NBA 2K Series: How Far We've Come (A Look Back)

[shadio5]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

Really? 2k4? Its the same 2k4 that almost got the series cancelled... and you like it?

Well think about this, what else was better than 2k4 during that time?? Ben wallace had his signature BELL ring and rebounds. There were small new details in the game that 2k started to bring to the table (some signature add ons)....The atmosphere was a great nba experience in 2k4.


VC/2k sports fan

[23]

Quote: Originally Posted by shadio5

Well think about this, what else was better than 2k4 during that time?? Ben wallace had his signature BELL ring and rebounds. There were small new details in the game that 2k started to bring to the table (some signature add ons)....The atmosphere was a great nba experience in 2k4. VC/2k sports fan

Thats not saying much at all man, that was the worst game of the series

Ball trails man... cmon

[shadio5]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

Thats not saying much at all man, that was the worst game of the series Ball trails man... cmon

Again its easy to look back on the game now and laugh at its flaws, but back then 2k4 was as much as a legend as 2k3 for its impact of making 2k the main choice for NBA gaming. Getting in the lane and dunking was the worst in 2k4, but the developers only did this so they could grab casuals from the "other" game...during that time 2k could not go straight "SIM" like in 2k3...they were at war, so it was a slow transition. Comon man, you know why 2k made it so cheesy. 2k4 was made to open the casuals eyes.

VC/2k sports fan

[23]

Quote: Originally Posted by shadio5

Again its easy to look back on the game now and laugh at its flaws, but back then 2k4 was as much as a legend as 2k3 for its impact of making 2k the main choice for NBA gaming. Getting in the lane and dunking was the worst in 2k4, but the developers only did this so they could grab casuals from the "other" game...during that time 2k could not go straight "SIM" like in 2k3...they were at war, so it was a slow transition. Comon man, you know why 2k made it so cheesy. 2k4 was made to open the casuals eyes. VC/2k sports fan

2k4 a legend

2k4 was trash man im sorry... Im not looking back, I felt the exact same way at that time as I do now. Im so glad they put Rob Jones back on the project or this series would be DEAD by now the way that was going

[jersez]

Quote: Originally Posted by youvalss

Something tells me that if played 2K4, you guys would have beaten any sim-guy here.

Oh, no I'm an adult now. I've been playing sim since 2k7. That was a dunk fest, but 2k4 had between the legs dunks, that live didn't have, better graphics, smoother animations and somewhat realistic ball. 2k4 was when I made the switch to 2k. It has a special place in my heart.

Again, I'm not as old as you guys, but playing live 04 and playing 2k4 it was a no contest in my book. Damn I was in the fourth grade. playing 2k4. I wasn't about that sim life at the time sorry.

[thevaliantx]

Quote: Originally Posted by mauro78

If confirmed this could really boost the "already-great" presentation...I'm praying for this ^__^

I love 2K's presentation, too, but aren't you concerned about the gameplay? I'm just confused the obsession some here with anything BUT gameplay when it comes to 2K.

[mauro78]

Quote: Originally Posted by thevaliantx

I love 2K's presentation, too, but aren't you concerned about the gameplay? I'm just confused the obsession some here with anything BUT gameplay when it comes to 2K.

Well becouse presentation is a crucial aspect of a sport game IMHO. I'm looking forward to see gameplay ehnacement too ^_^

[VDusen04]

Quote: Originally Posted by shadio5

Again its easy to look back on the game now and laugh at its flaws, but back then 2k4 was as much as a legend as 2k3 for its impact of making 2k the main choice for NBA gaming. Getting in the lane and dunking was the worst in 2k4, but the developers only did this so they could grab casuals from the "other" game...during that time 2k could not go straight "SIM" like in 2k3...they were at war, so it was a slow transition. Comon man, you know why 2k made it so cheesy. 2k4 was made to open the casuals eyes. VC/2k sports fan

To be completely honest, looking back at 2K2 is a matter of hindsight to me. I loved the game and thought it was completely realistic and outstanding. Obviously looking back now, I can still respect some cool aspects of the game (they seemed to have an endless amount of realistic dunks) but other things look ridiculous (cyberfaces).

On the flip side, I had no disillusions about ESPN NBA Basketball 2004. I was very excited for its release, as I thought 2K3 was incredible, but it all came crashing down the moment we popped it into my PS2. I've said this story many times, but this was the year where I had some homework to do before I played, so my friend got the first game. After his initial run he walked sullenly into my room and said, "Um, dude? I. . .I just beat the Suns 119-116 on 5 minute quarters." I didn't want to believe, but in reality, I knew we were in trouble.

I still played it all throughout the year, but it wasn't entirely pretty. It was a strange shell of previous 2K iterations, divergent from the wonderful path they seemed to have established. I think you guys are right though, I always thought that was 2K's attempt to match what Live was throwing on the table, in terms of street and arcade appeal. Of course, imitation often falls well short of its predecessor.

[sportjames23]

Quote: Originally Posted by VDusen04

One thing that's always confounded me about 2K is how great their first few games were in terms of containing realistic dunk physics and animations. Then, somewhere between 2K2 and ESPN NBA Basketball 2004, they seemed to lose all semblance of physics, momentum, and realism. We went from this: To this: It seemed 2K spent years attempting to straighten the dunking ship after 2004. Every iteration thereafter had traces of the system still floating around (that two hand windmill stuck around for a few years). I always wondered exactly what went wrong. 2K seemed to have half as many dunks (if that) in 2K5 and 2K6 than they did in 2K2. A side-by-side comparison of 2K2 and 2K4 (2K4 with the white court). Even the sound effects make me cringe: Working through past 2K's really makes me thankful for the dunk packages we have today (and word those packages will receive a significant boost in 2K13).

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that. I stopped buying 2K then and didn't come back until 2K11, as I like realism in my basketball games (oh, and it helped that MJ was in the game ). Like you said, so glad we have the dunk packages we have nowadays.

[PurePlayinSerb]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vni

Doesn't the animation look kinda like the Nba elite demo? Kind of a bash, but it does to me.

this game came out in 2003, so what does that say about ea basketball games?