Anilrgowda

There’s nothing quite like sitting through a college basketball game. Sure, collegiate pigskin might be able to pack more fans into their stadiums, and pro ball might have a higher level of skill, but whether you’re watching a game in the arena of the number one team in the nation or watching a team who hasn’t smelled the NCAA tourney in the past decade, the atmosphere is unlike anything else in sports.

It’s not without a strong sense of irony that we discover that it’s actually the collegiate game’s strongest suit that contributes to the genre’s largest issues. See, for whatever reason, developers have almost always been unable to change and tune their collegiate offerings so they don’t come off as a simple reproduction of their professional game. Nailing the atmosphere has never been much of a problem, yet it seems like every college hoops iteration prides itself on packing more chants, cheers, and jeers than the year prior. Does College Hoops 2K7 make the mistake of feeling identical to its professional predecessor, or is it able to deliver the college game in a new and innovative way? We’ve got the answers.

Gameplay

First things first, College Hoops 2K7 feels very similar to NBA 2K7. The players move the same way, the animations are nearly identical, heck the game even controls similarly. What we’re trying to saying is that the basic game mechanics have remained unchanged, but thankfully for Hoops 2K7 (and gamers in general) NBA 2K7 just happened to be one of the best playing basketball games in recent memory.

For whatever reason, the bulk of the changes that were made to the Xbox 360 version of the game haven’t made it over to its past-gen brother. There’s no team unity, no custom chants, no weekly College Hoops Tonight show to wrap up what’s going on in your Legacy, and no redefining of the controls. College Hoops 2K7 is much more of the same game as last year, rather than the fresher experience that the game brings on the Xbox 360. Instead, we get only a few new touches, like an enhanced game simulator for use during your season.

While the good things didn’t make the transition, the bad certainly did. Take the passing for instance. Sometimes you’ll think you’re pressing in a specific direction, aiming at a streaking power forward, only to have the pass wind up to a guard at the top of the key. Fast breaks are also still an issue, especially since the developers decided to do away with the “lead pass” function. The flow of the break is now disrupted as players stop to catch passes and gather themselves. Then there are some instances where it seems as though the game forces players to make cuts. You’ll try to pass to a guy standing at the three-point line, when all of a sudden he’ll make a cut towards the hoop. The pass will be intercepted, and the frustration will continue to build. This also happens with players in the post. Trying to make an entry pass will all too often wind up being received fifteen feet from the basket, thanks largely to an animation that needed to play out.

As we mentioned before, the thing that really sets college basketball apart from the rest of the field is the atmosphere. It’s absolutely deafening to sit through a rivalry game in Cameron Indoor and College Hoops 2K7 not only brings the noise, but brings the look of the crowd home perfectly. 2K Sports has also insured that it’s not only the big-name schools that will have the opposition trembling in their Nikes, as this year’s game brings plenty of new fight songs and chants for the smaller schools in the nation.

The Legacy Mode of the game (which was already one of the best dynasty modes in sports) has seen the largest refurbishing in College Hoops 2K7, especially if you’re playing on a 360. Both systems get some new recruiting tools, bracketology, and the like, but the real star of this year’s show is the weekly “College Hoops Tonight” telecast pieced together by none other than Greg Gumble. While the production values aren’t the highest, it’s still cool seeing a group of video highlights from the week’s action. The online offering in College Hoops 2K7 is just as bombdiggity as it has been in years past. This year there’s leagues and tournaments, along with the standard quick and optimatches, though they’ve also thrown in a planned contest that will mirror NCAA tournament matchups. There’s no telling how well it’ll play out, but the fact that 2K Sports is still trying to improve its already impressive online offering earns the studio a few extra brownie points.

Overall Gameplay Impressions

There’s a lot to like within the deep halls of College Hoops 2K7. The Legacy Mode is back and better than ever, with a small list of additions that up the ante for the forthcoming EA Sports offering. There are still gameplay flaws that will frustrate players, but the overall feel of the college game seeps through the cracks wonderfully. The crowd is fully alive, though it would have been nice to get the new Chant Creator on the Xbox. Regardless, the college game is alive and well in College Hoops 2K7.

Graphics

Visually the game is very impressive on the Xbox. The close-ups all feature some nicely detailed player models. On the flip side of the coin, the coaching models, which are supposedly detailed after their real life counterparts thanks to the fact their names are included, are pathetic looking. They’re all low resolution and just plain gross to look at. It’s also an uninspired touch to have the coaches wear ties adorned with their school’s logo.

The real star of the show is the set of animations that 2K7 brings. While they might be identical to the NBA rendition, that doesn’t mean they’re any less impressive. The frame rate stays constant throughout, and things like the reflections on the court showcase just how good these games can look. The crowd adds to the visual flair of the title nicely.

Audio

Unlike the visuals, the audio is constantly a showcase. While much of the audio style is enhanced by a surround sound system, even if you don’t have one the sounds of the arenas are amazing to behold. The rumble of the students before the tip and during three-point shots is undeniably cool, and hearing unique chants depending on your choice of school is something special. The only real downside to the audio is the pre-game speeches given by the coaches, which are all just plain cheesy. The commentary is starting to get a little old, but still holds its own against the competition.

The Bottom Line

It’s a little disheartening to see how much the Xbox version is missing when compared to its Xbox 360 doppelganger, but I suppose that’s what you should expect when you pay forty bucks less for a game. There just isn’t enough new stuff to warrant a purchase, unless you’ve missed out on the past few years of collegiate basketball. The gameplay is solid, and the feature list is acceptable if you don’t know what you’re missing, but those looking for a genre defining game will need to move along.





Things are starting to feel a little too familiar on the court, and there simply isn’t enough new material to appease judgmental gamers. Still a solid game though.






Nice visuals are coupled with lackluster coach models. The court has a great looking sheen, and the crowd is alive and vibrant.






Awesome crowd effects and a great soundtrack help, but the solid commentary feels a little stale from time-to-time.






There’s a ton of stuff to do, whether online or off. This game will keep you busy for a long while to come.






Nearly everything has been seen before, but what is new adds to the fun.