NBA 2K11 Demo Roundtable

huyin1986

1. What is the best thing about the demo?



Dustin Toms - The presentation looks fantastic. With the demo being so bare, it really stands out. The crowd atmosphere looks like it may the best to ever grace a sports game, and the score hub in the corner is eerily reminiscent of TNT. I think 2K is really on point with the overall presentation.

Chris Sanner - The presentation, the atmosphere, the gameplay -- shoot, the title screens even looks great. Once you get in the game, I am having a hard time finding much fault with 2K11. The entire package just looks legitimately smooth and excellent. But for me, the presentation really has taken a giant leap forward in a lot of ways. There are some new camera cut-ins, and the atmosphere added on top of that makes the game just feel realistic.

Steven Bartlett - The best element of this demo in my opinion is the improved responsive control. The player sliding issues seem to be gone, and jump shots are now more responsive than ever. 2K Sports seems to have designed a game that naturally places gamers into a situation where they can play a simulation style of basketball and look good doing it. It’s not forced. It’s not boring. It's pure hoops. The AI is even out there running set plays, utilizing intelligent help defense, and taking advantage of mismatches.

2. Biggest Disappointment?


DT - To be honest, the lack of demo. Four minutes of gameplay and nothing else? Plus, no subs, commentators, play-calling. I'm not worried about any of this in the retail version, but it's just a big letdown to be given so little.

CS - I, like Dustin, am completely disappointed in the fact that the demo just does not have much to it. That's a huge disappointment, and no subs, commentators or play calling means we've lost a lot of basketball here. I never understood why giving users the ability to play an entire game was not allowed in these demos. It's not like people who want to buy the game are not going to do so because they can play the Lakers vs. Celtics over and over again at any time.

SB - As natural as the game plays, the user-controlled defense needs some work. My defender seems to shuffle his feet correctly and be fundamentally sound, but planting and changing directions to help or to cutoff lanes is not as organic as the rest of the gameplay. There is a degree of magnetism to your assignment that I want gone -- I want more freedom to plant and turn to play lockdown D. Give me that freedom 2K!
3. The gameplay is _______ (fill in the blank).


DT - Smooth. The animations don't seem forced like a year ago, everything just runs together so much better this year. In the past years, 2K has always had a choppy feel to it, but in the demo that feeling does not seem to be present.

CS - Much improved. Not that it was bad before, but almost every facet of the game has received a facelift. The game plays smoother as a result of the changes, which means the game feels much more realistic from the get-go. 2K may be moving forward again in the gameplay department.

SB - Money. I believe executing an authentic NBA offense will feel absolutely rewarding this year. At this point, this demo makes me think I will love to play against the CPU just so I can run all my set plays and use all the coaching strategies the game provides.

4. Any other things catch your eye?


DT - Superstars play like superstars. Kobe is a beast in these four minutes. Ray Ray is getting schooled left and right, which is a slight problem considering he always steps up to go against Kobe -- makes me wonder how Miami's Big Three will play together in the game.

CS - Phil Jackson looked like Phil Jackson. I halfway expected to see Nicholson courtside. But in all reality, what sticks out to me is exactly what Dustin said: players play a lot like their real-life counterparts. If the team aspects of the game are refined, this could be a near perfect gameplay package.

SB - Yeah, collisions are more naturally occurring. They are not a built-in sequence. Mid-air collisions look and feel dynamic so I keep attacking the rim to see what will happen next. Also, the CPU AI on offense is great. Open players cut to the hoop, and Rondo runs the offense and hits Ray off the curls on time.

5. Overall is 2K's stock up or down?


DT - Oh it is way up. This demo does not take it all the way, but it's been up since the MJ features were revealed. 2K's marketing has been superb, and the info they've been releasing on a consistent basis has been great. They're doing everything right, and when October comes around, it will show in sales.

CS - 2K went from a basketball fan's must-buy when MJ's name was announced to a sports fan's must-buy after this demo. The stock is way up, and 2K11 will be among the challengers for sports game of the year.

SB - NBA 2K11’s stock is up with this positive demo. It’s short and stripped down, but it still looks like a live NBA broadcast. Star player models look realistic all the way down to the holes in their mesh jerseys. I’m waiting to see what 2K plans to do with their player’s emotions down the line. We have hot and cold streaks in the game, but let’s see it in their body language and expressions and bring these guys to life. Then we will be talking greatest of all time.