Official 2k9 Impressions thread

[[LAKERS4EVER]]

Oh, LOL, didn't know that!! Sry

[Ballyoop]

So what is this thread for?

[fumanchu]

ChillBally, the best game he says...haha

[JWL3]

Yeah, I bought 2 copies. I really don't like the DRM thing though. Sucks that a file's embedded on your machine limiting you from reinstalling at will.

[Ballyoop]

Whoa! It takes long to say that this is the best game.

[SHEED36]

Never heard about

[fumanchu]

just hopin they deliver soon in countries that dont have the game yet like here...

coz i dont have it yet...sucks..

[cyanide]

The sheer number of situations that are possible where the shoot button has absolutely no effect is baffling to me.

Can you explain what you mean by that? I'm finding myself using the shot stick more frequently than the shot button, and I just love the various ways I can control my shooting. It takes time to get used to, but the amount of control I'm able to have is amazing.

[JohnnyLi]

I just got the game! I guess I won't be playing last generation 2K7 on my old Xbox anymore

I really wish I could play it on high detail, but oh well. Either way, I can turn the player details to High and they look amazing. I wish some of the faces weren't so off from their real-life counterparts though. Other faces look spot-on, however.

Gameplay-wise, it doesn't seem like much has changed since 2K8, but that's not an entirely bad thing I suppose.

Also started an Indiana Pacers association. It's got so many features, but I really don't want to delve too deep into it because the menu is terrible. It looks good, but everything is buried deep somewhere. I really wish they had the calendar view like in NBA Live or the older 2K games. The menu is definitely my biggest complaint about the game.

In conclusion, I really enjoy this game and will be playing it for a while

[el badman]

Finally got the game, enjoying most of what I'm seeing so far, except for the awful interface (annoying lags, mouse works when it feels like it, too many tabs opening...).
It's incredible how much it's hard to adapt though. I had never played a NBA 2K game before, and even though a lot of the controls are the same (or can be assigned to the same buttons), my 12 years of being a loyal NBA Live player are not helping me much for now.
I was expecting the visuals to be slightly more detailed actually, but it's not bad at all at 1680x1050 with everything to max, can't complain there.
It will take some getting used to, but it looks quite promising so far.

[BigKaboom2]

Can you explain what you mean by that? I'm finding myself using the shot stick more frequently than the shot button, and I just love the various ways I can control my shooting. It takes time to get used to, but the amount of control I'm able to have is amazing.

You can get into a situation with your back to the basket where the left stick does not allow you to move (even when you still have your dribble) and the shot stick/shoot button won't do anything. The only thing you're able to do is pass. Also if you fake a shot and hit the shoot button too soon, in some cases the second press won't register at all. Stuff like that.

At least they fixed the thing from 2k8 where if you tap the shot stick/button to fake a shot while moving away from the hoop you'd always take an early release fadeaway.

[Nick]

you will learn that EA has really fooled us when it's about PC Games.

It's no secret that NBA Live's PC games have sucked. It's been a painful past few years having played that weird game that EA called "NBA Basketball". We just have never had any other Bball games to play on PC until now.

I get the feeling you're sorta preaching to the already-converted here, man.

[bee-boy]

is there a olympic or fiba mod in the game for the pc version

[JWL3]

I love it. 2 weeks after the release and there are no threads about PG domination or offensive rebounding problems or garbage like that. I don't have the game yet (delivery date 10/29) but it sounds like they made a well balanced game. The only problems I hear are about menus which I can live with.

So guys, no major issues that can't be fixed with sliders? Are the end game stats realistic (regarding star players and role players)?

[Jing]

Amir Johnson or someone on the Magic hit a full court buzzer beater heave against me in my last Association game, was pretty cool because the players on the court went crazy when the ball went in, the fans were dancing around, and the announcers were screaming basically about how amazing the shot was and the game was showing replays of it, and from different angles too. Very cool.

[benji]

Amir Johnson or someone on the Magic

Hater.

[Jing]

Anthony Johnson actually.

And how am I a hater?

[benji]

Thinking Amir Johnson, Basketball Messiah, is on the Magic.

[Jing]

3.9PPG and 3.8RPG sure fulfills the requirements of a basketball messiah.

[benji]

See. Hate. Pure racist venomous bigoted rabid hate.

I'm sure he'll save you anyway.

[Jing]

You still haven't explained why I was a hater and why he is your basketball messiah. You're just going out of your way to cause conflict.

[The X]

check out Amir Johnson's benjistats & then you'll see the light

[benji]

You still haven't explained why I was a hater and why he is your basketball messiah. You're just going out of your way to cause conflict.

The internets are serious business?

your basketball messiah

Not mine, all of ours. He's like Obama, except, for basketball. Praise be to Amir.

[AMenace]

Just got my copy on PC, should be interesting to find out if it is better than live!!

[MacBryce]

I decided to write a little review for people who are used to Live on PC. I can understand that you're doubting on whether or not to purchase this game, so here's my review:

Ever since Splinter Cell Chaos Theory was rubbish on PS2, I moved back to my PC for gaming and as a result I've been playing the Live series instead of the 2K series. I don't own a next-gen system (aside from a powerful PC gaming rig) so NBA Live 08 was the "best" (lol) basketball game I've played since I left my old PS2. All of a sudden, 2K decides to release 2K9 for the PC and I couldn't wait to get it. The contrast with Live 08 on PC is so enormous, that I don't understand why this forum hasn't changed its name to NBA 2K series center.

At first, I had difficulties with IsoMotion, but I was expecting that because I had play NBA 2K games on my PS2. For fellow PC Live to PC 2K switchers, I definitely want to point out that this game will take some learning and some patience before getting started. It has a learning curve, and its concepts are completely different from Live's. I took me 2~3 days to figure out how the game is supposed to be played and I'm loving it. The atmosphere is incredible, players actually play like their real-life counterparts, the game actually is a sim instead of a simmed-up version of NBA Jam (as Live was), and so on. I'm already hoping that 2K sports will bring 2KX to PC as well, hopefully with Live Rosters, faster running playbooks and online multiplayer on top of 2K9.

The game has its flaws, but none of them are significant compared to NBA Live's many, many issues. I've read a lot of complaints of people who have been playing 2K8 but seriously, when you come from Live 08 this game is so good that you can hardly believe it. I'm so glad that I actually went out and bought it, because 2K sports earns the cash. They could easily have sold it for twice its current retail price and the game would still be worth the purchase.

I also had a lot of great moments learning to play this game. (Btw, pick up a 360 controller to play it. I normally use a Rumblepad2 but isoMotion is very sensitive and the Rumblepad doesn't really accomodate the required sensitivity due to the square that surrounds the analogue sticks.)

For example, I had a great Kobe experience such as the one Arden_05 is describing in a previous post. At the end of the game, I managed to contain him but I still lost and heck... It was so fun. It didn't feel like a CPU exploit or anything, he just outplayed and outsmarted me. One possession I'm completely focused on stopping him that he drops an easy pass to a cutting Gasol; next possession I'm spreading my attention over the entire floor and he breaks my ankles and dunks over Pierce who picks up a foul.

I also had an memorable pickup game between Shaq and Chris Paul, I have great fun with the dunk contest which features way better dunks than Live's, I enjoyed play full-court 3 on 3 with NBA all-stars to practice my isoMotion skills and I had many great exhibition games as well.

Furthermore, the Association kicks Live's Dynasty Mode's behind so hard that it isn't even funny. I played as the Nets and I got a very good deal for Vince Carter who then refused to waive his trade option. Brilliant! Also, if you try to make a deal with the CPU, the CPU will actually help you. You want player X for player Y? Sure buddy, but I'm gonna need that first round draft pick or player Z to go with that trade then. It's amazing; that results in spending a lot less time trying to get a trade going because you haven't got a clue about what the CPU actually wants.

So to sum up, if you're a PC gamer who needs a basketball game every year and would prefer a sim... Leave Live and switch to 2K; invest some time in learning how isoMotion works (because it's a completely different concept from Freestyle) and you'll never look back. It sometimes even makes you feel like you're actually on the court.