NBA '07 Review (PS3)

Sony deserves credit for battling 2K Sports for PlayStation 3 hoops supremacy. Its launch game, NBA 07, doesn't have the features and realistic graphics of NBA 2K7, nor is it part of an established, well-respected brand. Yet even despite these disadvantages, the game provides fun, arcade-style basketball that showcases flashy dunks and ankle breakers. Unfortunately, it comes at an uncomfortably high price.

Whereas NBA 2K7 encourages running plays to break down defenses, NBA 07 offers a supercharged up-tempo game full of rainbow threes and earth shattering jams. Blocked shots and critical steals will often determine the outcome of ballgames, but for the most part, run-and-gun basketball overshadows the slow-moving half court sets that usually put casual fans to sleep. By focusing on what makes the NBA exciting, Sony delivers an enjoyable product that is further championed by its user friendliness. The innovative Power Boarding System actually shows where the ball will land after a missed shot, allowing both teams to make a play for the rebound, and furthermore, the Open Shot Indicator notifies the player when someone's wide open, allowing him or her to dish the ball to a red hot three point shooter.

The Shot Meter also makes its triumphant return. As players shoot the ball, a halo appears over their heads that displays -- though the use of colors -- the chances of making the basket, depending on defensive pressure as well as the shooter's real-life skills. A green halo results in a made basket, a yellow halo means the ball may or may not go in, and red usually suggests that the player will miss the shot. So while the system allows for "OMG unbelievable" baskets, it also means that a few "no chance in hell" shots will sometimes rip cord. Just because someone's pressured a heavily guarded opponent to fire a last second three doesn't mean that the ball's coming off.

Despite its heart-thumping hoops action, NBA 07 lacks a quality presentation. There is no halftime or post game show to speak of. The same goes for announcers and dramatic shots of the crowd. Given the supposed power of the PlayStation 3, it would have been nice to see fans do the wave or leave when a team's getting blown away. Instead, the developers fell back on the same effects that have been a staple of basketball games for years; people waving thunder sticks during free throws and flinging their arms around whenever someone dunks.

Thankfully, Sony provides full 1080p support (which looks marginally sharper than 720p) as well as detailed character models that actually resemble most of their real-life counterparts. Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash looks strange, but Juwan Howard looks exactly like the actual Juwan Howard of the Houston Rockets minus the waxy glaze. For whatever reason, the players appear as if Sony dipped them in honey before tossing them onto the court. This glazed look proves tasty for peanuts, not virtual human beings.

Continue...