NBA 2K13 Review Xbox 360, that is what I was presented with late last week and although I’m Canadian, birthplace of James Naismith, you wouldn’t exactly refer to me as a basketball fan. As a general sports, I have an understanding of the game and its rules and was excited to be able to write the review of what is regarded by some to be the epitome of not only basketball games but the entire sports genre.
Basketball games of this generation have often been plagued by complicated controls, 2K13 has made strides to change that. Likely the most talked about and single biggest control and gameplay innovation this year is the introduction of the ‘dribble stick’. In previous iterations the right analog stick was used for shooting, the ‘shot stick’ was a natural evolution in its time however; its replacement was well overdue. The dribble stick adds a certain depth and freedom when handling the ball, by a simple roll of the stick you’ll be performing crossovers and spin moves, undressing defenders on your way to the basket. A reverse half-rotation of your control stick ending in your desired direction of travel, should result in a spin and drive type animation, opening the lane for players to drive to the basket. Unlike the now defunct NBA Live series that had players of high rating practically untouchable when handling the ball, Visual Concepts avoided this by tying the use of the dribble stick into a players energy bar, forcing the ability to share a ‘cooldown’ with other elements such as turbo. Use either too frequently and you will find your players fatigued.
As with most things, sometimes the use of the dribble stick won’t turn out the way the planned. Slight movements too much or too little can and will drastically change the animation, turning spins into slight movement and sometimes an unplanned shot. There is a learning curve to the control scheme and therefore provides a challenge which isn’t a bad thing, but once you lock down the nuances of driving to the basket it does nothing but make for a more immersive experience.
My Player returns as well this year, the defining feature of the series is expanded in the MyCareer mode. This was one of the first game modes I tried; player customization isn’t anything spectacular but what lacks in hair styles it more than makes up for in animations. Jump shots, dunks, foul shots, fadeaways, the list goes on and with several sub categories the combinations are practically endless. After you’re done picking a number and moustache it’s on to the Rookie All-Star game in which your performance directly affects your position in the draft. You will then conduct interviews with scouts and GM’s which will not only affect where you land in the draft but also how you’re viewed by your team, management and even fans.
The presentation of these elements is painful, and when I decided to switch up my 6’0” point guard for a 7’2” centre I was annoyed by how I couldn’t skip past any of it. Although I appreciate how immersive of experience the mode attempts to provide, subsequent playthroughs of multiple careers can be tedious. There is no way to speed up the opening process of MyCareer, whether that be quickly getting to interview questions or skipping to your number in the draft. This, if you’re anything like me and get picked 26th overall, takes a while.
Players now earn a Virtual Currency (VC) which can be spent on various cosmetic and performance improvements. Obviously this is all driven by how well you perform, challenges pop up during key moments providing you with objectives – get so many rebounds or points, close the gap, comebacks etc. – earning you VC. That is not the only way to earn currency, most of the game modes provide the opportunity to earn VC but payouts are generally small, requiring much grinding to unlock all your favourite goodies. Signature skills are one of the many upgrades you can purchase with VC. Star players are able to apply several of about a dozen of play-style traits. For example, ‘finisher’ makes you just that, improving your ability to ‘finsih’ shots, layups and dunks, ‘brick wall’ making you more difficult to pass, ‘corner specialist’ for added accuracy when shooting from the corners, to name a few.
NBA 2K13’s other big offering is MyTeam mode, more or less a clone of EA’s Ultimate Team mode seen in all their sport franchises. Construct a team with packs of cards that are purchased using VC that you earn by playing with your team either. You can also purchase booster packs and use VC to improve team statistics. Unfortunately the mode comes off as an afterthought or attempt to compete with their sports rival and feels less of a full-featured offering than both EA’s version and the MyCareer mode.
It would appear the menus of 2K13 have been overlooked again, as we’re presented with an archaic, confusing mess. Not knowing where the main menu ends and play now begins, I can’t imagine how new players facing the disaster can deal with it. Perhaps it’s better to just enjoy the gameplay of NBA 2K13 instead of focus on the poorly designed interface, but it’s worth noting that this has been a well-documented complaint of previous iterations.
On the Xbox 360 NBA 2K13 introduces Kinect support. Much like other titles from the sports genre, this comes in the form of voice control. You’re able to call out substitutions by shouting “Bring in (insert name)”, you can also call for passes, shots and the like.
The 2K series of games has always been famous for providing players with the opportunity to play as some of sports greats and NBA is no exception. Featuring a slew of classic teams from the 72-game winning Chicago Bulls to the iconic 60’s Boston Celtics. This list includes what is arguably the greatest sports team ever assembled, the 1992 USA Dream Team – the first U.S. Olympic team to feature NBA players. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the original Jordan led squad hitting the court, and is accompanied by the 2012 Gold Medal winning squad. Of course 2K13 has also gained a lot of attention with their Celebrity team, featuring a ridiculously overrated Justin Bieber, Bow Wow and even Kevin from hit show, ‘The Office’.
Play-by-play is spot on, featuring four person commentary from the likes of Kevin Harlan, Clark Kellogg, Steve Kerr, and Doris Burke. Calls never lag behind the play and there is plenty of in-depth conversation provided by the commentators. Of course you will eventually begin to hear repeats, but the range of commentary will provide you with fresh audio for quite some time.
It wouldn’t quite be a NBA 2K13 review without mentioning Jay-Z. From cover to cover, menu to gameplay, Jay-Z is plastered all over this game. Immediately upon inserting the disc in your console you’re greeted by a performance from the executive producer spliced into gameplay footage. The partial owner of the newly relocated Brooklyn Nets steps back a bit in relation to the soundtrack, only including 5 of his scores. That being said, the soundtrack is still great and the touch of the music industry is apparent in its flow.
Fresh and innovative gameplay isn’t normally something you expect from games that lack competition, but NBA 2K13 delivers improvements to gameplay, ball handling, shooting, presentation and many other variables that still manage to provide players with a new and engaging experience. Once you get past the menus and control scheme you’ll find a very enjoyable and satisfying experience. It’s easy to say NBA 2K13 is the best basketball game out there because it has no competition, but 2K soldiers on as if there was. 2K13 is easily the best basketball sim of all time and deserves a spot on the shelf of not only fans of the sport but of sports in general.
