NBA Shootout 2004 Review

Developer	989 Sports
Publisher	SCEA
Genre	Sports

989 Sports, credited for truly spectacular games on the PSX, are on the rise; their recent efforts are beginning to overshadow their embarrassing launch and stagnant progress up until now. NFL GameDay has to be the biggest improvement over last year, with NCAA GameBreaker second, but how would 989 do with their renowned professional basketball title?

Gameplay - After the first few minutes of being subjected to Shootout 2004, it was easy to tell it had its fair share of problems. Consequently, it really hampers the enjoyment of the product and causes frustration. The most notable of all difficulties has to be the games general “boggy” perception. Players move in unrealistic, clunky ways and odd glitches such as half of the stadium not showing up and random passes out of bounds will anger players until there is no tomorrow.

On offense, scoring is not terribly difficult. Poor defensive intelligence, constituting lackluster judgment and play easily allow an open lane for a lay-up or dunk. Shooting, however, is not a good selection if the plan is to rack up points. The AI tends to mark everyone well, and even NBA players have a tough time hitting a jumper with a hand in their face. Setting up on the perimeter works decently well if the ball is worked around long enough; the defense gets confused, leaving an open man for the 3-point shot.

Frighteningly similar to NBA Live’s Freestyle, where moving the right analog stick does jukes and steals, among other things, is 989’s own “Freestyle”. When a player has the ball and has yet to dribble, the Freestyle stick can be used to pivot into a given direction to fake out the defender, leaving an open shooter. It works deceptively well, especially on the outside with a great shooter who will make the shot nine times out of ten.

One of the most crucial aspects to professional basketball is the post game. Big players like Duncan, Shaq, and Ben Wallace all post-up to the defenders, work the ball in, and either turn to the basket or dish it out to another player, normally more open than normal. The post-up maneuver can be done, but it does not work. At all. The players make such a slow turn that by the time they’ve turned to the basket the defender is waiting on them in the lane.

The defensive game is much more frustrating, sadly. People generally like to score, and not particularly like defending, but it should never be a hassle. Marking men is not hard, but stopping them from a dunk or lay-up is near impossible. Steals are easy to come by if you want to press the button repeatedly, and blocks are easily obtainable with a big guy like the aforementioned low-post players. The game just feels so “clunky” that it’s hard to defend anyone.

Rebounding has such an unbalance in Shootout it’s sickening; an old saying goes “if you can win the boards, you can win the game”. Well, frankly, you better hope your out-performing the other team in everything else because you will not beat the AI when it comes to rebounding. Players seem to lack the ability to see where the ball is when it’s in the air, causing them to jump into the air after the ball hits the rim in the complete opposite direction, giving the other team an easy rebound. What really sets it off is when the game compares the teams in rebounds, and they’re doubling your total both offensively and defensively.

989 have created a new play-calling setup that allows the gamer to create any play at the press of a button. Utilizing it is simple; each directional button on the D-Pad serves a purpose, whether it is a Swing-out, pick, or screen. On defense, double-teams, intentional fouls, and other commands such as playing the Zone (you know, that type of defense that is causing all the stir right now in the NBA) or man-to-man can executed.

Getting into a game of Shootout is quick and easy; the abundance of gameplay modes will excite any sports gamer. Most players will quickly get into an exhibition (or ‘Play Now’, as it is dubbed) to get a feel of the game. There are other modes, too, like a standard season option, however 989 did not implement franchise play. For those having a little trouble with their shot, the Training mode is really cool. It isn’t terribly unique, but it lets players shoot from anywhere on the court, and identifies whether the shot release was early, on time, or late.

The Career mode is where most people will spend their time. The basic premise goes like this: create a player, play in the NBA summer league with other mediocre players and a few stars, and try to make an NBA team. In the beginning, players are really bad, and tasks such as “Hold Derek Fisher to 28 points” and “Score 15 points” seem a little harsh at first. Most players won’t make the big time, so they will most likely be picked up by the NBDL to spend a few years there. The only problem with this feature is it is nearly identical to the one found in last year’s effort.

For gamers interested in multiplayer indulgences, Shootout has all you need, providing you can bare with the game long enough to enjoy human opponents. 989 Sports has a very interesting online setup, unbeatable as of yet by any other developer (however EA’s seems to be more organized). Voice-chat via a USB Headset (SOCOM headset, anyone?) is available and works pretty well, although occasionally the command doesn’t register leaving you talking to yourself.

Graphics - Let’s be honest, folks: 989 have never created games with brilliant visuals. Even in the glorious days on the PSX, EA seemed to have the edge. The early PS2 titles only helped to concrete such ideals. Lately, the games 989 Sports have been churning out seem to look a hell of a lot better, but still several generations behind. Sega Sports, along with EA Sports, aren’t making matters much easier.
Part of the game’s previously mentioned “boggy” feelings are attributed to the horrendous framerate. Any shift by the camera at all causes the game to slow down. With the power of next-generation consoles, it’s hard to comprehend why the game can’t play with a little more fluidity. For next year’s edition, any change at al for the better will radically improve Shootout’s overall complexion.

Player models are decently created, and appropriately proportioned. However, not much detail has been put into them. Faces generally resemble nothing of their real life counterpart, and players with more definition in their arms and legs are not identifiable. Trademark accessories, like Iverson’s sleeve, are included, helping a little with the recognition of superstars. The animation isn’t much better, and the sloppy transitions only make it seem worse.

Sound - The sound effects are pretty much nonexistent. The fans, a major part of in the morale of a team, rarely do anything to influence the game audibly. Shoes squeak every now and then, unlike in the real game where shoes make that annoying sound every three seconds. Player chatter never occurs, which is extremely odd when considering the amount of cocky, loud-mouthed players there are in the NBA. The commentary could have been something special if they would have talked more and used expressions and comparisons that actually made sense.

Overall Value - In the end, nothing in NBA Shootout 2004 really warrants a purchase. Unless you’re someone looking for a great online infrastructure, there isn’t anything that allows me to say you have to play this game. People like to build a team and watch them flourish, but with Shootout 2004, you can’t do that. What you can do is build a player, which ultimately proves less satisfying. Rent it if you’d like, but stick to ESPN NBA or NBA Live for this year.

Review by Brian Williams