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NBA 2K9 Review

03:21 PM - October 13, 2008 by RaychelSnr

We have posted our review of NBA 2K9. Enjoy!

Quote:


	"The NBA 2K series has a lot in common with the San Antonio Spurs. They�re both consistently competitive no matter who pops up to challenge them. They�re also proven winners. The 2K series has been the undisputed basketball champion since at least 2005, while the Spurs have won four NBA championships since 1999. Both of them suffered slight setbacks last season, but these setbacks weren't enough to take them out of the game. Now for the 2008-2009 season, both sides are looking to regain their dominance."

NBA 2K9 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: NBA 2K9Reader Score: 8.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 72 - View All

NBA 2K9 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 bears5122 @ 10/13/08 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaseB


	If the online issues persist we'll come back and write another story about it for sure.

I just don't get the huge gap in this game and NBA Live. Sure 2K is better gameplay wise and has more belles and whistles. But Live is superior to 2K online by such a wide margin it's sick. With the number of people who play strictly online, I think this should weigh heavily on the score.

Maybe in the future breaking the reviews into different parts and scoring those individually might be best. It would be helpful for me since there are some games I'd only buy for online play. It seems the 9 vs 7.5 is strictly for offline with no regard for online play factored in at all.

# 22 bears5122 @ 10/13/08 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillatin


	online can be fixed so that can be an exeption, everything good about this game outweighs the bad tremendously, a 9 is a good score but a high 8 wouldve been better.

Everything can be fixed, but a review should be based on what is there at the time. I'd prefer to have that and updates as patches/changes are made.

# 23 petersondagreat @ 10/13/08 06:20 PM

1.fix the servers for online and make it hall of fame because offline i have no problem with defending the 3 unless its against the cpu

2.Fix the inside game my boy uses the lakers and i cannot stop gasol or bynum or anyone for that matter in the paint

3.Blocks need to be toned down on jumpshots lets be serious jumpers dont get blocked like they do on 2k9 they did a wonderful job on making people miss badly including airballs on contested jumpers they dont need to be blocked all the time

4. Steals need to be toned down especially on inbounds

other than that stuff i agree lol

# 24 jackw @ 10/13/08 06:21 PM

9 is dead on! Good review Richard!

# 25 Bornindamecca @ 10/13/08 06:22 PM

This game is a 10 with the right rosters.

# 26 ChaseB @ 10/13/08 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bears5122


	I just don't get the huge gap in this game and NBA Live. Sure 2K is better gameplay wise and has more belles and whistles. But Live is superior to 2K online by such a wide margin it's sick. With the number of people who play strictly online, I think this should weigh heavily on the score. Maybe in the future breaking the reviews into different parts and scoring those individually might be best. It would be helpful for me since there are some games I'd only buy for online play. It seems the 9 vs 7.5 is strictly for offline with no regard for online play factored in at all.

You get into issues either way, reviews are what they are. I try not to do many personally because I don't like them and people take them way too seriously. At the end of the day it's just an opinion, like most other feature articles on here, but attach a score and people go nuts.

# 27 Tri-State Killa @ 10/13/08 06:37 PM

Thanks for the review.

# 28 Bornindamecca @ 10/13/08 06:53 PM

Thank god I'm not a game reviewer! One mag gives it an 8.5, they say "too low!" Another site gives it a 9, they say "too high! It should have been a 'high eight'!" Despite the fact that a high eight rounds up to a nine.

Man, sometimes people make it very hard not to resort to ridicule.

# 29 Ballatician @ 10/13/08 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OS Review


	If you want the most realistic game of NBA basketball, NBA 2K9 is where you have to be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by capp34


	2k is God on this Site....you wasting time and someone will prolly bash for it.

C/S

Review reads like a summary of the 2k section of the board. Nothing but love even making excuses for the glitches. 9? Really?? I think thats the highest any site has given it so far. Don't get me wrong I love the game but to give this a 9 and Live a 7.5 is a travesty. All I hear about is how good this game will be with sliders yet Live plays better out the box not even mentioning online. Are we reviewing games on potential now? I'm sure Live will be patched too. In my opinion both games are equally fun. You won't go wrong no matter which one you buy but if there is a flaw with either one it should be pointed out. Oh well, you gotta give the people what they want.

# 30 bears5122 @ 10/13/08 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaseB


	You get into issues either way, reviews are what they are. I try not to do many personally because I don't like them and people take them way too seriously. At the end of the day it's just an opinion, like most other feature articles on here, but attach a score and people go nuts.

I understand and respect the opinion. I just can't fathom a game getting a 9 that doesn't have an online mode these days. But if I was an offline player, I would give it a 9 too.

# 31 johnathan burroughs @ 10/13/08 07:13 PM

so is we going to be able to choose who we want to play

# 32 2kjunkie @ 10/13/08 07:20 PM

I agree with the review and I also give the game a 9/10.

# 33 trifelife @ 10/13/08 09:00 PM

I'm always confused when 2K basketball gets anything LESS than a 9. I think a lot of people have outgtrown their love of games (and there is nothing wrong with that) and now only play to disect and criticize every little nuance (and the IS something wrong with that). It is not real life and will never be as perfect as real life. There will always be glitches in software products. The review is spot on.

# 34 NINJAK2 @ 10/13/08 09:02 PM

bears,
did it occur to you that maybe live is smoother online because they don't have nearly as much traffic as 2k does? I've been to stores where 2k has sold out 3 times before live has even sold out at all. 2k was outsold by Live last year I believe, but 2k admitted opening day that they never expected to see the kind of traffic they are now.

# 35 bears5122 @ 10/13/08 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NINJAK2


	bears, did it occur to you that maybe live is smoother online because they don't have nearly as much traffic as 2k does? I've been to stores where 2k has sold out 3 times before live has even sold out at all. 2k was outsold by Live last year I believe, but 2k admitted opening day that they never expected to see the kind of traffic they are now.

That's fine. While I think a week should be ample time to fix those server issues, who knows. I was simply pointing out that the lack of online should significantly lower the score of the game. Sure offline is great, it always has been. I'd give it a 9/10 easily. But offline is about as close to a 0 as you can get right now.

The video game world is all about online these days. The most popular games are almost all online based. To have a game come out without online, while it's competitor has it, should somewhat shrink the gap between the two companies. And I'm greatly critical of EA, but I think they have gotten the shaft a bit this year. Their game has improved, and their online is superior to 2K. So I think they should be given more credit for that and be put at least on equal par with 2K9 until the online issues get sorted out (if they ever do).

# 36 GoldenGlove @ 10/13/08 09:27 PM

I'm starting to get pissed with the whole, "Adjust sliders" argument. Please stop giving 2k a reason NOT to fix the default sliders.

I don't want to have to sit down infront of this game and adjust sliders for hours just for the game to play realistic. I want the damn game to play realistic out of the box. Stop giving 2k a cop out. The default sliders are a joke. Only reason I'm even talking about the sliders is because I have been forced to play offline against the CPU who is cheap as hell. If I could play ONLINE it wouldn't be as bad.

# 37 Bornindamecca @ 10/13/08 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenGlove


	I'm starting to get pissed with the whole, "Adjust sliders" argument. Please stop giving 2k a reason NOT to fix the default sliders. I don't want to have to sit down infront of this game and adjust sliders for hours just for the game to play realistic. I want the damn game to play realistic out of the box. Stop giving 2k a cop out. The default sliders are a joke. Only reason I'm even talking about the sliders is because I have been forced to play offline against the CPU who is cheap as hell. If I could play ONLINE it wouldn't be as bad.

but the main issue isn't sliders, it's ratings, and it takes less than five minutes to download a roster that is far superior to 2k's. That roster will give you a realistic game without a slider adjustment. If 2k is going to go through the trouble of making a fully customizable game, along with an online system that allows you to share those customizations, I don't see what the complaint is.

# 38 amedawg00 @ 10/13/08 11:53 PM

Instant classic. This game is not for the faint of heart. Playing of HOF level requires so much attention to detail, especially with regard to staying in front of your players. Frankly, playing the CPU is not my cup of tea, but I have resorted to offline play as preparation for online battles against cheesers and sim ballers alike, given the atrocious state of 2K servers. I have found more success containing superstars with the new lock on d system that incorporates shading than I did with the exploitative lock on d system found in 2K8. The touch passing and give and go's along with the ample player movement makes calling plays inconsequential, and I love it, as it allows you to play more intuitive and instinctive basketball. The court spacing has been finally fixed and sharp shooters and role players that can shoot are the difference betweens winning and losing if utilized correctly. This game caters to those who have basketball knowledge, not in terms of knowing how to run plays, but more importantly, what players have the ability to do what. In less than a week, I have grown very comfortable with the Jazz's offensive schemes and personnel to the point where I am dominanting online games against so called top flight competition, that is after spamming the quick match button, given the woeful servers that 2k currently employs. You will not master this game in a week, just as you did not master 2k8 in a week. Stop manipulating the sliders and just get better at adapting to the AI if you think it is too hard.

# 39 The 24th Letter @ 10/13/08 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenGlove


	I'm starting to get pissed with the whole, "Adjust sliders" argument. Please stop giving 2k a reason NOT to fix the default sliders. I don't want to have to sit down infront of this game and adjust sliders for hours just for the game to play realistic. I want the damn game to play realistic out of the box. Stop giving 2k a cop out. The default sliders are a joke. Only reason I'm even talking about the sliders is because I have been forced to play offline against the CPU who is cheap as hell. If I could play ONLINE it wouldn't be as bad.

Think about it.
When 2k is made, they dont think about how "Goldenglove" wants to play the game. They have to select a niche to run with. The are SO many different views on sim out there. Thats why they provide sliders to tweak the game to your liking. Some people LOVE the game out of box....does that make them wrong b\c you dont?

Just think about it man....not trying to be argumentative

# 40 HTurkogulu15 @ 10/13/08 11:54 PM

dude NBA Live is a pretty good game I have no problems with it other than u can score inside unrealistically and it sucks I lose games right at the end cuz all they got do do is pass it in the post press square then they win

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