Be Like Mike- NBA 2K11 Review

When publisher 2K Sports initially announced the integration of Michael Jordan into NBA 2K11, some concerns were raised. As a peerless megastar with ten scoring titles in the NBA, players were thrilled at the prospect of controlling ‘his airness’. Yet, the scope and logistics of his integration weren’t known.  Would players be able to draft one of basketball’s greatest players to a team to secure an effortless victory in the NBA finals? Would Jordan play at his peak, or would his stats reflect a extraordinary player whose been out of the league for seven years? Skillfully, the addition of the six-time champion has been vigilantly realized by developer Visual Concepts, reflecting one of Jordan’s own faultless on-court performances.

Eschewing the customary menu screen which comes up the first time most sport games are booted, players are introduced to Jordan about to emerge from the tunnels of Chicago Stadium. Before stepping on to the court, Michael turns and looks directly at the gamer, asking players, “Are you ready?”  Seconds later, the meaning of these words are realized as players are whisked back to the first game on the 1991 NBA Finals. Soon, another subtext emerges- as NBA 2K11 exhibits a startling recreation of hoops history. From Phil Jackson’s occasional pace along the Bulls sidelines (before he projected tranquility to calm a high-strung Rodman), to holding Magic Johnson’s shooting in the second period, 2K11‘s replication of the actual game was uncanny. With the graphical and processing prowess of modern consoles, accurate reproductions of historical sports events are now becoming increasingly viable.

Adeptly, the game’s simulation of contemporary basketball is just as adept, thanks to a number of changes in the offseason. Defense has been augmented in several ways- from eliminating  the ability to complete slipshot passes to offering a satisfying amount of opposition to thwart effortless drives from the player. Across all difficulty settings, penetrating the CPU’s defense is tougher this year, 2K11‘s teams play like cohesive units, and less like five separate individuals. Pay attention and you’ll notice the computer intermittently switching players to gain a better position- a real-world technique that’s been absent in simulation.

Offensively, the game’s IsoMotion dribbling controls have been tuned and augmented, allowing players to perform ‘behind the backs’ and spins, as long as their left thumbs are up to the gymnastics. Initiating  defense- dodging crossovers and hesitations feels more intuitive this year, providing players with a wider array of basket-driving tool. 2K11‘s Dynamic Shot control embeds shooting with the same flexibility as dribbling, even permitting players to adjust their form while in the air. Despite these improvements to the game, two minor caveats exist. Simple passes initiated with a tilt of the directional stick and a press of the ‘A’ button can get sent to the wrong player, especially when inbounding the ball. Fortunately, players can tap the right bumper for a detailed map of pass recipients to avoid the problem.  Secondly, 2K11‘s training mode is woefully utilitarian, offering gamers an overview of the controls, without the kind of comprehensive coaching a title like this demands. Don’t expect any assistance from the game’s paltry four page manual either.

Beyond taking your team to the finals, there’s a myriad of modes to keep players busy for the duration of the season.  Once players complete the ten Jordan challenges- historical scenarios which task gamers with replicating Michael’s greatest games, they’ll be able to draft a certain promising rookie, fresh out of North Carolina. The revamped Association mode is worth investing time in this year, thanks to improved AI which won’t let you trade a fumbling benchwarmer for an accomplished luminary. The My Player component  allows players to shape the career trajectory of a budding young hoops star; expect to sink hours into this compelling endeavor just to reach the pros. One of 2K11‘s most inspired inclusions is a inventory of in-game achievements, each of which rewards players with a different pair of Air Jordans.

Graphically, 2K11‘s athletes have been given a visual makeover, with remarkable skin textures and detailed jerseys. In action, player animations are convincing, with many player’s physical idiosyncrasies accurately captured; it’s too bad the replays show a flat range of emotion on each competitor’s face. Aurally, the title captures many of the finer nuances of basketball- from the squeak of sneakers to faithful drone of quarter ending buzzers. Both the game’s proficient play-by-play commentary and anecdotes from sideline reporter Doris Burke lend the game a feeling of authenticity.

Considering the flawless integration of Michael Jordan and the host of diminutive improvements made to NBA 2K11, it’s little wonder why EA’s rival game made a last-minute exodus. While a certain amount of polishing and innovation and expected for any annual franchise, the developers of 2K11 certainly surpassed expectations, creating the de facto hoops simulation.