It was back a few months back when I got my first slice of 2k action. No football games out for the PS3 and NBA and NHL 2k7 on sale here for less than £20 (marketing genius or pure conincedence). I nearly went for NHL but the player edit in NBA swung it for me as I like to make my own teams. Well it turned out the player edit was rubbish, but the rest of the game was ace, massivly addictive, I spent hours on it, especially online, and it turned me into a real NBA fan, its a great game.
Now the slight disapointment of Pro Evo has been and gone it left me looking forward to 2k8 to come out. A bad delay to the release didnt help, and first time I fired this up I was left feeling disapointed, same as 2k7. And like 2k7 I started playing for a bit and learned to love it, a definate improvement. Everyones probably a bit dissapointed as they first fire this up and the RAP music starts and you try and find your way through the terrible menu system, but stick with it and you find a gem. The players now move alot more realisticly, and you have to take into account a players balance as you weave down the floor in and out of players. Shots are a lot more realistic to, no more dunking 70% of the time (as fun as that is), you now have to make more intelligent jump shots. A new meter shows a players stregnths on different parts of the floor, and players go hot and cold. Player likenesses are improved (especially white players), but that seems to have taken a bit of the sheen off of them from 2k7. The graphics are amazing, a true immersive televisual experience, better than any football game. For me, the biggest stregnth is online play, runs as smooth as silk and you get some real sintilating games going (as well as the odd infuriating one), NBA 2k7 and 8 really are 2 of my favourite games ever. Annoying things on this edition include the over-powerfull double team (online), a few too many missed layups, and a few more players that are TOO good.
Get it, you wont regret it. Oh yea, and GO JAZZ