Freestyle Street Basketball
Preview
Take it to the streets
by Howie Howard
previewed on PC
Pro-shooter in just ten minutes flat
Game controls are extremely easy to learn as they incorporate the standard WASD keys that move your in-game persona. The things that you can do with these keys are really amazing. After maybe 10 minutes of practice you will find yourself playing like a pro. If you can't seem to get the knack of controlling your player there are areas in the game where you can go to practice the various slam dunks and 3 point shots that will be necessary to win.
After you master the art of player control you will be able to challenge other players to a match. These matches all use street basketball rules and can take the form of a 1on1, 2on2 or 3on3 match ups. What, you don't know exactly what the street rules are? Well, actually there are very few game rules and the standard basketball rule of shooting free throws after committing a foul is thankfully absent. There is a 24 second clock and the standard street takeout rule of clearing the ball outside the 3 point line before being able to take a shot will always apply. In addition to this the game has a comprehensive stats tracking system. This data is collected automatically after every game you finish and it is assembled on various leader boards. That way you will be able to see how you stack up in wins, points, steals and other stats against rival players.
Hidden costs of online gaming
You may be wondering what it will cost to play Freestyle Street Basketball. Actually after the initial 20 dollar investment the online game is free. Of course, if you wish to have access to extras in the game then that's where the credit card will be needed. The game has 2 different methods of purchasing game extras. The first is called points and the second is known as "bills". Points are what you get for successfully completing games. Of course if you win then the point reward will be greater. With these points you will be able to buy new clothing items, tattoos and other things to make your player look even cooler. The "bills" option is where you pay real world money. In previous paragraphs I mentioned that you have 5 slots that you can equip with special skills. If you want to buy a "bill" then you will have the advantage of being able to have 6 slots for the special skill sets. In addition there are other in-game perks that you can purchase such as special items. These items are generally bought for a week at a time and they include special abilities such as various clothing items that when equipped or worn will give your character enhanced jumping, speed, shooting or other skill bonuses.
The sounds and sights of the streets
I have talked at length about generating a game character and how the various game areas work. However, I have until now neglected to talk about the graphics and what the in-game sounds are like. The graphics are based on a cartoonish cell shaded 3D look that is really gorgeous to look at. Player animations are excellent and able to show in detail your player performing an outlandish slam-dunk or some other otherworldly basketball move. Sound consists of street based "smack talk" and it can be used to taunt your opponents. This gives the game a real world feel. The music is lively and is based on various popular Rap and Hip-Hop tunes. It is reported that Sierra is going to have a special sound track developed by a Universal Music Group artist. (This will be very easy to achieve mainly because Sierra in owned by Vivendi Universal and they have very deep pockets.)
I can't wait for this one to come out sometime in mid May of 2007 because I'll be on the court with my fancy sneakers complete with a set of baggy shorts and tattoos ready to give you the game of your life. Get ready to have the moves put on you in the new MMO street basketball game by developer JC Entertainment and producer Sierra Entertainment. It certainly will be loads of fun for all!
