Realistic, new moves continue franchise

Enhanced graphics, new control stick action and a lively soundtrack produced by hip-hop artist Jay-Z makes “NBA 2K13” a valuable investment for one’s video game entertainment.

Officially hitting the shelves on Oct. 2, the newly released 2K Sports product will leave gamers in awe by the amount of detail added to the game’s graphics and its realistic game play.

While last year’s game, “NBA 2K12,” made a lasting impression on gamers, 2K13 takes virtual basketball to a higher level.

Prior to the “NBA 2K13” release, there were several online promotions highlighting Jay-Z’s involvement with the game’s soundtrack.  
Although there were not many televised commercials, as soon as players pop the game into their system, they can feel that 2K13 backed up its online promotion of Jay-Z’s production.

 By hitting the gamer early with his track, “Public Service Announcement,” during the game’s introduction video, gamers get an idea of what 2K13 has to offer before the game starts.

The game’s lively soundtrack, consisting of songs made by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nas and a variation of other hip-hop and pop artists, makes the listening experience of the hoop game worthwhile.

One of the new additions added to 2K13 is the control stick allowing gamers to perform crossover moves.

In previous 2K games each player had a set of similar crossover moves controlled by a simple touch of a button.

2K13, however, makes the control stick crossover process a lot smoother as players perform realistic moves.

For example while going one on one with a defender, the player can perform moves that would be seen in a NBA game in order to create a shot opportunity.

The players’ realistic movements can be deemed as a blessing for veteran 2K gamers.

 The control stick can pose a problem for those who are new to 2K or getting used to it as players can lose their ball handle just like in a real NBA game.

Passing has also improved from previous 2K installments.

The player is more aware of what type of pass to throw in a game, such as not throwing a bounce pass in traffic or throwing a cross-court chest pass during a fast break play.

Another addition in its arsenal is its “MyPlayer” mode as the gamer is able to create a virtual character and have the ability to play a NBA career.

The gamer can customize their created player’s wardrobe, uniform and equipment used during the game.

Those who pre-ordered “NBA 2K13” before its release have the ability to download the 2013 NBA All Star events such as the Dunk Contest, 3-Point Shootout, Rookie-Sophomore Challenge and the Skills Challenge.

Overall, 2K13 will once again reign as the most dominating virtual basketball game, however, it still has room for improvement.