NBA 2K11 was highly regarded as the best basketball video game ever made. Move over 2k11, as the 2K brand has outdone itself again with the new NBA 2K12.

First off, the presentation of the game, which many said would not be able to be improved from last year, has taken a big step forward. The games are treated more like television broadcasts with animated starting lineups and announcers who do a good job of flowing together and broadcasting what is occurring in the game, along with trivia about certain players.

One of the coolest aspects of the presentation is the attention to detail that every game has in it. For example, if you are playing with the Bill Russell-led Celtics, your game will be presented in black-and-white, just as if you were watching it back in 1964.

One of the main complaints about presentation with 2K11 was that some of the players (specifically Kobe Bryant) looked like aliens when the camera zoomed in on their faces. This has improved vastly in this year’s game, as the players’ faces are much more realistic and are not as alien-looking like as they were last year.

The gameplay has always been superb in the 2K series and this year’s installment certainly does not disappoint, even though there are a couple of interesting AI moves that I did not enjoy. The biggest complaint from last year’s gameplay was the cheap defensive AI — defenders would make unrealistic steals and blocks that would leave the player shaking his head about what just happened. While in 2K12 there are still some cheap plays with the AI, there is a significant improvement in the way the defense plays the game.

One of the major aspects of gameplay that I do not like with 2K12 is that after you grab a defensive rebound or steal a pass, the camera turns slowly as you begin your offensive possession, which slows down the game immensely. While I was playing the game, I would actually become slightly dizzy when the camera would turn due to a change in possession. Another feature of the gameplay that I did not enjoy is the in-game substitution which is presented much differently, and there is no way to exit out of it until the game automatically does so after a couple of seconds. This is a major drawback if you are the type of player, like me, who enjoys making substitutions during a play since, while the lineup is on the screen, you cannot press any of the buttons or it will stay on the screen for longer and further distract your play. Besides though two minor drawbacks, the gameplay and AI are once again extremely smooth and certainly do not disappoint the average basketball lover.

The game modes in 2K12 have significantly been improved from last year’s model, which were already a strongpoint in the game.

First, the big promotion of this game is allowing the player “to settle the debate of the best team to ever play in the NBA” by unlocking some of the best teams in the history of the league. Last year had the “Jordan Challenges” where the player would play as Michael Jordan and would have to complete a task in which Jordan accomplished in his career (such as points scored, rebounds, assists, etc.). This year, not only do you get to play with Jordan but with all the other greats too, including Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Bird, and many, many more. A major improvement over last year is all the player has to do is win the game in order to unlock some of the 36 historic teams that this game offers. This allows the player to focus on the whole game instead of a specific statistic they must reach in order to succeed.

The game mode that received the most improvement is the My Player mode in 2K12. This mode was already the most popular aspect of last year’s game, and with the new improvements, it should once again be the most popular game mode this year.

The biggest improvement to My Player is the speed in which your player goes from trying out to the NBA to being drafted to playing on a NBA roster. Last year in My Player, the user would have to go through several games in order to improve their draft stock, which was simply a waste of time. In this installment, 2K has implemented the Rookie Showcase, which is one game that your player will play in to improve their draft stock. After the game, your player will go through three interviews with three different teams that are interested in drafting you, and then it is straight to being drafted into the NBA. After being drafted in last year’s game, your player would have to go through several pickup games and a possible trip to the NBA D-League before you make your way to the NBA. The 2K team has changed this for the better, as now your player will jump directly into the NBA, but it is not certain if they will play right away or ride the bench for a year or two. With those improvements to My Player, it is now easier and faster to achieve your dream of making it into the NBA.

The Association game mode in 2K12 has a very similar setup and gameplay compared to last year’s, which is definitely not a negative as this mode continues to be a strong point in the series. The level of detail in the Association is amazing and puts this game above any other basketball game that has ever been made. The new addition to the Association is the online mode in which players can set up a franchise and play an entire season online with their friends which adds an interesting and exciting experience while controlling your team.

One negative about the game, which actually has nothing to do with the game at all, is because of the NBA Lockout, there are no rookies currently in the game. These rookies will not be making an appearance until the first roster update after the lockout has been settled, whenever that may be.

Overall, the 2K series has once again outdone itself and has created the best basketball video game ever made with their newest installment NBA 2K12. This game is simply amazing.