NBA 2K7 Xbox 360 review

It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was doing the review for NBA2K6. The reason for this is that 2K Sports took an absolute age to get the game released in Europe. Now 2K7 has dropped on to my doormat and 2K6 is still fresh in my mind I’m wondering what it can offer me so soon after getting to grips with the last version.

I have no need to worry though because 2K7 is simply one of the finest simulations of any sport ever produced. I understand that’s a bit of a glowing way to start the review but there is no point beating around the bush, NBA2K7 is fantastic.

Billy, listen to me. White men can't jump

One of the main gripes I had with 2K6 was that it wasn’t that friendly to people who were new to the game. I honestly feel that 2K7 has addressed this somewhat with the game being much easier to pick up and play for the first time. I’m aware that after having got to grips with the earlier game that my brain might be tricking me into feeling this way, but in truth the game does seem slightly more friendly to first timers.

A knowledge of the actual sport of Basketball will go a long way to helping you figure out how everything works but it’s not essential. In fact, a person new to the game could actually use this to teach themselves everything they need to know about the sport, if they were that way inclined.

A thing of real beauty

The graphics are hands down the best I have seen in any sports game. The animation is fluid, the cloth physics on the clothes is stunning, the crowd look great and will even go off for hot dogs and drinks and the whole package is one gorgeous feast for the eyes.

Each player has their own unique signature style that makes them truly individual in how they run, dribble and score. The variety is amazing and if you are familiar with any of the players you will instantly recognise some of their behaviour. It’s true visual nirvana and looks wonderful on a HD screen.

Plays as good as it looks

The graphics aren’t the only thing to get an overhaul as the game is now tighter and more playable than ever before. While the graphics might look fantastically real it means nothing if poor controls ruin the illusion. Thankfully the controls complete the package creating a game that not only looks authentic but plays realistically too.

You have complete control over your team and it’s certainly not a difficult game to play, though it is a bit harder to master it. Practice makes perfect though and it won’t be too long before you are upping the difficulty level to keep the score tight, and the games exciting. The right stick on the pad is used to shoot and can be used in a number of ways to play exactly the type of shot you want, from left handed lay ups to power dunks.

Plenty of life in this year’s version

The 24/7: Next mode allows you to create your own character and take them all the way from street level through to NBA greatness. It’s a nifty single player add on that gives a bit of variety to the standard games and it’s all handled fairly nicely. Association mode is where the real meat of the game lies and is immensely deep allowing you to manage every aspect of your teams training regime.

Watch out for the progressive fatigue though that can leave your players drained come match day if you practice too much. There’s plenty of depth and variety for the single player, but if you can, playing against a friend is where the real fun lies and you really should try to take the game online.

Multiplayer heaven

NBA2K7 is finely tuned and so much fun to play that it is literally screaming out to be played over Xbox Live. Thankfully it’s as much fun as it should be. Lag is rare, everything runs smoothly and the pace only lets up during quarter ends and time outs. The game is so perfectly balanced that you will see the lead swing in different directions throughout the course of a game. Even if the players aren’t that evenly matched the games are never anything but great fun.

2K Sports has really excelled itself with 2K7 and even though basketball isn’t huge over here, this game deserves to do really well and pick up some new fans along the way. It is one of the best sporting simulations ever made and is easily the best basketball game to hit a console. If you sat on the fence with 2K6 and didn’t make the purchase, now is the time to get off it and enjoy one of the finest sporting games of the year. I’ll see you on the court friends, this white man CAN jump.