G4TV

It’s nice that the NBA license hasn’t been tied up in all the ridiculous exclusivity deals of the NFL, MLB, and so on. It means we still get some creative titles that have to deliver in the face of some real competition. Case in point - NBA Ballers: Chosen One. This isn’t your average basketball game. Heck, it isn’t even that similar to the series with undoubtedly begat it, NBA Jam.

Straight Ballin’

Ballers celebrates the bling and showmanship of b-ball more than the actual game itself. It follows the story of a young prospect full of potential taking part in a fictitious, off-season tournament designed to prove his skills. Basically, this is one-on-one and two-on-two basketball against a host of real-world NBA players. Names like Iverson, Nash, Bryant, James…the list goes on and on. The twist is that the game actually has a sort of role-play element to it, in that your player’s skills actually improve based on how you play. If you’re weak in a particular area of your game, you should actually play a style that forces you to suffer through your weakness.

Of course, the real goal here is not only to beat your opponents, but to embarrass them using the game’s easy-to-learn and exploit trick system. It’s not enough to dunk on another player. You want bounce the ball off his head, then use him as a step to get to the hoop. Though you have to be careful, as the special moves are almost as easy to counter as they are to pull off.

Style over Substance?

The game drips style, but it feels like it’s at the expense of substance. In particular, the animation seems to take precedence over the game play. Basically, when a move is triggered (even something as simple as trying to steal), the players almost feel like they start off on a pre-determined path. It’s impossible to interrupt the whole thing. It leads to a lot of moments where you’ll end up completely out of position without really knowing what the hell just happened.

It wouldn’t be bad either having to occasionally slip in a super move, but Ballers practically makes this one trick the game. Players can build up the combo meter by successfully pulling off these pre-animated moves. Pull off enough combos and you’ll gain a super combo. Build up your super move to level three practically hands you the game. There’s no worrying about putting that silly rubber ball in that little metal hoop anymore. Somewhere long the way, the new mechanics overruled what made the game great – fast basketball action. 

All Show; No Go

There’s nothing wrong with adding new content to a game. When a series has seen better years, the addition of a twist or new mechanic can bring new life to a franchise. This is another deal all together. By corrupting your foundation to bring something new, you alienate your fans while warding off new fans to the series. When you set out to re-design a basketball franchise, the focus of the game should always be the same – delivering a solid basketball experience. 

Though there’s only one real flaw of note in Ballers: Chosen One, it’s a pretty major one. It takes everything good about the game’s design (and there’s a lot) and ends up rendering it almost moot. If you don’t care too much about precise game play, Chosen One is a good, brainless time. Otherwise, the game just becomes infuriating.

Review by: Greg Stewart