NBA 2K7 is the latest offering from 2K games for all those interested in basketball and sports games in general, to challenge the offerings from EA. This being the 2K's first time out on the Xbox 360 it was interesting to see what levels they could move to over previous Xbox and Ps2 versions.
Starting Up
When you first start off with the game you do the usual profile setting so you can save your game as you go along, whether it be hard drive or memory card, this all runs side by side with the Xbox 360 dash board. It is once you have done this that it all becomes very impressive if not a little complicated.
The default screen just has 2 teams set up ready for a quick game and nothing else, no menus, hints or anything. There is a strange thing where you have to move your right analogue stick to bring the menu up, once the menu is up though it quite easy to navigate.
The first thing you can do is have some fun creating your own player. This is very easy to do and there are many different changes you can make to your player including Face, Eyes, Nose, Mouth, Chin, Body, Size, Sneakers, Accessories, and the skill and tendency numbers. Once you have created your player you add them to your favourite team. It is then time to play.
From the menu you then get to choose what type of game you’re going to play, the natural route is to choose season, from here you get to pick from all the teams in the NBA, once your team is chosen you are ready to play. You follow your team through the season via a calendar. It is a really good way of seeing how your games pan out, although unless you do really well its not obvious whether you are going to move on to the playoffs or not!
The Main Game
As you go into a game it becomes very much like a TV experience, the camera sweeps in and gives you a wonderful feeling that you could be right there in the arena, you get a running commentary from official licensed commentators and a realistic TV style advertising, you can access the menu using the start button, this will give you the option whether to change your team line up or make substitutions through out the game.
Game play is superb, once you have found the control set-up that suits you it becomes very natural when playing a live game, default for shooting is X but you can also use the right analogue stick to give more control to your shots, using this technique is a must if you want to get three point shots in the net. You will also use the right analogue stick if you get awarded a penalty, where as it is a high pressure moment your control pad will vibrate to the heart beat of the player taking the shot.
The games are split into four quarters, and the end of each quarter comes you get the chance to re-boost your line up with fresh players off the bench, at half time there is a TV style half time analysis which points out the players doing well and those not doing so well, which if you have created your own player will enjoy seeing them played back at this time of the game. There is one annoying feature that occurs during each game, and that is the timeouts which happen randomly, this is not a problem but during this you get a chance to make changes to the team, but sometimes if you don't choose any one or only choose one player to change it will make a decision for you, which if you are trying to reach a challenge level can be really frustrating.
Throughout each game you can try to achieve different challenge levels, unless you know what you have got to achieve it is best to just play the game as well as possible and then see what you have achieved at the end of each game. Every level you get to you will win a trophy, these trophies are then displayed in your Crib, this is an area accessed via the main menu, this feature appeared on earlier NBA 2K games, but instead of earning points and buying certain memorabilia you already have that in place and you just win trophies to fill the cabinets.
Another section is called NBA 24/7, where you find yourself as an up and coming basketball player who meets these people who are going to make him big, it makes it like you are the one trying to make it big, with large split scenes to set the story for you trying to work your way to the NBA, you go through a selection of challenges and get spotted by scouts, you then continue through these challenges till you are finally in the NBA. This is a really good part of the game and is a refreshing change if you get board of the season play.
The other parts of the game are just for fun with street competitions and practise levels available for you to enjoy, the game play is equally good across the game, Game play in general is improved over previous versions of the game, which is very impressive considering the high level it had to beat, many features of the game are getting close to perfect, but without a doubt the biggest improvement is the visual experience you get, it is a really clean looking game and makes you feel like your really in the multi-million dollar world that is the NBA!
If you like basketball games or just fancy a change from other sports team games then I recommend you get this title, 2K games are really leading the way with this sporting giant.
Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 9/10
Game play- 9/10
Usability- 7.5/10
    
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