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#109

Basketball fans return to the court in style with ESPN NBA 2K5. Following the lead of ESPN's earlier seasonal releases, ESPN NFL 2K5 and ESPN NHL 2K5, the title of this year's basketball release reminds gamers of its developer's past hits, with a return to Visual Concept's "2K5" naming scheme. As in the previous year's game however, NBA 2K5 gets the full-on, TV-style, ESPN treatment, complete with new camera angles, statistical analysis and overlays, and courtside commentary from Hall of Famer Bill Watson. When the hype clears, however, the real action takes place on the hardwood, and this year's game offers a number of adjustments and new features intended to create the series' most realistically flowing pro basketball simulation to date. The new "Next Movement" system is designed to account for each individual NBA player's skills and abilities, in several different areas. A player's particular physical make-up now helps determine how well he performs in key situations, such as running up court on a fast break, or cutting off an open lane on defense. As in other recent additions to the ESPN sports line-up, NBA 2K5 supports online play, through the Xbox Live service.