NBA 2K10 Review (PS3)

The greatest strength in NBA 2K10's arsenal is the real upbeat, fast paced sense of occasion that NBA Live 2010 didn't deliver. NBA 2K10 is frenetic, and often break-neck. It's hardly realistic, but it's exciting, and that's probably something the more casual player will appreciate. It's offensive basketball drumming at an outrageous pace.

The biggest new addition to NBA 2K10 is the "My Player" mode. Much like similar features found in other sports games, NBA 2K10 allows you to create your own player and attempt to hit it big in the NBA. It's a beefy mode with plenty of customisation options. Once you have a digital replica of yourself on screen, you're thrown into some shallow Summer League modes where you'll rub shoulders with numerous amateurs like yourself. The pacing here is slow, it can be a while before you get snapped up by a big basketball team, but when you do, it makes the experience so much more rewarding.

The problem with "My Player" mode is the way it grades performance. When in the mode, you'll only control your main player. That means, you're graded on the part you play within the team. Good passes, blocks and positioning will reward you with grade points. Unfortunately this can feel a little inconsistent. Shooting is practically pointless for enhancing your grade as you'll get no marks for this. You end up having to play in the way the game wants you to in order to improve, which can feel a little stifling.

It's a shame because the mode could have been a nice alternative, and a beefy area to spend lots of time in. But it just falls apart in the fundamental areas. That means you'll probably spend most of your play time controlling real NBA stars. Like we've mentioned, the gameplay here is most importantly exciting. That said, the experience is affected by a choppy framerate which can hinder the experience quite drastically. The AI can be a little problematic too, with non-controlled players making school boy errors and violations.