be a major inclusion in 2K7. One new item worth mentioning is Team Unity, a feature where players have to keep a certain balance with their team to avoid friction and anger. This includes not only the team but underclassmen who feel like they deserve a shot on the court. Screw up the Unity too much and unemployment becomes a good possibility. It's a hefty feature that asks a lot from the player, but those willing to take advantage of it will be rewarded with its depth.