NBA2K 14: PS3 Review

NBA2K 14: PS3 Review

Released by 2K Games
Platform: PS3

I've never been much of a basketballer. Too much actual physical effort and too lacking in physique, the only way I'd get courtside is with a beer and nachos.

Thankfully though, this basketball sim does much to channel my inner 'baller with some slick playing and some impressive controls, as well as some damn engrossing gameplay. There's nothing tricky about this - all you do is get on the court and start the one-on-one action.

Sprinting, trying 3 pointers and generally looking to dunk some hoops is all the order of the day; but it takes a little while to work out the best tactics and skillset needed to ensure the team can make it through four quarters of pretty impressive action. There's a chance to create your own player and progress up the leagues, as well as season games to see you settle in for the long haul. It all depends how much time you want to spend on the court and what your overall aim is - personally, I love the quick smash and grab of a game rather than a season - and the chance to play against someone else, which is really where the game starts to come to life.

Core basketball fans will love it; the ability to play as your favourite players and to set the court alight with signature moves will certainly appeal to the masses; but there's much playability to be had here for the casual fan too. It's quite difficult to block shots and steal, but once practice kicks in, this becomes a little easier to read and a lot more realistic to actually engage.

Visually, the game's got flair too, with each person on the court given character in close up - while the crowd is fairly generic and relatively hit and miss, the players are well executed and really, at the end of the day that's all that matters.

LeBron: Path To Greatness allows you to tread in the boots of the iconic player and build a career; Crew mode makes a return and MyTeam element of the game adds much to your personal involvement within. Throw in some impressive commentary as well and this is a basketball game that really does hit all the right notes.

No fan of a sports simulator can afford to be without this one - it's easily a slam dunk.

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