NBA 2K7: The Best-Looking Basketball Game on the PS3

If you like watching or playing basketball, chances are high that you will enjoy playing NBA 2K7 on the PS3. With the general dissatisfaction that surrounded the release of NBA Live 2007 and NBA 07, there are many people of the opinion that NBA 2K7 has a very real chance of establishing a basketball (game) dynasty. With some of the best graphics ever to be seen in a basketball game, NBA 2K7 can give many new PS3 owners hours of eye-stimulating fun.

Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect game. For those who want to explore the ins and outs of NBA 2K7 without having to spend as much as a single penny, here you go.

NBA 2K7: The Good Points

Gameplay Modes. NBA 2K7 offers a respectable array of gameplay modes. All fans of the series will recognize the Quick Play, 24/7, and Season modes, as well as the Association and Tournament modes. Aside from this, NBA 2K7 has an active online gaming community that will allow you to test your skills against players from all over the world. Your PS3 comes with a modem: use it.

Association Mode. While all the other modes have their good points, you might want to take a closer look at the Association mode. In this mode, you take control of an entire NBA team as the General Manager (GM). It will be your responsibility to bring your franchise to the championship -- hiring coaches, training players, and managing your salary cap to get there. For players who want a bit more out of their teams, Association Mode is the way to go.

Replay Value. Sports games usually have good replay value, especially since you have the option of playing with a bunch of different teams. All the teams in NBA 2K7 have their own different playing styles and tendencies. However, team play settings are also adjustable, so you can configure your favorite team to play the way you want it to.

Gameplay Depth. For the uninitiated, NBA 2K7 may seem to be an overly complex game, and the controls are difficult to pick up for beginners. However, fans of the game have long appreciated the depth of gameplay that NBA 2K7 offers. Timeouts, substitutions, and play calling all play an integral part of NBA 2K7, and the game manages to do all three seamlessly. Each team has its own playbook that it uses as a default one; however all playbooks can be customized to suit the strategies of the player.

Graphics. Anyone who plays NBA 2K7 comes away with a sense of the PS3's potential in terms of visual presentation. Simply put, this game trumps the competition in the graphics department. With terrific animation and personalized individual player shots, you will find yourself watching in wide-eyed astonishment at some of the dazzling moves you'll be able to do.
NBA 2K7: The Bad Points

Unfortunately, NBA 2K7 still suffers from quite a few bugs, especially when it comes to gameplay. You'll notice that final scores tend to be quite low. While some of this can be attributed to legitimate defense on the CPU's part, at other times you simply will find yourself unable to perform crossovers or other isomotion moves because you seem to be banging against an invisible wall. There will also be an abnormally large amount of missed shots, even when it comes to lay-ups and dunks. These can be usually corrected by adjusting the sliders, but it does show you that the game is far from perfect.