How’s this for a CPU assist?
Imagine a world where Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Paul Pierce and Isaiah Thomas played on exactly the same Boston Celtic team. Or Chuck, Dr. J, the Answer and the Process on the same Philly Sixers one. Well imagine no more (sort of). Because today that’s the digital world for you. And from the sweat of the King, LeBron James, to the saliva on Steph Curry’s gum-shield, NBA 2K18’s graphics are so good it damn well looks like the amazing feat is actually coming true.
Now when it comes to 2K if it’s not in the game like EA used to be then it’s going to be as close as you can get to this fantasy league, like sitting courtside with Rihanna. As close as you can be to something that’s more than just a video game.
But this aint any regular, run of the mill video game.
2K18 has all the bells and whistles to get you as close as possible to the digital hardwood and we aren’t just talking about the My Career mode. From the streets to the stadium mode Houston Rockets All Star P.G. and almost MVP James Harden’s cover star turn is showing you just how realistic this game is like the rendering of every hair on The Beard’s chinny, chin chin. And if you don’t believe this hype, a trailer set to Mobb Deep’s hip hop classic ‘Shook Ones (Part II)’ (Rest Peacefully Prodigy) in a soundtrack that features Nas, Naughty By Nature, Toronto Raptors owner Drake and the NBA and Portland Trail Blazers own resident rapper and All-Star Damien Lillard, AKA Dame D.O.L.L.A. is as eagerly anticipated and exciting to hoop heads and gaming geeks as leaking an ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ trailer from Comic Con.
It’s hard to fathom it’s been a year since that Imagine Dragons trailer but the friction excitement for the 2018 model is more heat inducing than rubbing two sticks together and as palpable as a fan rubbing their hands together for the start of the real 2017/2018 NBA regular season.
And covering a special edition of this game across the XBox and Playstation platforms the Notorious Big, ‘Most Dominant Ever’, Shaquille O’Neal could cover more games here than he does as a host on TNT. A new explosive mode were you can play a 15 man roster of your favourite franchises All-Time team will surely see him suit up in the Florida colors of the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic again. Hey he could even make the cut for the best the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers have to offer. But for the Big Fundmanetal that has played for almost everyone-even the Boston Celtics-he stands most proudly like he does in the purple and gold rafters and as a statue outside STAPLES as a legendary Los Angeles Laker. In an NBA legacy team for 2K18 that also features pictured teammate Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlian and even Pau Gasol finally getting his due. This Magnificent Seven surely to be joined by the legendary likes of the logo Jerry West, the Fire to his Ice Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, Jamaal Wilkes, surely Minneapolis Lakers, first superstar George Mikan and who knows when it’s all said and done Lonzo Ball. And how about Big Shot Bob, Robert Horry to go along with Big Game and the big fella?
That just leaves one…hello Kwame Brown or Smush Parker!
Hell the Lakers could add someone’s Grandma (whats up Larry Johnson) and the result would still be ths makings of a Hollywood ending. This line-up has Dream Team written all over it like Barcelona in 1992. Proving that at least in todays digtal world fantasies come true, even if you thought it was out of this league.
Ready to play?
