Keep Jay-Z away from my 2k! - teebee's Blog

teebee's Blog

Keep Jay-Z away from my 2k!

Posted on October 4, 2012 at 01:33 PM.

(36)

So we're 48 hours since 2k13 released and all I can say is what an incredible game....almost.

After a few days the overall newness has worn off and little things are just mystifying me about the direction this game went in 2013. Everyone knows Jay-Z is the "producer" or whatever that means and threw in a ton of his own music and a few others which is fine with me. What i do have a problem with is the absolute horror the presentation has become this year.

Did Jay-Z or whoever let him influence everything (just assuming this here, no clue if he did anything other than send music in) look at the other 2k's and say "This looks entirely too much like a TV broadcast" or "This looks way too much like what we see on TV every game we watch"? Now we have low-res player pics on intros with who knows what those swirly-tattoo style designs are growing across the screen.

What happened to legit realistic presentation to make it think you are watching a real game? ESPN/TNT licenses be damned, it looks like NBA 2k13 is using a sponsorship from the local Black Lotus Tattoo parlor. I know it's just a video game but it has lost a lot of legitimacy and professionalism by going for the "artistic" aesthetic this season.

Again, no clue if Jay-Z really had any input or just sent a check and let his name be put on the front but 2kSports has to remember, less is more when it comes to overlay design. Take the sequins and flashing X-mas lights off this game for 2k14 and you are scratching close to a perfect product.

Comments

# 1 piccolomair @ Oct 4

i agree on many fronts.

I dont particularly listen to hip-hop/rap, but im not against it either and i do carry some of my favorite ones on my music player...

What i didnt like was the complete domination of the soundtrack by just that particular genre of music, and not only that...many of the songs are those that have at some point BEEN a single that has played on the radio.

I sort of laughed when i heard coldplay's 'viva la vida' playing in the game. It was like i could imagine jay z being told by some 2k guy 'hey man, shouldnt we add a little more versatility in the soundtrack' and jay z then threw the whitest of white bands into the soundtrack in a way of offsetting the music...

I liked 2ks soundtracks of the past, because it featured a variety of music that no one had really heard before, from underground tracks, to indi-type music, with a few mainstream artists mixed in. It helped keep the game fresh i thought.

But even aside from that small nuance, i agree completely with the irks on presentation. When i first tried the demo i felt like i was playing a boxing game with all the gold crowns and stuff floating around. And players being on tarot cards?

Its a shame since it seemed 2k12 had great presentation, they had gotten that tnt producer to help them and i thought it was the best part of the game.

Im sure there was a balance to be had, having jay z control all the elements outside of the actual game, and have the gameplay presentation look like broadcast...instead we have an overwhelming display of jay z's presentation...and as nice as it looks as a stand alone....it looks out of place in an nba sim game.

# 2 davidthecornman @ Oct 4

Piccolomair you that Jay-z and Coldplay are really close. Jay-z has done a song with them and he is always at their concerts.

# 3 TLizChosen @ Oct 4

I don't like to swirl designs etc.. either...

# 4 piccolomair @ Oct 4

@davidthecornman actually didnt know they were real close...what song did they do together. If jay z wanted a song from coldplay for the soundtrack 'Paradise' wouldve been a better pick

# 5 kackle85 @ Oct 5

I totally agree. I don't mind the fact that 25% of the songs are Jay-Z songs but the presentation is ugly. It looks totally un-professional to me and almost seems cartoonish. Good thing the gameplay makes up for it.

# 6 Hjkflannel @ Oct 5

Completely agree on all fronts and the worst part is that the money spent on Jay z could have gone towards hooking in some more classic teams.

# 7 dvir10 @ Oct 5

according to erick boenisch, jay-z had a lot of influnce on the game presentation this year. i didn't like it either but as long i enjoy gameplay itself, it doesn't bother me to much

# 8 keator @ Oct 5

Favorite part about FIFA sound track is it is full of songs i have never heard before. Its fine if you want to have JayZ to boost sales, but to just have a soundtrack of songs from the early 2000s, and all having to be muted out bc of the profanity is not a good look.

# 9 Keljb85 @ Oct 5

Nitpicking.

# 10 TheBrooklynBaller @ Oct 5

If you guys so are so amazing... Why don't you executive produce 2k14? Oh I forgot because none of you are Jay Z. Lol you should be greatful... He got Barkely to sign on. Why are you so concentrated on the menus and music anyways? The gameplay is the best it has been in years.

# 11 teebee @ Oct 5

Gimme the chance and i'll make it perfect, don't test me! The reason we don't like it is because it....looks like ****??

# 12 jmo2278 @ Oct 6

@thavaliantx care to elaborate on your broad generalization???
Anyway the gold overlays are a bit much, but it still resembles a tv broadcast more so than any other game out there and gameplay is bar none. I think they just wanted something different this year, if they kept tithe same I'm sure people would complain about that too. How can anybody hate on a soundtrack that Coldplay AND Eric B & Rakim?!??

# 13 jmo2278 @ Oct 6

@teebee of course we all could make the perfect game if given the chance! Duh ;-)

# 14 mountaindew77 @ Oct 6

@thevaliantx Ignorance at its finest

# 15 Meechyaboy @ Oct 6

Ea sports has most of the broadcasting licenses ... Espn,CBS and don't think they pursue TNT

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