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NBA Street Vol. 2 Review |
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NBA Street Vol. 2
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NBA Street Vol.2 is the second addition of the smash hit NBA Street for the PS2, this time around seen on the X-Box as well. This isn't a regular basketball game, instead in this game 3v3 is the game, and all of the games take place on the most famous street courts around the United States. Points aren't the only thing that matters in this game, it's all about style, pulling off sick tricks, and earning respect.
The first thing you'll want to do when you start this game is head right into “Street School”. This is where you'll learn to do all of the basic maneuvers, as well as the most fancy tricks there are in the game. I would highly recommend completing the tutorial in it's entirety before you begin either of the game modes available.
The most important aspect of the game play, is the game breaker. Here's how it works, you pull of crazy combos to earn trick points, once you've earned enough trick points the “game breaker” bar is filled up on the top of the screen. The first time you fill the bar there's the option to pocket the game breaker and save it, or use it right away, if you save it and fill the game breaker up again, then you can use what is called a level two game breaker. Once you use a game breaker, the game cuts into a kind of cinema mode and your team pulls off an amazing shot or dunk. Not only do these game breakers give you huge amounts of trick points and game points, but they also reduce the other team's score, that's what makes them so crucial to ALL of the game modes in this game.
The first of the game mode's you'll probably stumble upon is the “Be A Legend” mode, this is similar to what might be considered a “Career” mode. In this game you start out playing pickup games at the Rec center in inner city New York, after you've successfully beaten all the teams at the Rec Center you advance to the first tournament. The interesting thing about this game is, that after you beat a team in a pickup game or in a tournament, you're given the option to take a member from the other team and add them to your roster.
As you progress through the game, playing pickup games and tournaments, and adding new and better players to your roster, for each match you're also given points that can be used to build up your character. Character points are awarded based on whether you won or lost, how many trick points you scored, how many game breakers you used, and whether or not you cleared the court. These points can be used to upgrade your player's shooting, dunking, blocking, rebounds, handling, and steals. Also, you can spend character development points on all kinds of different tricks, dunks, shoes, and shirts. By playing in these tournaments and pickup games you'll continue to earn respect, and eventually make your way to Chicago, Philly, Seattle, Oakland, and L.A. unlocking old school jerseys, player's, and courts along the way. The goal is to become the most famous of all street ballers in the country, and it gets tough once you start going head to head with some of the best NBA players of today, as well as some from the past.
The second game mode is the NBA Challenge, in this mode you pick a team from any of the NBA teams and play 3v3 street ball rules against all of the other NBA teams, this mode is not nearly as fun as Legend mode, but it's crucial to unlocking hidden players and all kinds of other goodies. This is more of the arcade type play, it's probably a little bit more challenging but if play enough you'll begin to unlock some great rewards, such as a certain famous group of rappers known for their street ball influence.
Before you ever begin playing, you'll notice the option to create your own team, and even your own player. This is great because you get to edit your player to look however you like, including facial structure, hair style, jersey, and shoes. Each player also has customizable dunks and tricks so that you can create a player to fit your specific desires. Which comes in handy when you play this game for what it's really best for, multiplayer. This is one of the few games that's a good game with four players on one console, because the screen isn't split and you can trash talk your friends right next to you. The replay value relies completely on multiplayer, it's great to all be able to each have your own customized player and sit down and go at it.
Graphics and music, the graphics are sharp, but I'm sure just like me you'll notice that all the fans around the outside of the court are fully 3d, but their movements are horribly choppy, that's just one of the sad downside you've got to deal with in every game though, hopefully in ten years sports fans will look more realistic, but until then we'll have to deal with it. Each court has it's own environment, buildings, atmosphere, smoke effects from the sewers, it was all pulled off pretty well. The soundtrack for this game was extremely well picked, I've played this game for hours and am still not sick of the music, it goes great with the game and adds another dimension to the game that a lot of sports games miss. Although, on the note of sound, I might recommend you go into options and turn of the voice volume right away, because while the announcer is clever for the first hour or so, it gets real old real quick.
This is the second arcade style basketball game I have ever played, and it's about ten times better than the last generation which was on dreamcast. If you liked NBA Street or enjoy playing these types of games head to head with your friends, this is a must. Not only can you play the single player alone for a long time, once you get good enough at that challenge your boys to a few pickup games to see who's king.
Review By: Travis Parrott
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Travis Brown
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