NBA Ballers: Chosen One allows PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 players to live the life of an NBA superstar. Featuring new competitive combo and super-move systems, the NBA Ballers Franchise returns with the amazing realistic graphics for which the franchise is known as players take part in the ultimate challenge to become the next Chosen One. The fast-paced one-on-one and two-on-two action returns as players can select from more than 65 NBA superstars to be the next “Chosen One”. The franchise’s hallmark pick-up-and-play gameplay allows Ballers of all skill levels to master combos and pull off amazing super-moves as they hoop-it-up with the best players in the NBA.
The spiritual successor to the company’s classic NBA Jam franchise, will Chosen One be enough to dethrone NBA Street: Homecourt as the current street ball champ?
To quote the video review: “One of the most compelling reasons to play sports games is that they don’t follow scripts, but NBA Ballers’ story mode has traditionally been one of its most distinguishing features. Chosen One, however, offers the weakest narrative of the series. Your goal is to take an unheralded rookie and make him a star. He goes up against the game’s hottest players in a televised tournament spanning six “episodes” hosted by rap artist Chuck D. It sounds decent in theory, yet other than some slick-looking, prerendered video sequences that introduce each episode, there’s nothing tying the story together other than a loose collection of matches.
Basketball should be fast-paced and fluid, yet Chosen One constantly slams on the brakes with impractical design decisions. Irritating computer AI, frustrating challenges, sloppy controls, and an over-reliance on performing specific combos to win are not what you want in a street ball game. While the multiplayer aspect has more legs than the single-player game, primarily since you can set up the rules to your liking, most will find the price of admission too costly. Save the money slated for this game towards a new pair of Air Jordans. They look better and are guaranteed to offer more mileage.”
Story — 4.0
Design — 5.5
Gameplay — 6.2
Presentation — 5.9
Overall — 5.7