I’m not a big basketball fan; I like to play, but I don’t follow the sport. I don’t know who the point guard is in the Cleveland Steamers – I don’t even know what a point guard is. I don’t know the difference between a post-up and a postman. I’m more a Frisbee guy.
Instantly, NBA 08 comes across as a game for basketball fans and followers; the absolute first interaction you have with the game is choosing favourite and rival teams; a jarring signal that if you’re just here to shoot some hoops, you better find another court.
But I’ve played basketball games before, and NBA 08 just doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t stand up and it doesn’t feel fun.
Take away unlockable orange head bands, forget about commentator Mark Jackson and ignore the lacklustre visuals. You’ve got ten men on a court, fighting to move the frontline forward, struggling between offensive sweeps and defensive jabs. Every second that you’re fighting the game’s sluggish movements or having to anticipate the jerking animation system, you’re creating a brick wall of abstraction between the player with the pad, and the player with the ball.
SixAxis movement is an admirable attempt, but it’s awkward and it’s confusing. Put it alongside fighting-game-finisher button amalgamations and player tactics decided on the court and you’ll quickly create a sports game that is confusing and ultimately not enjoyable.
Sony is up against sport giants 2K and EA, and just doesn’t have the power to nudge out forward. Under extreme hardship, the series could do worse than find its own niche. Look to games like EA’s skate, simplify the controls, make NBA 09 the perfect, accessible, stop gap before the plethora of complicated sport sims that dot the market. NBA 07 was mediocre, NBA 08 is worse – how long can this downhill spiral take to destroy Sony’s sports team?
While mentioning extraneous features is analogous to buying a broken car for its air freshener, NBA 08 has interesting and hopefully inspirational extras. NBA Reply gives the player the ability to download weekly match presets that let them follow the real life basketball season, right on their console.
With so many basketball titles on the market, NBA 08 is left in the cold – simulation fans should look to the superior (based on aggregate review scores, not personal opinion) NBA 2K8, while those just wanting to shoot hoops simply must check out EA’s funkification of the license, NBA Street. NBA 08 isn’t terrible, but it has no place on store shelves – Sony had better rethink the franchise, or risk losing it.
Rating: 
2/4 Bad
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