By no means a perfect game, NBA 2K8 made a quantum leap this year; solidifying it's stance as not only the basketball game to beat, but one of the most complete sports experiences to be found. Although a steep learning curve exists, with little help from the game itself or even the instruction manual, most of the new features truly add to the experience, drawing players into a simulation that's equal parts realistic and fun. More than anything, this plays well where it matters: on the court. Featuring the epitome of online sports play and some other great additions, 2K8 fixes nearly every problem from last year's game.

NBA 2K8 is incredibly fast to get into, which can be both positive and negative. From the main loading screen, you can be in a game within just a few seconds, often loading so quickly that the screens that provide tips are nearly impossible to read. However, the biggest gripe with 2K8 is its learning curve, making it inaccessible for novices of the series. In fact, even die hard 2K players may find it difficult to understand some of this year's additions, as there is little in the way of either documentation or instruction as to how to use the various moves.

The new animations really enchance the visuals.

The game itself plays differently from last year in several ways. For one, everything feels far faster in simulation mode. It's still very realistic and unlike the Live series, scoring points can be just as difficult against a good defense as it is in real life. For whatever reason, easy layups seem nearly impossible. There are points in games when noted dunkers, such as Andre Igoudola will miss so many open and easy layups that the announcers even comment on it. It's strange really, because so many players feature their own signature moves now that to miss layups like this feels unrealistic. To its credit, the game does provide sliders so you can tweak what feels realistic to your liking, but the default settings may be a bit harsh.

The new signature animations are incredible. Certain players who are known for particular plays not only perform them, but look amazing doing them. Steve Nash will dribble down the court, into the lane, then suddenly no-look pass backwards through his legs to a wide open Raja Bell. Kobe Bryant will take over entire games, shaking defenders at will and tearing defenses apart. These are actually very small details, yet when put together, they begin to truly show the amount of dedication to both realism and true NBA play that the 2K team adheres too. Honestly, this fact cannot be stated enough. The only issue is that most of the time it's against you; the defense can truly be brutal until players begin getting into a rhythm or understand how to score a bit better. Even then, as mentioned before, easy shots can be difficult because so many are missed for seemingly no real reason at all.

Players also have a hard time going to the hole. They will run towards and begin their dunk, yet seem to lose steam for some reason. This may be an attempt to keep shooting percentages accurate, but in execution it just seems strange. The shot stick from last year returns as well, which is part of the issue. Shots are far more fluid and easy with the shot stick. This comes at the expense of being able to use the right stick in the way Live does, which ironically is one of the few things Live does well. Although the extra touch can help, at this point it would have been best for 2K's developers to just use their right analog stick in a similar way. All the dribbling is done by moving the player around and can occasionally lead to some hairy situations. For example, it is easy to become vulnerable to a steal because players seem to leave the ball out there for absolutely no reason. It's truly a shame because everything else feels so realistic that ball handling has now regressed in a way, and you'll never truly feel as if you're controlling the ball.

The Sprite Slam Dunk contest is the answer to Live's best mode, and it is extremely touchy. Players can choose from current NBA players and legends, such as Clyde Drexler to compete. Each dunk has three parts: gathering the ball, what occurs while in flight to the rim, and the dunk itself. The gather can be touchy at first, and the in-air style could have been a bit more intuitive. Even the final dunk can be hard to pull off at first. There are a lot of options once the controls are felt out a bit, but this is a mode that although can be both deep and entertaining, takes far too long to get into. Last year's story based single player is replaced with the simple NBA Blacktop mode as well. Here, players get exactly what they would expect, with players from real teams playing on asphalt, which is a nice little addition. Association mode, one of the most varied and extensive GM modes, has had some excellent additions made to it as well. Contract negations are now far more realistic and no trade clauses can be added, which is great. Players also receive individual roles, such as sixth man or role player and this makes things even more realistic, with each role having an effect. Players who expect to play bigger roles will know exactly what is expected of them from the get-go, whether that be as a mentor to younger players or as a big time star. This leads to chemistry that actually means something depending on the team, so for the first time, making a huge trade or free agent pick up might not make sense if the player does not fit the role you imagined for them.

The online was great last year and has simply improved from 2K7's stellar effort. Lag is minimal and the amount of options is breathtaking. Players can form leagues, play entire seasons, or just play co-op games. Even the exhibition mode is entertaining, as the core game works so well against other players; it's hard not to enjoy yourself. The choices truly dwarf all of the other NBA competition this year.

The Sprite Slam Dunk mode has a bit of a learning curve, like much of NBA 2K8.

Graphically, the game jumps up a notch, if only because of its tremendous animation. Most of the Caucasian players, excluding the big names, still look like strange monsters running down the court. Everyone else looks great though, if not spot on to their actual counterparts. The biggest upgrade comes on the sidelines and the arenas themselves. The arenas have generally looked great, but this year a lot more atmosphere has been added. Cheerleaders dance on the sidelines and come out during intermissions or time outs. Even mascots get a shot at the big time, strutting around playfully on the sideline or reacting to plays on the court. Aesthetically, even with the strange way some players look, 2K8 not only draws you in, it realistically portrays the game from a graphical standpoint. The biggest issue is that the player models did not make a huge leap forward from last year, but all those new animations make everything far smoother and more interesting to watch. 2K8 may be one of the most exciting games to watch even when players are lighting up the boards against you, if only to see such a realistic presentation.

The announcing is a bit better than last year. It generally runs non-stop, with additional people coming in from the sidelines to report news as it comes in. Again, the presentation is great, even if the commentary occasionally hiccups trying to put a team's name in place. For instance, an announcer may come in from the sidelines and say "I was talking to," and after a slight pause a voice that sounds like a bad dub over will say the team's name or the coach of that team. Sometimes both of those things get thrown in and it sounds terrible for a second, however the information is far more informative and accurate to the on-court action than any other basketball game.

Even with its handful of issues, this year is a rarity for sports games. After Madden's near reinvention, it's incredible to have another game that plays not just well, but incredibly. Yes, there are issues with the Slam Dunk contest and some of the controls, but the online mode alone far exceeds anything that is offered elsewhere. The commentary is generally spot-on and the game is truly a spectacle to watch once players get past the learning curve. If this game is any indication, it seems that 2008 might finally be the year that sports games truly make the leap to next-gen. At the very least, NBA 2K8 is one of the best basketball games of the year.