Cuzziebro
06-17-2005, 07:58 PM
Let's face it, the basketball super-stars of yesteryear are long gone. Yeah, Lebron and Anthony are talented young cats, but they still haven't obtained the near superstar status of Jordan, Magic, or Bird. But the unlikely world of street ball is taking the world by storm, pushing the definition of what contemporary basketball means to all of us. So instead of hopping on board with the NBA professionals, Ubisoft went to the stars of And 1 to lead there first sports game ever. This is And 1 Streetball. Don't call it an NBA Street clone until you see it. The game definitely seeks to find its own identity amongst the glut of sports games in the market today. So far it looks like it might accomplish that.
Honestly, And 1 does share the same spirit as Street: the style aspect is just as important as scoring points. The player's ability to master the fancy moves and showboating can sway the outcome of the game. The thing about And 1 is that the fancy skills are a lot broader and true to form than any of Street's trick moves. The combo strings are a lot more vast with the use of both analog sticks, mapped for eight option. It's called I-Ball controls. Basically every direction of the analog stick has a distinct move assigned to it that can be change on the fly with modifiers. It's also worth pointing out that the actual And 1 players were called into the development process to have their moves recorded for motion capture. And 1 is striving to simulate street ball in the closest way possible. The only thing missed is the extravagant trash talking.
You can taunt your opponents though. And some of the moves involved are infuriatingly taunting, like getting the ball bounced off your head, or bounced between your legs for a trip to the goal. The game clearly celebrates every aspect street ball. But more than that, it's about the path of becoming a street ball star.
When it comes to the story mode of And 1, the game shares a lot similarities with Tony Hawk Underground 2: Destruction World Tour. What you character looks like is all up to you, giving players tons of customization options. But if you want to join the "And 1" tour, you have to be ready to compete. To accomplish that you must prove yourself on the court. If you're skills are worthy, you'll hop on the bus and go all around country, enduring the various hazing challenges that the real And 1 players had to experience in real life. You'll go up against street ballers with the And 1 team behind you, all the way to the final game. You'll even have an opportunity to create your own moves in the Create-a-Move editor. Even your own celebration moves are available for customization. It's up to you, and it looks pretty amazing.
Even though EA came up with stellar character models in the last Street game, And 1 is going to give them a run for their money. Everyone from Hot Sauce to Half Man Half Amazing looks like the real McCoy. The animations on their finishing dunks are extraordinary. Tricking and showing the competition your unfathomable skills has never been so satisfying. It's not an absolutely fresh perspective on the game, but it's a strong and compelling perspective that gets the competitive juices going.
The customization doesn't end with the moves and characters. You can customize the games themselves, suited for the exact challenge you're looking for. The games are adjustable for one to five players, and you can choose full or half court depending on what mood you're in. There's even an online multiplayer option for those who want real humans to humiliate. The game explores all your indulgences with thorough effort. And obviously, you'll have a chance to play as the And 1 players, using all their signature moves to set crowd on fire. And you can do it all with a customizable soundtrack made-up of the hottest rapper from the South, East Coast, and West Coast.
Go to http://ps2.ign.com/articles/618/618350p1.html for more info on And1 StreetBall.
Honestly, And 1 does share the same spirit as Street: the style aspect is just as important as scoring points. The player's ability to master the fancy moves and showboating can sway the outcome of the game. The thing about And 1 is that the fancy skills are a lot broader and true to form than any of Street's trick moves. The combo strings are a lot more vast with the use of both analog sticks, mapped for eight option. It's called I-Ball controls. Basically every direction of the analog stick has a distinct move assigned to it that can be change on the fly with modifiers. It's also worth pointing out that the actual And 1 players were called into the development process to have their moves recorded for motion capture. And 1 is striving to simulate street ball in the closest way possible. The only thing missed is the extravagant trash talking.
You can taunt your opponents though. And some of the moves involved are infuriatingly taunting, like getting the ball bounced off your head, or bounced between your legs for a trip to the goal. The game clearly celebrates every aspect street ball. But more than that, it's about the path of becoming a street ball star.
When it comes to the story mode of And 1, the game shares a lot similarities with Tony Hawk Underground 2: Destruction World Tour. What you character looks like is all up to you, giving players tons of customization options. But if you want to join the "And 1" tour, you have to be ready to compete. To accomplish that you must prove yourself on the court. If you're skills are worthy, you'll hop on the bus and go all around country, enduring the various hazing challenges that the real And 1 players had to experience in real life. You'll go up against street ballers with the And 1 team behind you, all the way to the final game. You'll even have an opportunity to create your own moves in the Create-a-Move editor. Even your own celebration moves are available for customization. It's up to you, and it looks pretty amazing.
Even though EA came up with stellar character models in the last Street game, And 1 is going to give them a run for their money. Everyone from Hot Sauce to Half Man Half Amazing looks like the real McCoy. The animations on their finishing dunks are extraordinary. Tricking and showing the competition your unfathomable skills has never been so satisfying. It's not an absolutely fresh perspective on the game, but it's a strong and compelling perspective that gets the competitive juices going.
The customization doesn't end with the moves and characters. You can customize the games themselves, suited for the exact challenge you're looking for. The games are adjustable for one to five players, and you can choose full or half court depending on what mood you're in. There's even an online multiplayer option for those who want real humans to humiliate. The game explores all your indulgences with thorough effort. And obviously, you'll have a chance to play as the And 1 players, using all their signature moves to set crowd on fire. And you can do it all with a customizable soundtrack made-up of the hottest rapper from the South, East Coast, and West Coast.
Go to http://ps2.ign.com/articles/618/618350p1.html for more info on And1 StreetBall.