Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: NBA ShootOut 2004

Written by Andrew Fitch on July 29, 2003

First Impressions: This preview is guaranteed to be more coherent than anything that's ever come out of Bill Walton's mouth...

It's the middle of the summer -- not the time of year that most people think of the NBA. However, the off-season is just as important as the regular season in the basketball world nowadays, with much preparation to be done. The Euro rookies with long names ending in -ic, -is and -us are brushing up on English cliches like "Both teams played hard," and "One game at a time."а Meanwhile, American rookies are putting the final touches on their posses and "bling bling." (my sources say Nick Collison has the biggest supply of each this year!)

Video game companies are also in a rush, trying to get their various basketball titles together in time to get them out by opening night. Judging by the...less than enthusiastic response to last year's edition of NBA ShootOut, 989 Sports has got a lot of work to do.

The NBA ShootOut series has been around since 1997, but it's been in the shadow of EA's NBA Live and Sega's NBA 2K series on the current generation of consoles -- and as mentioned before, last year's version was especially disappointing. This year, 989 seems to be taking some steps to put ShootOut on more equal footing with the more popular roundball franchises.

To begin with, the strong elements from the 2003 edition are returning. The Career Mode, which puts you in control of a rookie and has him compete in Summer Pro League and the NBDL while he attempts to get a shot with the big boys in The Association, was an intriguing feature from last year's game, and would've been even more fun had the game been a bit better.

This year will see some new features, too.а For the first time ever in a basketball video game, the official "50 Greatest Players" (originally selected during the NBA's 50th anniversary season of 1996-1997) will all be available to gamers. From the two-handed set shot of George Mikan, to the dynamic flair of "Pistol" Pete Maravich, to the deadeye shooting of Larry Bird, all the old-schoolers will be unlockable.

NBA ShootOut 2004 will also be equipped for online play via 989SportsOnline, a feature that was sorely missing from last year's game. You can show off your ballin' skillz in a game with up to four players, or compete in tournament mode with up to 64 online competitors. Online content will also include downloadable rosters that'll be updated weekly throughout the season. So if or when some team decides they'd like to destroy team chemistry just for the hell of it, and takes a chance on Dennis Rodman mid-season, he'll become available. Also, if a rookie or lesser-known player starts taking the league by storm -- like Gilbert Arenas' and Manu Ginobili's surprising play this past year -- he can be updated to more closely reflect his actual skills and abilities.

The graphics look to be improved this time around, featuring brighter colors and crisper, smoother-looking visuals. All the players will have unique body shapes, so that 7'2", 300-something-pound Shaq and 5'5", wire-thin Earl Boykins aren't just big and small versions of the same player model.

However, the major problem with NBA ShootOut 2003 wasn't the features or graphics, but the gameplay itself. Thankfully, 989 isn't just slapping some new features on the game and calling it a day -- they're doing something about the gameplay, too.

To begin with, attributes will give players certain advantages and disadvantages over their rivals. Lightning-quick guards like Allen Iverson will be able to blow by lumbering centers such as Eric Montross. Similarly, big bruisers like Karl Malone can muscle past little guys like Gilbert Arenas (take that for leaving the Warriors!) when "Karl Malone throw those big elbow!" (to quote Jimmy Kimmel, the greatest Karl Malone impersonator on the planet...and the only one I know of other than myself...)

The play control itself is also being worked on. The "Total Control Jukes" feature promises that on-screen players will now immediately do special moves, instead of a few seconds after the controller was pressed as in last year's edition. Indeed, it's always a plus when you feel like your button-pressing actually matches what's happening on-screen... Also, you'll actually be able to pass while in mid-air, something that's been a staple of basketball since Dr. Naismith first put up the peach baskets, but wasn't an option in last year's game.

989 is also adding a wrinkle to the shooting aspect of the game, with a УHot and Cold StreaksФ feature. Making three straight shots will put you "in the zone," while missing three straight shots will have you hitting nothing but bricks -- sounds a tad too much like the old NBA Jam and a bit "arcade-like," but I guess if something's broken, might as well try something that worked back in the day to try and fix it.

The shot itself is also being reworked, giving players the choice of whether they want to take longer or shorter to actually take a shot while in the air. This will vary in effectiveness depending on the player -- skilled shooters like Ray Allen and Dirk Nowitzki will have a much longer window to get their shot off, while guys like Mark Madsen will have little time.

The A.I. is also being tweaked, so computer players will automatically do things like set screens and picks or cut to the basket, to make the offense run more smoothly. Defenders will offer more help as well, offering double-teams and filling in gaps, reacting more realistically to an offensive player's moves. Players won't just stand around waiting for things to happen -- they'll be active. Playbooks have also been redesigned, and will feature over 450 team-specific plays, so that each will play its own unique brand of game. The Lakers run the famous "Triangle Offense," led by Zen Master Phil Jackson; the Warriors and Mavericks get up and down the court; and the Heat and Knicks play unwatchable low-scoring affairs (especially now that the Knicks have Keith Van Horn...).

989 has gotten input from star NBA players to make the game more realistic, like Stephon Marbury, Chris Webber, Jason Kidd, Robert Horry and Bo Outlaw (Bo Outlaw a "star"...? What, "stars" like Pat Garrity weren't available?). Fox Sports producers have also offered assistance, providing camera angles to make the game feel more like something you'd watch on TV. The audio is one of the few areas that's staying completely the same. New Jersey Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle and the-legendary-for-many-different-reasons Bill Walton return for play-by-play and color commentary. Given how polarizing Walton seems to be, you'll either love this news, or find it "hoooooooooooooooooorible!" No more needs to be said.