Game Review: Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

Game: Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: Double Helix Games
Release Date: 14th February 2006

From the title, it's somewhat difficult to ascertain what Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is all about. It's just as likely to be about pulling yourself out of bed in the morning or erectile dysfunction as graffiti tagging. Having said this, the subtitle and visual clues available to players with the game case and packaging should make it clear that the game is intended to be an urban tale of rebellion, creativity and fighting against corruption. Upon popping the game disk in, players are treated to one of my favourite introductory cutscenes in gaming, which introduces the game's themes, mood and aesthetic in a short and easy to digest format without giving too much away.

Following the plot of the game, players begin by "getting their name up" in the form of tags around the city, encountering and fighting with rival gangs who'd rather you didn't write your name over theirs, and avoiding/fighting with the police and CCK, a task force started to eliminate graffiti artists from the city. As the game progresses there becomes less focus on writing your name around the city, and more on uncovering a conspiracy headed by the current mayor, getting a message out by displaying large pieces around the city and ensuring news coverage of your exploits. The game's pace and plot escalation combine to give an experience that is both immersive and thorough, while not staying beyond it's welcome.

There are three distinct sections to gameplay, though nearly every level will require all three to be used at some point for completion. The first and most important part of gameplay is graffiti tagging; each level will have a certain number of spots that require a tag to complete the level. Tags are painted by holding either the Square or Triangle button (which paint at different speeds) whilst moving the left analog stick around the area needing to be tagged. If players paint for too long on any area a drip will form, giving them less overall respect for the piece. There are other methods of tagging used as the game continues including wheatpaste, stencils and roll-ups, but the overall method of using them is essentially the same.

The second part of gameplay is platforming to be able to access the graffiti tag spots; many of the most difficult spots are high up, requiring climbing, jumping and other acrobatics to reach. Players must work out how and when to make their move across the level in order to reach all of the necessary tag spots. Jumping and climbing controls are fairly intuitive although they can be somewhat fiddly at times, if there are several options for player movement in one spot.

The final part of gameplay, which can often be avoided by stealthy movement and clever planning but is necessary in more than a few levels, is fighting. Generally, fights consist of attempting to string together strong move combos involving punching with the Square button, and kicking with the Triangle button. Weapons can be picked up and used if available, and grabs deal a fair amount of damage, though they're hard to pull off. Fighting is often the most frustrating part of gameplay as it's easy to get outnumbered, and taking on more than 3 enemies at once is often fatal, resetting players to the last checkpoint. 

Each area in the game has 2 or 3 missions inside of it, which complete a small part of the plot and often introduce new types of tagging or artwork. While the game isn't particularly long, missions past the halfway point become fairly difficult to pass on the first few attempts with difficult platforming sections or large numbers of overpowered CCK enemies armed to the hilt with guns and tasers. The game's overall difficulty is just past the point of being enjoyably challenging, for me as there were a few levels which were made far too hard by the controls or slightly glitched AI programming. If you're willing to exploit a few game issues in your favour though, the game is at least completable with a few dozen mission restarts.

Around each of the game's levels there are various collectibles available such as iPod songs (though this only makes them playable on the main menu), photos of the work of famous graffiti artists and most importantly health bar and special bar upgrades which increase the player's ability to take damage and perform combos whilst fighting. While I wasn't personally too concerned with finding all of the hidden bonuses in the game, it's a nice touch for completionists. The only issue to watch out for is the fact that resetting back to a checkpoint after losing all of your health will reset all collectibles up to that point also, so the hardest levels may well take far longer. 

On the whole, the gameplay is fairly enjoyable but I felt that the driving force behind my completion of levels was wanting to advance the plot. Even with the vast selection of tags and artwork types, tagging can become tiresome by the latter stages of the game, and fighting even more so. The variety of locations in the game was the only factor, aside from the plot that kept me engaged throughout the experience.

Graphically the game is fairly impressive overall, despite the odd issue. The selection of artwork included in the game is a positive, though players are only able to choose 4 designs per missions to tag, rather than their entire repertoire. The game's graphics complement the variety of locations featured and help towards the climax as more and more exciting places are visited. Musically the game is excellent featuring a blend of licensed and original tracks which fit the mood and contribute to the atmosphere and experience.

Overall Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is an enjoyable game which features a well paced and written plot, that combines with the variety of gameplay types to form a challenging experience for players. Though at times it can get frustrating, attempting to pass certain missions (as my younger self knows), the reward of advancing the plot should drive players forwards. While the ending of the game isn't spectacular, the overall feel and style leave enough of a lasting impression for that not to matter.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

3DS eShop Review: SpeedX 3D Hyper Edition and Heart Beaten

Game: SpeedX 3D: Hyper Edition

Console: Nintendo 3DS

Developer: Gamelion Studios

Release Date: 9th May 2013

On a recent eShop spree I picked up SpeedX 3D as it was under the genre of racing and I had visions of Wipeout and F-Zero in my head. Racing wasn't quite the correct word for the gameplay however, as players strive to avoid collisions with blocks and other obstacles whilst collecting power-ups. The game continues until players hit an obstacle without any shield power-ups left, and the overall aim seems to be simply achieving as high of a score as possible. 

Control-wise the game is simple, using the control-pad to move left or right on the tiled grid which can take the form of a tube (both internal and external), and a flat surface, and changes between these forms at various points in the game. Hyper mode can be entered by pressing the B or X button, and this speeds up gameplay as well as earning players a 1.5x score bonus as a reward for dealing with the added difficulty. 

I had hoped that this particular title might show off some of the best 3D effects that the console has to offer, but switching between 3D and 2D seemed to have little effect, even at the maximum depth. The game is fairly simple graphically, reminding me most of Audiosurf for PC which also features a similar music/travel concept. There are 5 tracks to choose between in the game, all of which are from different electronic styles though some feel too downbeat for gameplay and others a little too fast paced initially.

Overall SpeedX 3D: Hyper Edition is an interesting experience which never really gets past the initial concept. Movement without Hyper Mode is generally too slow, and moving with Hyper Mode engaged shortens turns significantly. Using a combination of Hyper and Normal play mode it's possible to get fairly far in terms of distance, but nothing changes in the game world as the only aim is to set a high score. With very little substance the game seems to be best in short bursts, and could have been a whole lot more enjoyable with goals, rewards and upgrades.

Rating: 60/100
Grade: D

Game: Heart Beaten
Console: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Springloaded
Release Date: 16th April 2015

My love for minigame collections is well documented on this blog; the Warioware series, Rhythm Heaven and other games have managed to impress and entertain me, creating a soft spot for these short bursts of fun. Heart Beaten is a minigame collection released 10 days ago on the eShop, with 15 minigames based on the concept of breaking someone's heart. The loose story of the game is as follows; the unnamed main character meets a girl, who doesn't share his feelings for her, a number rounds of a minigame are then played where his heart is crushed/beaten/shot etc., until players lose. He then meets a new girl and the process repeats until the 15th minigame where his feelings are finally requited.

The minigames vary between using the touchscreen and button controls, depending on what needs to be done in each. While the minigames themselves are pretty varied so are their quality and difficulty; I had fun with around half of the games, and scored enough points for a gold ranking on around half also (though not necessarily the same games as I had fun with). Some require players to have expert reflexes with pressing the correct button (a feat I find difficult as the A,B,X, and Y buttons are completely swapped from the Dreamcast, which I grew up with), and others require blind luck or slight exploits of the game's programming to do well in.

Graphically the game is presented in a retro pixel style which is visually pleasing and probably the best choice for a game of this type. It's generally easy to figure out what needs to be done in the minigames even if actually doing it proves to be difficult. The music that accompanies gameplay is interesting enough and fits with the retro style. Progression through the game is achieved by performing well in games, thus scoring Sorrow Points, enough of which will unlock the next minigame. There are Bronze, Silver and Gold scores for each game, though it's possible to perform incredibly well in a single game and unlock many other games, without doing particularly well in others.

Overall Heart Beaten isn't a game that'll hold your attention for long; completing it shouldn't take more than an hour and unless you're into 100%'ing games, there's no reason to go back and beat your high scores once every game is unlocked. While there's good variety, it comes at the cost of quality and when your game has just 15 minigames, there's not much room for error when compared to Warioware games with 150+ microgames. Playing through the game, I felt somewhat guilty for trashing the same guy's heart over and over, especially with the enthusiastic encouragement from the game (Finish Him! Make Him Cry! etc. pop up between each level on the minigames). It's a good concept with too little substance and true replayability.

Rating: 61/100
Grade: D

Game Review: Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy

Game: Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy
Console: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Project Aces
Release Date: 15th November 2011

In a contest for the most superfluous subtitles, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy may well take first place, but with 23 main story missions and extra challenges, at first glance it seems as if it may also be a fairly rich handheld experience too. As with the other instalments of the Ace Combat series, the game focuses on aeroplane-based combat missions in which players are given targets and objectives to meet, and can choose from a variety of aeroplanes in which to carry out the missions.

The game's plot isn't bad on the whole, although I never felt truly engaged in the war that was unfolding; whenever the commander popped up with bad news I'd assume it had to do with my next mission and zone out a little, rather than worrying about the welfare of who/whatever I was meant to be defending. This isn't to say that there's no progression or excitement in the plot, but if you're playing Ace Combat games for the storyline then I'd suggest trying visual novels instead.

The controls are pretty simple; L and R control the amount of thrust while the analog stick is used to steer the plane (note that I say steer rather than roll, as doing a barrel roll is impossible without triggering an auto-evasion move). The B button is used to fire the main guns, with A assigned to weapons, the D-pad is used to switch between the weapons currently being carried and the X button is used to switch targets. In the corner of the screen there's a meter which fills up when players fly close to enemies; once full, if players press the Y button, this meter triggers an acrobatic move cutscene which enables players to get behind enemy planes, making a takedown far easier. The same idea applies when enemies fire missiles at players, the Y button and holding the analog stick in the correct direction auto-dodges incoming fire.

Gameplay consists of shooting down air targets, and destroying land and sea targets in various locations and to achieve various goals. In a few situations players are required to escort and accompany allied aircraft, or fight alongside squadron members, but the core gameplay remains unchanged throughout the 23 missions of the storyline. In many ways the auto-target and auto-dodging mechanisms feel to me as if they're babying players, preventing them from using barrel rolls or performing their own acrobatic manoeuvres and forcing them to use a preset cutscene and move to achieve more points or even a legitimate chance at downing enemies.

The extra missions included in the game are much like those featured in the main storyline, only sometimes expanding a little with different targets and concepts. Within 4 hours of playing, I'd blasted through the entire set of main missions in the game (though thanks to some choice sections, there are only 20 missions needed to complete the story), which felt like somewhat of a short experience. While there was little variety in what was offered, if there'd have been a few more missions based on precision flying of some kind, perhaps the runtime might have edged past the 5 hour mark.

As mentioned earlier players get to choose which planes they'd like to fly and what weapons to take along with them before each mission. There's a nice selection of planes with differing attributes, colours and weapon set-ups to keep things interesting although once the mission has started there's often little difference between one plane and another.

Graphically the game has some nice touches in places, but the bland and often undetailed terrain which you're flying over lets the game down. I opted to have the 3D function on for most of the game and it made quite a difference in terms of the experience, as games like this with fast paced aerial action are well suited to the extra depth of the autostereoscopic effect. Musically the game has an exciting and tense score which fits well with most missions, even if its often drowned out by the sounds of gunfire, engines and explosions.

Overall Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy provides some fun arcade style air combat over it's fairly short runtime. Towards the middle of the game, it dawned on me that I'd seen the extent of the gameplay and that all that was left would be to ramp the difficulty up as the end drew nearer, and this was definitely the case. While it's not something I'd replay any time soon, I had fun with some of the more tense and abstract missions.

Rating: 67/100
Grade: C

Game Review: Driver Renegade 3D

Game: Driver Renegade 3D
Console: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: 6th September 2011

Technically the newest instalment in the Driver series (we're not counting Driver: Speedboat Paradise for mobile), Driver Renegade 3D was released almost alongside Driver: San Francisco and features the same iconic yellow and black car on its cover. The differences end there however, as the plot begins after the events of the original Driver for Playstation, with a disillusioned Tanner attempting to find work outside of the police force.

The story of the game as a whole is contrived and cliché to the point that players should be able to work out the final boss of the game within the first cutscene where there's apparently doubt about who is behind every crime mob in the city. Taking down the crime mobs and their bosses one by one through various driving missions allows Tanner to find the man behind everything, clear his name (which is only necessary because he decided to get involved in the first place), and not manage to save any of the likeable characters introduced in the plot because killing them off was more convenient than having loose ends.

The game features dual main modes of sorts with Story and Career modes selectable from the main menu. Story mode has the aforementioned plot driven forward by a variety of Chase, Escape or Destroy missions. While the handling is bearable, cars damage incredibly easily and will have flames coming from their bonnet after 2 or 3 hits against obstacles. This makes Destroy missions especially annoying as players must keep dodging into garages in order to fix their car.

With 20 Story missions in total the game initially seems like it'd take a while to complete, but after 3 hours or so I had completely finished the Story missions, none of which were challenging, but a couple of which were poorly designed. The difficulty level is mismatched with the adult tone of the storyline and voice acting, pairing gameplay aimed at 7 year olds with voice clips such as "Sorry, shithead" upon hitting other cars amongst other profanity and adult content. I'm not entirely sure who the target market for this game was, but there can't be that many gamers who enjoy painfully easy missions mixed with cringeworthy voice acting.

Between missions there are graphic novel style cutscenes which advance the plot. While visually impressive, these overshadow the graphics of the gameplay by a long way and really only made me wish they'd put more effort into recreating New York. In the bottom left hand corner whilst driving, there's a Rage meter which fills as players do stunts and destroy property. Once full, this enables players to boost their speed for a short while. It's definitely a concept we've seen before in gaming and having to go out of your way to destroy items of street furniture can be annoying whilst trying to complete missions.

Career mode would have been more accurately titled as Arcade mode, as players face single races which unlock the next race in the same series (up to a total of 12 races in each type) and unlock cars along the way. There's an experience system, and gold cups for performing well, but it feels very much tacked onto the end of Story Mode and is only useful for unlocking more cars, none of which are particularly exciting or worth winning 12 races for.

Graphically the game doesn't make use of the full potential of the 3DS except for its cutscenes and features a bland representation of New York, various cars and driving in general. The fact that cars are always aflame or smoking is laughable and there's almost no damage modelling aside from this. When enough damage has been done, cars explode into thin air as if they were in a Playstation game from the mid 90s. The soundtrack is bland and goes generally unnoticed behind the rest of the game, and the voice acting has many moments worthy of cringing.

Overall Driver Renegade 3D is a bad game; the mismatch of difficulty (bear in mind I played in Hard mode for the entirety of the game) and the attempt at an adult tone mean that players receive a short and unimpressive experience from Story Mode. Career mode isn't much better featuring a lot of repetition and effort to unlock cars which aren't much of a reward thanks to a lack of licensing and visual effort. If Driver: San Francisco was all in Tanner's head as he heard various new reports on the radio about Jericho's wrongdoings then Driver Renegade 3D was spawned when he heard a news report on poor quality videogames.

Rating: 36/100
Grade: E

2 Year Anniversary Special: Games of the Year

Although it seems like just yesterday I was compiling the list of best games I'd played in the first year of writing this review blog, that time has come around again and there are plenty of new candidates to choose from; 172 to be precise. Last year I looked at the 5 best and worst games I'd played, but this year I'll be counting down the top 10 games I played, which I'd not played before. Which means that Ocarina of Time, Bully, and a few others aren't eligible for a spot in this retrospective despite holding a special place in my heart.

#10 - Crackdown

At number 10, Crackdown left a lasting impression as a game which was full of fun and innovation in a somewhat familiar style of city setting. The trial and error nature of taking out bosses appealed to me greatly, and provided an incentive to continue playing as with each attempt, I'd get closer and closer to neutralising my target. Another impressive feature was the XP system whereby players can improve their jumping, shooting, kicking, and driving abilities to ridiculous levels, making the game more interesting and strategically varied to play.


#9 - Gitaroo Man Lives!

Koei are best known for their historical battle games such as Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors, so it was a surprise to me when I found Gitaroo Man Lives! to be such a fresh and innovative rhythm game. Instead of mere button tapping, players must use the analog stick of the PSP to follow an onscreen trail whilst tapping in rhythm. There are also battle sections where the correct buttons flash across the screen and must be pressed in time to avoid taking damage. With excellent music and a fun accompanying story, I really enjoyed my time with the game.

#8 - Mirror's Edge

Mirror's Edge has become a well respected name in video games since it's release and I expected a fun parkour experience from it at the very least, but upon playing it I was impressed with the tense and fast-moving storyline, the combination of rooftop-jumping and combat which never seemed to get in the way of eachother, but meld into a deadly style of self defence, and the breathtaking graphics and lighting engine in the game. While it's only a short experience, I look forward to a sequel if and when it arrives.

#7 - We Love Katamari

While I had heard of and was aware of the concept of the Katamari series, it wasn't until I aquired and played We Love Katamari that the truly enjoyable nature of rolling all sorts of things up into a big sticky ball was revealed to me. With such a unique concept and control scheme, the game definitely takes some getting used to, and probably isn't to everyone's tastes but with a soft spot for Japanese oddity and its excellent soundtrack, this instalment in the series has inspired me to get hold of even more.

#6 - Portal

Like Mirror's Edge, Portal isn't a long game by any means; skilled players can complete it in under an hour, and even first attempts at running through the game should only hit a few hours at a maximum. Despite this, the enjoyment doesn't come from the game's length but its innovative portal physics, the gradual increase in difficulty of its puzzles, and the overarching hint of story that leads players to the final boss. It's honestly a classic of modern gaming that has widespread appeal and playability.

#5 - Driver: San Francisco

When I picked up Driver: San Francisco, I hadn't heard anything about the game and my expectations were hovering around that of Driver: Parallel Lines or Driv3r, as an enjoyable but ultimately flawed experience. After 12 hours, I'd completed the main story of the game (though there were many bonus goals left to beat), convinced that this was the best Driver game in the series. The car swapping mechanic beats any shooting segments from other Driver games hands down, and the pace and variety of story missions really give this game a huge amount of likeability.

#4 - The Suffering

After including Midway on my list of bad publishers, I picked up a copy of The Suffering thinking that it'd be a hilariously bad budget horror game experience. Within the first hour of play, that proved not to be the case as a truly chilling and atmospheric horror experience unfolded. With a variety of enemies, puzzles to solve and multiple endings, making it through to the end of the game required skill and determination. As it's cheap in used games stores, I'd recommend anyone with a PS2 to give this a go.

#3 - Heavy Rain

Diving some critics on whether cinematic experiences should count as video games, I have no doubt that Heavy Rain should be counted a video game, and a good one at that. While it can be a little slow to get started, this only serves to set the scene for later events, as the plot really takes off after a little while. With some of the most memorable moments vividly etched into gamer's heads (cutting off part of your own finger being one of them), Heavy Rain itself also leaves a lasting impression as an experience as well as a video game.

#2 - Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

I honestly wanted to put Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective as a joint #1 in this list, having enjoyed it immensely, but for the sake of having a consistent countdown, here it is at number 2. Controlling the spirit of a dead being, players execute "Ghost Tricks" in order to move across rooms and impact on the lives of the living, thus solving the plot of the game, ultimately. With an engrossing story, excellent music and characters, and truly original gameplay idea, this is a game that I cannot recommend enough.

#1 - Grand Theft Auto V

When I got a PS2 for Christmas in 2005, I rushed out and bought Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. After all, that'd been the point of getting a PS2. The same can be said for my PS3 and GTA V. I knew it was coming, I knew it'd be bigger and better than the instalments before it, and I wasn't disappointed in any way. The story missions and overall plot are excellently paced and executed, there's tons to do whilst freeroaming and exploring, and it looks gorgeous, even on 7th generation consoles. What more could you want?

All that's left now is to say thank you to anyone who's reading this and has read other reviews I've posted this year, I'll be continuing to voyage through the world of video games, so stay tuned and keep reading!

Sports Review: Basketball Masterpost

There's plenty of basketball games out there; just like football games there's been several highly popular series as well as individual games and retro titles. Some take a more arcade like approach while others focus on attempting to simulate the sport. I noticed an ever-growing pile of basketball games in my collection so here goes; reviews of every basketball game I own in order of their release.

Game: Basketball Nightmare
Console: Sega Master System
Developer: Sega
Release Date: 1989

Basketball Nightmare is an aptly titled game for the Master System in which the captain of a high school basketball team has a strange dream that he's playing against various different creatures. Predictably, players must beat each of the teams of creatures to progress through the game. From the start, the gameplay is irritatingly slow as each player moves at a snail's pace across the screen.

Of the controller's two buttons, the first is used to jump and shoot with the ball, and the second is used to pass and switch players. Getting the ball off an opponent is very difficult and doesn't seem to be related to the pressing of any particular button. Overall the game feels as if the player is having very little say in what the on-court team does.

Graphically the game looks pretty awful; the player's team is supposedly composed of high schoolers but they appear to be very short and babyfaced, the opponents are what I assume to be wolves, and the use of several clashing bright colours doesn't help matters either. Musically the game features a single theme that loops every 20 seconds or so to bring on a headache in no time.

Overall Basketball Nightmare is a poor attempt at a Basketball game where players have very little control over the slow and tedious on court action. The difficulty level is high thanks to the controls, and it's not enjoyable enough to persevere with, in the hopes of getting to level 2. If this isn't the worst basketball game in the review, I'll be truly surprised.

Rating: 22/100
Grade: F

Game: Arch Rivals
Console: Sega Mega Drive
Developer: Acclaim
Release Date: 1992

Having played and liked the arcade version of Arch Rivals on the Midway Arcade Treasures collection, it stands to reason that the Mega Drive home conversion of the game should also receive a positive review. The game simplifies the rules of basketball somewhat, with two players on the court instead of the usual five, and no fouls save for shot clock violations. In a move away from more serious basketball simulation, the game also features hazards such as popcorn and soda cans on the court which if hit, will trip team members and give away possession.

There are two buttons used for the control of a single player on court; the other team mate is computer controlled and only responds to pass and shoot commands from the player. The A button is used to shoot whilst in possession, and to jump/block when not in possession. The B button is used to pass when in possession and held down/released in order to punch and dispossess the opposition. Pressing both the A and B buttons will perform a lunge move, when not in possession of the ball, which can be pretty effective at stealing possession.

Graphically the game is more washed out and less cartoon-like than its arcade counterpart, but on the whole it's not too hard to make out what's going on. There are 6 teams featured in all, though none are licensed and two are fictional colleges. The players are the same for each team, and there's only the option to play single games, rather than any sort of tournament or career mode. The music featured behind gameplay loops constantly and resets each time points are scored which can get frustrating if you intend to play for longer than 20 minutes or so.

Overall Arch Rivals isn't without it's issues; it'd have been more enjoyable to control both on-court players, and as C isn't used in the control scheme, this could have been a switch player button, scoring points from anywhere on court is fairly easy; there's no relationship between distance and likelihood of scoring, leaving no need for strategy, and the lack of game modes does make for a definite arcade experience; play once, and move on. If you can get past all of these flaws, there's a fairly fun and violent arcade basketball experience, but it could have been better.

Rating: 71/100
Grade: C

Game: Bulls vs Lakers and the NBA Playoffs
Console: Sega Mega Drive
Developer: Electronic Arts
Release Date: 1992

While Arch Rivals chose to adopt an arcade style of basketball play, Bulls vs Lakers goes to the other extreme with simulation; there are 5 players on each team, movement is far slower, all 16 teams who reached the NBA playoffs are licensed and feature their correct rosters, and scoring is far harder than in arcade style games. Players can choose between 2, 5, 8 and 12 minute quarters, in exhibition and tournament modes (the latter simulating the NBA playoffs).

Player movement is almost painfully slow across the court, giving more of a focus to passing; much of the time players are completely blocked by opponents from making runs down the court too. Many types of foul are included in the game such as charging and travelling, which improve the realism but tend to slow down gameplay further also.

Graphically the game is a huge improvement on anything that came before it, with far more facial detail and better animation overall. Unfortunately there's no soundtrack behind gameplay, meaning that all players have to listen to is the referee and coaches vocal clips. Controlwise it's fairly similar to Arch Rivals, without the option to punch or dive at opponents, though there's a nice Alley-Oop option included for when there's a team-mate near the net.

Overall the effort put towards making Bulls vs Lakers more of a simulation than an arcade game hurt its enjoyability due to the slower gameplay, constant foul interruptions, and difficulty in being able to make plays and score points. Perhaps with more time and practice, becoming more skilled at the game might help its playability, but I had a hard time playing more than one game thanks to the slow pace and other issues.

Rating: 46/100
Grade: D

Game: NBA Jam: Tournament Edition
Console: Sega Mega Drive
Developer: Iguana Entertainment
Release Date: 23rd February 1995

NBA Jam is perhaps one of the most famous basketball video game series; in fact there are 2 more games to come in this review which are also in the series. Building on the success of Arch Rivals, but adding in 27 licensed NBA teams as well as a turbo function, and removing the option of brute force to steal the ball, the game features the same kind of 2-on-2 fast paced gameplay, with a new sense of character thanks to catchphrases from the in game announcer, and some humourous options in the cheat menu.

Controlwise, the commands can be set in any combination but the default method of control has A for jumping/faking/shooting, B for a limited amount of turbo boost, helping players get past tricky opponents, and C for passing and trying to steal. With this range of control and strategic options, players are able to take full control of their team. Another new feature of the game is the option to turn on tag team mode, in order to control both team players instead of just one; something I wanted to be improved from Arch Rivals.

One of my favourite features of NBA Jam when compared to other games of the time is the comprehensive stats given to players when they're selecting their team. Each team member has 8 ratings for various different skills, allowing players to plan their strategy effectively; I usually go for 3 point shots to edge out a scoring advantage, so for me players with an 8 or 9 rating on 3 point shots work well. Players can also change which team members are playing, to create any combination they'd like.

As shown above, there's an option to use the mascot of each team as a playable team member. This adds some humour and novelty to the game, especially if playing against a friend. One of the most classic aspects of NBA Jam is the announcer who comments over the gameplay. With phrases like "He's on fire!" after 3 consecutive baskets by one team member, and "Boom-shaka-laka", the game lives on in many gamer's memories for it's unique style and excitement.

Graphically the game is middle-of-the-road, with a more motion captured look than EA's Bulls vs Lakers, meaning the animation is better at the cost of more pixellation overall. The tune that plays behind gameplay isn't overbearing, but is mixed well behind the sound effects and announcer to give interest to the less interesting moments.

Overall NBA Jam: Tournament Edition features exciting and fast paced basketball action, with a good choice of teams and a players, as well as exhibition and tournament modes. With an array of options and a few humourous cheat settings, the game doesn't take itself too seriously, but manages to feel like a more complete experience than Arch Rivals. Besides the announcer, the audiovisual aspects of the game are fairly average, but it's the gameplay and charm which raise things to another level.

Rating: 80/100
Grade: B

Game: Total NBA '97
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: SCEE London Studio
Release Date: 14th March 1997

Spearheading the next generation of basketball simulation games, Total NBA '97 (known as NBA Shootout '97 in America) featured licensed teams and players from the NBA, Season, Playoff and Exhibition modes, and a variety of game options to personalise the experience to player tastes. Unlike arcade style games, the flow of play relies heavily on scoring 2 point shots and dunks, with far less chance of scoring 3 point shots than many of the other games in this review. This reflects basketball in real life, and doesn't seem to make the game any less fun.

Stats are shown for each team instead of for individual players when picking sides, though there are a small amount of stats shown for each player once a team has been chosen. Controlwise, the game is most similar to NBA Jam as Square is the turbo button, X controls shooting, jumping and stealing, and Circle is used for passing and switching players. These work well, and steals are fairly easy to perform, though not overly so; skilled players should be able to pull off 8-10 steals a game.

Graphically the game looks a little blocky by today's standards, and it can be a little hard at times to keep track of the ball, but there's a nice shine effect on the floors, and the courts, kits and players themselves are well presented for the original Playstation era. The commentary is well performed, but can easily get repetitive as there's only a few clips recorded for each type of scoring, and player names.

Overall Total NBA '97 is the best simulation basketball game so far, as it's able to pull off a fun and engaging experience alongside realistic chances of scoring, stealing and dunking. While the pace may be slower than arcade basketball experiences, the tension is arguably higher, especially with the inclusion of Season and Playoff modes.

Rating: 73/100
Grade: C

Game: Showtime: NBA on NBC
Console: Sega Dreamcast
Developer: Avalanche Software
Release Date: 31st October 1999

Continuing the NBA Jam series (though not in name), Showtime: NBA on NBC is presented in the form of a television broadcast (as most modern sports games are), with quickfire arcade action, a challenge to beat all of the teams in the NBA as its arcade mode, and Create-a-Player mode which has a few basic styles of heads and looks for players, but also features an innovative stats system whereby players can improve their created character with points from winning games, turning them into an unstoppable superstar.

Once again, as an arcade game the action features 2 players per side and moreso than any of the other games featured so far becomes a fast paced scoring contest with shots and dunks being made at both ends of the court constantly. In a regular game with 3 minute quarters it's not unusual for both sides to score in excess of 100 points. Scoring 3 point shots is also far easier than in most games featured so far, and can almost be guaranteed through the use of hotspots (places on the court which have an increased chance of scoring for particular players).

Graphically the game isn't as blocky as Playstation titles, but there's still some work to be done before the players look "normal". That being said, it's good enough to play with, and this is the first game so far to feature support for up to 4 players, giving a true 2 on 2 multiplayer experience. Musically the game's menus and overall feel is exciting, with lower level music behind the game. The announcer is once again a large part of the game character, with the usual comments when players are on fire, or make a particularly spectacular shot.

Overall Showtime:NBA on NBC holds a lot of memories for me as it was the only basketball game I owned for many years. Fans of simulation basketball games may find it far too arcade-like, and playful (there's literally pages worth of cheat codes online for all sorts of characters and effects) but if you're trying to have a laugh with some friends, it's a fast paced and action packed game that puts fun first, even sometimes at the expense of long term playability.

Rating: 73/100
Grade: C

Game: NBA Street
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: NuFX
Release Date: 18th June 2001

Bringing yet another gameplay style to basketball titles, NBA Street expands the arcade approach to include trick moves, points for style, and an urban feel with 3-on-3 games in a first to 21 point format. 1 point is scored for dunks and lay-up shots (traditionally 2 point shots), and 3 pointers are worth 2 points - just to be different. From the outset the game is almost embarrassingly hip and down with the kids, with the speed stat renamed to "Quicks" and an irritating game commentator/coach who won't stop repeating the same few phrases.

Players are given a choice of team members from the NBA, of whom they must pick 3. From the outset Michael Jordan is selectable, and it's not particularly important as to who is selected alongside him, as his stats mean an almost guarantee win unless you're playing on hard mode. Gameplay too is fairly mediocre, with most shots being too easy to pull off; especially 3 pointers for players with a high enough stat. Moving around the court feels too spongey compared to most other basketball games, and overall there's an almost budget feel to the entire experience.

Graphically the game is the most lifelike game yet in this series of reviews, but often doesn't feel as if it is thanks to the animation of most "Street" moves. Backgrounds and onlookers are displayed with a fairly low level of detail, and only a small amount of effort has been made to make any of the locations interesting. The music featured in game mostly consists of basslines over a basic beat in predictable "urban" style for the game. 

Overall NBA Street doesn't seem to be quite sure what it wants to be; having re-invented the rules of basketball so that 3 point shots are an even more efficient method of scoring, and added in an arbitrary style score system that fills an onscreen meter, allowing just one amazing shot to be scored once full, it still seems to want players to incorporate the street elements of the game into their overall strategy, despite the fact that it's far easier to ignore all of the style moves and simply go for the distance shots and an easy win - In which case you're better off playing a basketball game without all the tricks and frills.

Rating: 60/100
Grade: D

Game: NBA Jam
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: Acclaim
Release Date: 23rd September 2003

NBA Jam for PS2 was Acclaim's attempt to re-ignite the franchise, providing 3-on-3 gameplay in combination with classic concepts from the earlier Jam games such as being "on fire", scoring hotspots, and an overzealous announcer. There's a Jam Points meter which is similar points system featured in NBA Street, and allows players to make a 4, 5, and even 6 point shot once full. Added to this, the game also offers Jam Tournament and Legends Tournament play modes, as well as create a character, and create a team.

The controls and overall feel are pretty similar to NBA Street, if a little less gimmicky. Steals seem to happen particularly often in game, and some of the time it's even difficult to keep track of who has the ball due to this. The AI can be fairly challenging and frustrating at times, especially as there's no difficulty level setting (though each team has a rating for Offence, Defence and Overall, allowing players to choose the difference in skill between both teams). Having said this, the skill stats don't often matter as there's a harsh catch-up setting for the AI whenever the player's team pulls ahead, rendering their team-mates and attempts at scoring almost useless.

Graphically the game isn't too much of an improvement on the previous games in this review; players are still only somewhat realistic, and the crowd and courtside details aren't overly impressive either. There are some interesting animations, especially shots which are taken from hotspots in which players leap amazing distances to score. The music featured in the game is generally funky and inoffensive, but doesn't really add anything to the gameplay as a whole. The announcer is comparable to other NBA Jam instalments, but not quite as definitive as a feature of the game.

Overall NBA Jam for Playstation 2 is probably best played in multiplayer mode with friends, as there's up to 6 player support and the arcade style is best suited to this sort of play. As a single player game, it falls a little short in many aspects, despite offering a larger range of modes than previously seen. The best way to sum the game up is as a moderately successful attempt at revitalising a classic series, which never reaches the heights of the original.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

Game: NBA Live 2004
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: EA Sports
Release Date: 14th October 2003

The first of four simulation basketball games to end this roundup, NBA Live 2004 represents a significant step forward for the simulation genre both in terms of graphics and gameplay. There are several new in-game features since NBA Live 2003, and most of these help to give players more control over their team and overall strategy. The game features all of the NBA teams from the era as well as the Eastern/Western Allstars and dream teams for each decade from the 50s to the 90s.

One of the best features controlwise is that dunks and jump shots have been split into separate button presses; Circle makes a player take a jump shot, even from below the hoop while Square performs a dunk if close enough to the hoop, or a lay up shot if not. The X button is used to pass, while the Triangle is used for a power dribble move, which can cut through opponent's defences. Another new control feature is the custom dribble which is controlled with the right analog stick and works best when used sparingly to get past opponents.

But wait! There's more; off-ball players can be controlled with a tap of L2, and then a button press corresponding to the desired player (though this doesn't work as well as it could do; the computer tends to stand there while the player is chosen, and then pass straight away regardless of opposing players in the way), R2 attempts to set up an Alley-Oop which is sometimes the easiest way to score, and the d-pad controls general defensive tactics while the regular controls on defence remain greatly unchanged.

Overall the controls and gameplay work well together to create a simulation experience that's still rich in action and player choice. It's definitely more difficult to play with weaker teams, and the harder the difficulty level is set, the less scoring there is in general for both teams, but these issues are outweighed by the quality of the game as a whole.

NBA Live 2004 offers a great selection of modes for players who want to simulate the real basketball experience; Season and Dynasty modes allow players to play 28 up to 82 game seasons, including the play-offs (for 1 to the full 7 games), and the Play Now mode allows more casual players to jump straight into the action, or learn the game's controls before attempting a more serious mode.

Graphically the game is the first in this series of reviews to look pretty much like real life basketball. Players are fairly detailed facially and in terms of their physique, and the crowd, courts and other details are well rendered. The views offered in the game differ slightly from most of the previous games too, I mostly used a baseline camera angle which showed action from basket to basket rather than the sideline camera. The only downside to this was that for a quick break of play, the rotation of the camera was a little disorientating.

Overall NBA Live 2004 offers some great features as a simulation basketball game which increase the potential enjoyment for those looking to play a more serious title. End-to-end scoring is more difficult, but the range of options and control available to players works well with the choice of modes and settings that are offered. While it takes a little getting used to, coming from a slew of arcade style titles, in many ways I prefer it to most of the gimmicks offered by NBA Street and others.

Rating: 77/100
Grade: B

Game: NBA Live 07
Console: Sony Playstation Portable
Developer: EA Sports
Release Date: 25th September 2006

The first game in this review for a portable system, NBA Live 07 had 3 years since the release of 2004's effort to improve and build on what was an enjoyable simulation game. The same general assortment of modes remain and menu-wise things are pretty much unchanged. Some minigames and small changes have been added, but the main meat of the game is contained in Play Now, Season and Dynasty Modes.

Controlwise the game has been simplified; perhaps for PSP controls as there are less shoulder buttons, but I'm fairly sure the PS2 version is pretty much the same. Gameplay tends to be a little closer to arcade style games with baskets being easier to score and defences less difficult to break through whilst dribbling. The free dribbling and powerup features don't add too much to the gameplay however, leaving the experience feeling a little lacking at times.

Graphically the game has a few issues which make it difficult for players to tell what's happening onscreen. Part of the problem is the size of the PSP screen, but the game's motion an animations don't particularly help either. The commentary is much the same as that featured in Live 2004 and tends to change with whichever team is winning; a team can go from "needing to do more" to "having been excellent the entire game" with a single basket.

NBA Live 07 on the PSP feels like a step back from 2004's instalment in many ways; on the handheld console the graphics aren't the best, the controls have been reverted to a simple "one button to shoot" system and the game as a whole feels more like a mix between arcade and simulation play, leaving something to be desired from both aspects. While it's still an enjoyable experience, there's better arcade and simulation titles, and this should only appeal to those who want a bit of both, for a portable console, which is surely a small market.

Rating: 69/100
Grade: C

Game: NBA 2K12
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer Virtuos
Release Date: 4th October 2011

The final two games of this review are from the 2k basketball series, which in recent years has been the pick of the licensed basketball series, with EA's Live series taking a break between 2010-13 and coming back with an incredibly poorly received instalment in NBA Live '14. The 2k series however, was going from strength to strength with quality simulation titles. NBA 2k12 features all of the licensed teams from the NBA as well as All Star Teams from the Eastern/Western Conferences and various decades of the NBA.

The choice of gameplay modes is pretty similar to the Live series, with the addition of Michael Jordan mode; giving players the opportunity to face any of the teams Michael Jordan played for at the peak. There's also "The Asscociation" mode which acts like a manager simulation for the basketball season (though the games can be played manually also). Season and Playoff modes work in very much the same way as all other basketball games.

Gameplay is probably the closest yet to realistic basketball, with a reasonable number of fouls and free throws called as well as tough but beatable team defences, and a good balance between 2 and 3 point opportunities. Default quarters last 5 minutes, within which the level of scoring is usually only slightly above real life basketball. To reach 100ish point scorelines players would need 10 minute quarters or thereabouts. Momentum also seems to play a big part in team scoring, as teams go on scoring runs and the lead swings one way and the other.

Controlwise the game is fairly basic, but this allows players to use a general strategy and let the AI worry about the finer details. If a player is close enough to the basket to dunk, he'll dunk and if there's a rebound to be caught, once a player is close enough, you'll automatically get the ball. The overall difficulty of the game is fairly low, but can be adjusted in many different ways to find the perfect balance. A nice feature of the difficulty settings is that raising the level of difficulty doesn't suddenly turn the opponent into superhumans, but instead means they'll get a higher proportion of chances to score, unless you're on the ball with defence.

Graphically the game seems to look far worse in screenshots than it is; while the introductions to games feature pretty poor body modelling and the crowd leave much to be desired, the players and basketball courts and details are well displayed considering they're running on what was a 12-year old system. The commentary on games is of a good quality and only repeats itself a few times per game, and the crowd sounds are pretty impressive on the whole.

Overall NBA 2K12 does a great job as a simulation style basketball game, with realistic play and strategy combining with simple controls and customisable options. If you have the time for each game to last around 20 minutes then this is a great choice, however if you'd rather have shorter games with higher scorelines this may not be quite the right game.

Rating: 78/100
Grade: B

Game: NBA 2K13
Console: Nintendo WiiU
Developer: Visual Concepts
Release Date: 18th November 2012

As a launch title for the WiiU, NBA 2K13 needed to show off the new console's capabilities both graphically and with the WiiU gamepad in a sports game setting. Arguably the most interesting mode of the game is the Create a Player mode which begins at the Rookie Showcase game, continues through the NBA Draft and eventually sees players through a number of seasons with whichever teams they are picked by/transferred to. It's fairly in depth and has a lot of impressive features.

The gameplay in Create a Player mode allows for controlling only your created player at any time in the game, thus forcing players to create their own chances, and move into good positions for scoring and defending. As the game continues players are given a "teammate grade" for thing they've done well or badly, which fluctuates as events occur. One of the issues with this initially is that players must build up their skill points to improve, and so whilst playing with a fairly unskilled player, it can be difficult to make any real positive impact on games, especially in terms of point scoring until they've spent their upgrade points.

Exhibition match, Season and Playoff modes allow players to control the entire team of players and in this way can be a little easier than Create a Player mode. The overall gameplay is once again matched closely to the real life game of basketball. Scoring can be a little more difficult than in the previous instalment with legitimate looks at the basket needed to score much of the time. Dunks have become more of a rare occurrence and my only real complaint of the AI as a whole is that there's some harsh catch-up tactics that are used in the 4th quarter, should the player be leading the game which often result in a tight loss or having to fight against what seem to be miraculous scoring opportunities for the win.

The WiiU's gamepad can be used in a variety of ways, displaying game stats, heat maps for players bodies, tactics and substitution options or just what's on the TV screen. While this is impressive and seemingly useful, I didn't often feel the need to look at or interact with the gamepad, and because of the button assignment (B for accept, A for back), I often found myself confused in menus and gameplay options.

Graphically the game looks great; maybe not 8th generation super detailed, but close enough for each player to be recognisible, and the experience to almost mirror the real life experience. The animations and fluidity of players movements are particularly impressive, and the broadcast style presentation adds a finishing touch to the package. The commentary and sounds in-game are also the best of any seen in this set of reviews, and probably any basketball game until the next one came out.

Overall NBA 2K13 feels fairly similar to the last instalment in many ways, despite the 2 generation gap between the systems I played the games on. Graphically there are obvious improvements, and the new modes and features add a bit of interest for those seeking somewhat of a deeper gaming experience. For simulation basketball this is a good choice, providing you can stand the AI's tough comebacks in the 4th quarter every game.

Rating: 79/100
Grade: B

And so I've reached the end of my basketball roundup, having played every basketball game that I own. There's a definite divide between simulation and arcade titles through the years, with NBA Jam games at the height of their popularity between '95 and '03, and simulation titles picking up in popularity more recently. Perhaps the ability of newer consoles to more accurately depict the sport have played a part in this. Anyway, for convenience here's the summary of my grades and scores for each of the games in this review.

NBA Jam: Tournament Edition	MD					B	80.10
NBA 2K13	WiiU					B	79.50
NBA 2K12	PS2					B	78.05
NBA Live 2004	PS2					B	77.20
Showtime NBA on NBC	DC					C	73.72
Total NBA '97	PS					C	73.32
Arch Rivals	MD					C	71.05
NBA Live 07	PSP					C	69.80
NBA JAM	PS2					C	62.10
NBA Street	PS2					D	60.8
Bulls vs Lakers and the NBA Playoffs	MD					D	46.35
Basketball Nightmare	MS					F	22.25