NBA 2K12 Full Review: Is It Worth Buying with the Lockout in Effect?
The NBA lockout sucks, lets' just get that out of the way from the beginning. Not only does it deprive basketball fans of well...basketball, it also impedes NBA 2K12.
The updated rosters and rookies will not be available until the lockout is resolved. Okay, now I'm really mad.
So, does NBA 2K12 have what it takes to crossover and fly over this technical but important impediment? Well, let's take a deeper look.
Graphics/Animation
Starting with the player models, player faces and details to tattoos and accessories, this is the most accurate cosmetic depiction of athletes I've ever seen in a video game.
From Derrick Rose to Gary Forbes, 2K brought their A+ game in capturing player likeness. If previous versions of 2K had any drawbacks, that was one of them, and it is certainly not the case this year.
The animation has always been top notch in the NBA 2K series and this year is no different as well. In fact, there are even more eye-popping animations full of true baller beautifulness.
The coaching staffs have received a face-lift, assistant coaches included. Ed Pinckney and Bob McAdoo are rendered just as accurately as the head men.
The game runs at a beautiful and steady frame rate and is marvelous to see. It truly has that double-take effect. For those new to my sports video game reviews, that is when, at a glance, you can mistake this game for a real life game.
Rating: 9.75 out of 10
Gameplay & Realism
2K12 does less for you than any other version, and that is a good thing. No, it is actually a great thing.
Another criticism of past versions was that the dribble and shot animations tended to feel like you put your player on auto-pilot—meaning one stick movement leads to three animations.
Well, that isn't a problem this year. It feels as though you have more control of your player than in any year with the exception of 2K10, when this same quality was present.
The defensive and offensive A.I. has also been improved. Players and teams under CPU control will key on offensive stars, and vice-versa, run plays and feed their go-to guys. There is also the live-ball effect.
In 2K12, the ball is always live and interaction with it is almost never completely protected. What I mean by this, is that any dribble can become a deflection, any shot can become a block, and any pass can be deflected. The detail in the collision detection with body and ball is at an unprecedented level I haven't seen in any other sports game.
Players make more shots now, but the misses have rhyme and reason, as do the makes. Leaving a great shooter open will result in a ton of made three's, as you could imagine would be the case in real life.
Zone defenses and man-to-man have far more integrity. You can see them forming and they are played at different levels that vary depending on the players.
Overall, the players perform ridiculously consistent with their ratings. That said, it doesn't mean that a proper game plan can't be executed that will occasionally allow the Toronto Raptors to knock off the Dallas Mavericks.
Rating: 9.75 out of 10
Sound & Presentation
The announcing team was already top notch with Clark Kellogg and Kevin Harlan. So when I heard they were bringing in Steve Kerr from the failed NBA Live series, I was a little worried.
I thought the team may lose the conversational value the commentating had in previous versions. This is not the case, in fact, it is even better. Now, the conversations are even more fluid and there is a ton of basketball discussion, stats and insight to hear.
Here is one of very few criticisms I have on this version of 2K. I think at times it is a case of old-story overload, especially in the classic NBA matchups, which I'll talk about shortly. There should be a limit of historical information offered in each game.
It is almost as if developers thought we weren't going to play with these teams more than once. You don't have to use 10 sound-bytes on Magic Johnson's career simply because I'm playing with him. It's a small criticism, but when you're dealing with performance this close to perfection, it raises the bar.
The presentation is amazing, especially in those aforementioned classic games. Association games in the postseason have a distinct feel that shows you the difference between money time and the regular season. The constant references to the current season in Association mode is awesome and what real sports video game fans love.
Rating: 9.75 out of 10
Game Modes & Online
The 2K12 developers prepared well for the impending NBA lockout. This game is packed tighter than a Speedo on Glen "Big Baby" Davis. The standard exhibition, Association, Season and traditional online options are accompanied by some innovative alternatives.
Online Association has finally made it to 2K12. Now you can have an Association with others not physically with you. It is very similar to Madden's Online Franchise.
You control a team, while others do the same through an entire season. Each human owner is in charge of play and roster moves, including drafting, trading and signing players.
NBA Blacktop is also back, though it is without the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout, One-on-One, Two-on-Two and Three-on-Three options. I personally, will only miss the Three-Point Shootout.
One other feature that is not present is the Situation Mode. It allowed you to set up specific game situations and play from any point in the game.
The two crown jewels of the NBA 2K12 treasure box are the NBA's Greatest Mode and the My Player mode. The My Player mode is back and bigger than ever.
You are now able to create a player as you did before, but now there are several new steps and challenges in your journey including a Rookie Showcase game, pre-draft interviews and a option to only play key games in the schedule. The latter allows you to fly through a season faster if you choose.
Now, you are also able to take control of any existing NBA player, with the same functions and options of the My Player mode, this is called Create a Legend. The changes have made the mode even more engrossing and addictive and it will undoubtedly be a favorite of 2K fans this year.
The most marketed mode for NBA 2K12 has been the NBA's Greatest mode. It includes an impressive roster of NBA legends with their classic teams.
Not only has 2K included the teams, but they have also included the old arenas (where licensing permitted) and the old school TV presentation from the specific era. For nostalgic fans like myself, it is awesome to play with Bill Russell's Celtics in black and white and Wilt Chamberlain's Lakers in fuzzy sepia tone.
You are charged with winning the matchups to unlock these teams for offline play. They will be available for online play through downloadable content shortly. That is a bit of a sore spot for me, but such is the state of the times.
Some of the teams that are available are the '92-93 Charlotte Hornets, '72-73 Los Angeles Lakers, '93-94 Houston Rockets, among others. All of the players included are rendered with nearly the same detail as the current stars. Unlike last year's classic teams, nearly the entire rosters are filled out with actual players from that team.
The online play has been slightly problematic early on, with a slight bit of lag. This has consistently been an issue for 2K in the past, but I saw a little improvement right before I put this review together, so I'll give the benefit of the doubt in this category.
The options are a plenty and should keep you playing until 2K13.
Rating: 9.75 out of 10
Overall
I don't want to sound like an employee of Take-Two Interactive or 2K because I'm certainly not on payroll. But, I can honestly say, this is the best sports simulation I've ever played.
If you combine the gameplay achievements with the graphics, options, presentation and the sprinkle of nostalgia, it is an awesome package.
To put it in perspective with an analogy, if last year was LeBron James, this year is definitely the main cover athlete, Michael Jordan. Mike was never a perfect player, but he was the closest thing to it. Such is the case with NBA 2K12.
So, is it worth buying amidst the current lockout? Absolutely.
Overall: Obviously a 9.75
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