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Like The Game raps, it’s My Life.
One of the most compelling features of the NBA series (on the PS2) was The Life mode, which until this year was absent from the PS3 version. The Life is indeed featured in NBA 09 but it isn’t the same as it used to be. Instead of playing through the careers of a pre-determined character, the mode lets you choose one of three storylines (for one of the five positions). While it’s nice to have the story mode here, what made The Life compelling on the PS2 was that it was essentially a drama in a sports game. The story here isn’t nearly as interesting, reducing a lot of the appeal that the original mode had. Nonetheless, The Life is a good way to mix things up since you’ll not only be playing games but also practices, street games and mini-games.
Thankfully, the game’s franchise mode has been improved. You’ll have to win games (you can simulate quarters or full games), keep players happy, as well as manage the overall strategy, statistics, trades, lineups, budget, etc. It’s a fuller more than it used to be but compared to competitors it’s still missing some key features. For example, why can’t you scout for rookies to guide your decision later? NBA Replay mode allows you relive and play through the 2007-2008 season highlights and is as fun as always. There are also a few minigames, including Rabbit, in which you have to run to a rabbit location, make a shot and have that area turned your color. It’s a more light-hearted version of Own the Court.
NBA 09’s core gameplay is very similar to last year’s game. The biggest change is that the game’s “Free6” control system, where you used the Sixaxis’ tilt functionality to pull off offensive and defensive moves has been turned off by default. Also turned off by default is the game’s Showtime feature, which recommended a time for a player to break the buck and pull off a great move by receiving a shooting and speed boost. Both Showtime and Free6 can be turned back on—and the analog system is indeed more accurate than the Sixaxis—it’s interesting to see the NBA series’ biggest differentiators be turned off by default.
The change does make NBA 09 less arcadey than it used to be and more in line with NBA Live and NBA 2K both it also exposes some of the underlying flaws in the gameplay. The AI has been noticeably improved from the previous version, and it’s nice to see that the AI characters are fairly smart on their own. But as part of a team, they are less seasoned. It takes the AI a bit to figure out it’s supposed to be guarding another player if the ball switches possession, for example. Sometimes this occurs because the game has to finish the player’s current animation before moving on but nonetheless it hurts the game’s fluidity and realism.
Visually, NBA 09: The Inside looks sharp. The character models look great, with plenty of detail. It’s very easy to recognize your favorite stars. The courts and arenas look good, although the crowds aren’t quite as good as what you’ll find in the competition. But while NBA Live and NBA 2K have made dramatic strides in recreating an NBA broadcast, NBA 09 still feels decidedly like a videogame. The game isn’t as fluid as it could be—in part because of the issue with the animations that I discussed above. The players aren’t always aware of the other players around them and the players themselves lack the weight that they should have. There are also some minor issues with slowdown.
In terms of sound, NBA 09 delivers the goods. The sounds of basketball—the shooting, dribbling, etc—sounds fine. The soundtrack is the typical NBA fare but works with the game. The commentary is provided by Kevin Calabro and Kenny Smith (who replaces Mark Jackson). They do a pretty good job, although they repeat themselves a bit too often.
As its core, NBA 09: The Inside is a solid basketball game. If you turn back Free6 and Showtime and play the minigames, you’ll have an enjoyable, light-hearted arcade hoops title. But compared to the competition, NBA 09: The Inside lacks the innovative features, fluid gameplay, and realism that is becoming ever necessary to compete in a crowded field. -- Adam Nunez, PGNx Media
---- Oct 27, 2008
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