ESPN NBA 2K5

by 2K Sports

Product Features

• Momentum-based game play for a new level of control
• Reactive court sense offers computer-controlled players that react based on player action
• New press camera angles, follow cams and stat overlays for that great ESPN-style presentation
• Commentary from Michelle Tafoya and hall of Famer Bill Walton
• Play online with 24/7 multiplayer gaming, real-time stats, buddy lists, and friend connection updates

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002IQCRK
• Item model number: XBSEGA 710425296178
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: Xbox

To dominate in the Association, one must be able to create, reinvent, and evolve their game to overcome all opponents and obstacles. Staying the course is a formula for mediocrity, and setting the path ultimately leads to success. Re-introducing the king of the court, ESPN NBA 2005 will change the way we experience the virtual basketball game forever with a host of new graphical and gameplay improvements never before seen in sports videogames. Let the next movement begin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST GAME OF BASKETBALL ON THE MARKET!!!!!!!!, March 24, 2005

By 

Lebron James (Cleveland) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: ESPN NBA 2K5 (Video Game)

When I first heard about the 2K5 games going to be $20.00, I figured that these games were all going to suck because of the price. So I decided to see if this was true, so I just rented it. The same exact day that I rented it, I went back to Blockbuster, returned the game, went to EB Games, and bought ESPN NBA 2K5. It was that good. It is some of the best works of graphics, gameplay, sound, and of course the ESPN broadcast style that has ever been put into a basketball game. ESPN NBA 2K5 tops all the components of NBA Live 2005 except for the slam dunk contest in NBA Live, which isn't anything special. The gameplay combined with the replays, presentation, and sideline broadcasting of ESPN makes this the BEST. The graphics are great, not perfect, but easily the best of all basketball games to this day. The sound is FABULOUS, slightly edging out last years 2K4. This game will own your soul.

The all new Association mode is my favorite part of this whole game. You gain complete control over your favorite franchise, basically stepping into the shoes of Rudy Tomjanovich on the sidelines of the Lakers' Staples Center, or any other NBA manager. With the team chemistry and you having to take care of and answer questions of your players, you feel like a real manager, having to take care of financial issues as well as making your players happy. You sometimes even begin to get headaches because of you wanting to make sure you are making the right decisions that will benefit you as a manager as well as the rest of your players. The graphics are very good and easily create the best replicas of NBA basketball arenas and players in video games. When I first played this game, I almost stopped with my jaw dropped in awe of the realism of this game. Although it is very hard to beat out EA Sports, Visual Concepts, Sega, and ESPN all on one team definately have supremacy over the NBA basketball title here. Let me put it this way, the fans in the stands definately do not push the XBox to the limits in means of graphic capabilites. They are kind of boring and not enthusiastic. But with the fast paced action of NBA 2K5, you don't have time to pay attention to the fans.

The controls can be frustrating at times and can take a while to master, when you get the hang of these controls, you discover that they are responsive and quite easy to use. Here is how I rate the game:

Overall: 9 / 10 (No company has yet completely mastered how to perfectly design basketball games, but this is easily the best attempt to master it)
Overall: 10 / 10
Gameplay: 9 / 10 (Fabulous, but not perfect)
Graphics 9 / 10 (I'm not giving it a ten because of the lifeless fans)
Value: 10 / 10 (For $20.00, nobody can complain)
Sound: 11 / 10 (Best on the market)
Presentation: 11 / 10 (Can't compete with ESPN)
Realism: 10 / 10
Controls: 9 / 10 (Great once you master them, but frustrating to learn at first)
Features: 10 / 10 (Best of all basketball games)

This year, ESPN NBA 2K5 has officially one the award as being the best, most complete hoops game on the market. Without ESPN in league with Sega and Visual Concepts, this award would be a lot harder for the 2K5 series to grab a hold of. Don't waste your time with NBA Live 2005. This game is easily an overall better game. This game is basically crystal clear with hardly any flaws. For only $20.00 plus the great gameplay, fabulous graphics (except for those darn fans), and of course the fantastic ESPN broadcasting and presentation, get rid of all your old basketball games (NBA Live included) and make room for the king of all NBA basketball games: ESPN NBA Basketball 2K5!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best NBA game I've ever played and probably ever will..., January 19, 2005

By 

Lamia Jack - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: ESPN NBA 2K5 (Video Game)

First off, the graphics. They are the best and most detailed I've ever seen in video games (or maybe I just played the bleeping 2001 EA games too much). Sometimes they are somewhat over-the-top (i.e. Donyell Marshall's hilariously high-arched eyebrows making him like he was sucking a lemon while getting a face lift), but almost all of the player models are extremely well-detailed, and some player's faces portray something beyond their physical appearance, like an emotion. The animations during gameplay (excluding some dunks from the free-throw line that go way too quick) are realistic, and very sensitive to your commands. Very good stuff here.
The sound is good, the best parts coming from Bill Walton and Bob (or is it Bill?) Fitzgerald. Walton has some hilarious criticisms of a play that just happened, and "Fitz" is good. I don't want to diss Michelle Tafoya, but I've never thought "on-court" or "on-field" commentators were that necessary for anything but injury updates (Pam Oliver and Jill Arrington are hot, though!)

The gameplay is very good, and quite easy to pick up. Some players (like Jalen Rose, and sometimes Krstic) inexplicably miss about every shot they shoot, and in Rose's case, about every believable jumper he shoots. However, I will give tremendous kudos to ESPN for making the players more balanced in terms of scoring. Everybody can hit chip shots, and short jumpers. This is one of the better parts, as most games (like the EXTREMELY flawed computer version of NBA Live 2001, where making a layup was almost impossible) base even easy shots on whether the player has a good "close range" rating. I usuallly do well without the special moves, and I think it's better without (maybe one here and there), but for the most part, you get travels with the hop step and charges with the Isomotion or whatever it is. The game also encourages a lot of passing and distribution of the ball, instead of giving to a big post player like Shaq and having him dunk it every play, which is terribly dull. You also score a lot more when you equally distribute shots and keep the defense on their toes.
Overall, I find this to be the best NBA game, if not the best basketball game (I haven't tried College Hoops yet!). The commentary and crowd make every game a pleasure to participate in. This is a great one; unless you like arcade crap, this a fantastic basketball game.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must For Any NBA Fan, June 7, 2005

By 

chadsthename (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: ESPN NBA 2K5 (Video Game)

I have both NBA Live & this game here. The fun factor for this game is way better. The only thing NBA Live has for it is the All Star Weekend. I find myself playing this game non-stop. This is the best basketball game I've ever played. Way to go SEGA!!!!!! The only downfall for this game is each player has a high % of making shots. It's almost like each player has a portion of MJ in them. I'm not complaining about that, because I like high scoring games instead of low scoring (due to defense.)

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